Saudi private sector sees twofold increase in number of women employees from last year

A report has revealed that the total number of Saudi women working in the private sector has almost doubled to 400,000 from last year.

According to Gulfnews.com, the numbers rose from 48,406 in 2009 to 100,000 in 2011 and 200,000 in 2012. The gigantic rise in the figures clearly indicates the success of the government's ambitious plan to create employment opportunities for women in a society that is largely patriarchal and restricts women from taking up jobs in the private sector.

A report released by the Labour ministry on Monday attributed the steep rise in numbers to the increase in job opportunities for women in the industrial and commercial sectors.

The report also added that financial perks like, a minimum salary of 5,000 riyals and a transportation allowance of 600 riyals for teachers, have also contributed significantly.

When the ministry first came up with the idea of creating job opportunities for women in lingerie stores, it faced strong opposition from the conservative forces in society who claimed that it will encourage interaction between men and women. However, the government ignored the detractors and implemented the decision which saw a ten-fold increase in the number of women working in the private sectors within four years.

The employment programme was launched by the ministry to deal with the increasing number of unemployed Saudi women and to reduce its reliance on foreign workers which make one-third of its total population.