But I am not very optimistic about this report, as this would solve only 10 percent of the unemployment problem faced by some 5.2 million young Saudi women jobseekers. Currently, there are only about 706,000 Saudi workingwomen. This figure constitutes 12 percent of the workforce. 

First, even if we admit for the sake of argument that this report is credible, besides making available jobs for half a million young women, this would not be sufficient to address the problem of unemployment faced by Saudi women. The unemployment among Saudi women reached an alarming level of about 26.4 percent as per official figures.

On the other hand, there are 2.5 million non-Saudi workingwomen among the total foreign workforce of eight million. This figure makes up about half of the total unemployed Saudi women and not merely 10 percent.

Hence, the rules and regulations must be clear and feasible to address the real situation in the employment market. The education and training should be suitable to the job opportunities available in the employment market. The decision to replace foreign salesmen by Saudi women in lingerie shops and the suspension of its implementation later is a telling example showing our weakness in addressing the unemployment problem.

It is quite strange that the total number of Saudi workingwomen represents only 16 percent of the total workforce in the Kingdom. At the same time, the nation’s expenses on women’s education is 53 percent more than that of men. This problem continues to remain without any substantial change for several decades. Here the question is: How is it possible for us to make job opportunities for unemployed Saudi women available and attract half a million of them to the employment market?

From my personal viewpoint, I do not see any possibility for this. This is not because of our inability to create employment opportunities, but because of the so-called red lines prevailing in the job market. I regret to point out that I see these red lines still vivid. We are unable to take up jobs of sales staff in lingerie shops currently held by some 300,000 foreigners, because of our social and economic cautiousness. Meanwhile, our young women are staying indoors in their houses.

The maintenance and electrical departments at our women's universities, colleges and schools are not in a position to make available training programs and eventually job opportunities for our young women. It is also highly regretful that women are barred from taking up vast job opportunities available in various fields such as medicine, law and various other services related to women. Most of these positions are being held by foreigners, while Saudis watch this situation remorsefully.

Hence, it is essential to broaden the employment market and create job opportunities for women with pumping more investments in the vital sectors.

The labor minister’s recent announcement about the new Saudization program (known as Nitaqat), under which private companies would be classified into green, yellow and red categories considering their performance in the Saudization of jobs, may contribute substantially in addressing the unemployment problem. But this is not the sole solution. These colors could also be used and enforced in the case of those firms that delay or refuse to implement government decisions with regard to employing young Saudi women.

Let the red color, which signals obstruction, change into green, which denotes dreams of a bright future in pride and dignity for us as well as for our nation.