Only 15% of Saudi women have IDs

The Civil Status Department at the Ministry of Interior has so far issued 1,487,000 ID cards to Saudi women since the system was put in place in 2002.
This translates to just 15 percent of the 9,876,051 women who are eligible for ID cards as indicated in a recent survey by the Central Department of Statistics and Information.
Mohammad Al-Jasir, a spokesman for the Civil Status Department, told local media that there was an increase in the number of Saudi women who wish to be in possession of an ID card.
“This has encouraged the Civil Status Department to keep pace with the increasing demand from women for IDs by creating more female sections in its branches in the Kingdom to facilitate this service and approve the reservation system through its electronic portal,” he said.
Al-Jasir said that the functioning of the Civil Status Department is not limited to issuing ID cards for women, but also to register or amend their social status and profession, in addition to obtaining copies of registered records for themselves, their husbands, siblings and descendants.
A female ID card contains fingerprint recording and photo to prevent identity theft and tampering.
There were only five offices dealing with IDs when the department began issuing ID cards to Saudi women in 2002. There are now 20 offices in various governorates and major cities.
Though the agency’s branches in remote areas don’t have female sections, they are served by mobile units and other modern means approved by the Civil Status Department.
“Employees at female sections in the Civil Status Agency have undergone extensive training programs in the field of civil status, information technology and administrative behavior. These programs are aimed at developing skills and abilities, as well as achieving quality services,” he added.