JEDDAH, 20 March 2006 — The Ministry of Labor has announced that it will begin inspections of all stores and shops selling women’s lingerie starting June 18 to make sure that only women are employed in them.
Khadija bint Khuwailed Center organized a meeting at the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry yesterday to discuss the implementation of a Cabinet decision made two years ago in this regard. Only a handful of businessmen were present at the meeting; the low attendance may have been due to skepticism about enforcing the decision.
“We sent more than 500 invitations to the meeting to storeowners and businessmen. Perhaps they are not taking the decision seriously; they have been given ample time to implement the decision and if they don’t comply, the problem will be theirs,” said Nadia Baeshen, director of Khadija Center.
Those who attended voiced concerns about the requirement to conceal the stores or sections in the stores that sell women’s items. They also raised doubts about the availability of enough qualified saleswomen.
The Council of Ministers’ decision states that implementation will begin with stores selling lingerie and they were given a year to make the necessary changes. Women’s shops selling abayas and ready-to-wear will follow within two years. During that time, women will be trained through the Human Resources Development Fund, the National System for Joint Training, the Council of Saudi Chambers of Commerce and Industry as well as at private training centers for women.
In coordination with the Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs, the Ministry of Commerce and the Council of Saudi Chambers, all stores and shops selling these items will be put into a database and a system of fines will be established as well as mechanisms for checking on the stores and following up the implementation process.
A survey conducted by the Khadija Center has found that there are 247 stores selling women’s items in 49 malls and shopping centers in Jeddah. “We excluded traditional shopping areas and street vendors from our survey and focused on shops selling lingerie and beauty products,” explained Baeshen.
Some 1,500 salesmen and 25 saleswomen work in these stores. Only three of the shops employ women.
Women shoppers find it a little strange that they are supposed to purchase lingerie and undergarments from male salespersons in a country like Saudi Arabia. All over the world, women sell women lingerie, they observe.
At least 700 jobs are currently available for female sales clerks at women’s shops in Jeddah. “We are training women who will train the female staff needed to replace the salesmen. We will receive job applications next month and will arrange for interviews with storeowners during the Career Day at Dar Al-Hekma College next month so they will begin their training before they are hired,” explained Baeshen.
Qusai Al-Filali, general director of the labor office in Jeddah, said that three women’s departments had been created in Jeddah, Riyadh and Dammam with 10 employees in each who will check on the stores.
“One important point is that the area selling women’s items must be concealed from public view and no male customers are to be allowed in,” he said.
“Another important point is that there will be fines for shops failing to comply with the regulations. We hope that the storeowners will cooperate with us,” said Al-Filali.
