There is an urgent need to encourage women to take up jobs in the private sector as only 2 percent of them are employed here, an expert has said during a seminar.

Besides the private sector, the percentage of Saudi women in public and other sectors is 88 in education, six in public and four in health, said Hessa Al-Maloz, vice-president of Academic Quality and Development Deanship. She was speaking during a debate held by the business women sector of the Abha Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

The activity is a part of the “Realize your capabilities 2” program that the Chamber organizes in coordination with King Khaled University to support business women in the Asir region and create awareness about their issues.

Al-Maloz opened the session with a discussion on a paper about the condition of working women in Saudi society. She suggested stimuli to encourage the entry of women into the jobs market, particularly in the private sector. “A cooperation could be formed between the authorities concerned to provide rehabilitation, training as well as updating regulations to support them,” she said.

“There’s a need to put a minimum wage limit, introduce businessmen to female graduates and hold more seminars to follow up on the issue of women employment,” she said.

She referred to the statistics by the Ministry of Labor which shows that female unemployment is 70 percent and male unemployment 30 percent. The data shows that 85 percent of unemployed women are university graduates.

Al-Maloz said there are social and cultural reasons that are responsible for women’s poor participation in the labor force. She stressed the need for initiatives such as raising their professional and technical efficiency, focusing on establishing small and medium-sized enterprises and promoting the investment culture.

A recent study conducted on 1,146 students and faculty members in the King Saud university showed that stereotype jobs and criticism for being product sellers and cashiers is keeping women away from jobs.

Maha Al-Khalidi, branch director of Saudi Investment Bank, talked about her professional experience and the main challenges facing Saudi working women.

Munira Asiri, psychologist at the Mental Health Hospital, provided information about the psychological and social implications of woman leaving the house to the work field.

The session ended by discussions and debates and proposals submitted by Anjum Ahmed, a faculty member at King Khalid University.