JEDDAH: Dr. Abdullah bin Shaki Al-Ghalib Al-Shareef, chief of the Makkah Chamber of Commerce and Industry, has said that the chamber was making all efforts to create suitable jobs for national manpower as its contribution to provide job opportunities for those who are interested in working in the private sector.

He was speaking at a ceremony where 39 agreements were signed with various companies to recruit ladies with special needs in the private sector. The ceremony was held at the Makkah Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

He said that the companies which have signed the agreement would recruit these Saudi ladies for distance working in various areas and provide them with a monthly salary of SR4,500 and medical insurance.

The secretary-general said that the signing of these contracts was part of the short-term solution to broaden the style of work from a distance as one of the latest areas where women can work.

He said that under this system, the work contract clearly mentions that the work would be from a distance. The nature of job, work hours, salary, other rights and facilities would be clearly described.

Al-Ghalib said the work would be done through means of telecommunications and information technology with the business owner taking care of such facilities. The distance work system is only for Saudi women and people with disabilities who have no problem in performing their duties.

Under the platinum category, the ratio of workers would not be more than 30 percent of the total Saudi workers. Under the green category it would not be more than 20 percent, and in the category of yellow and red, it would not be 10 percent.

In April last year the chamber provided 40 jobs for women under a special recruitment program for women with hearing and speech impairments. In this program 13 organizations and companies have participated with jobs such as data entry, packing, medical records makers, storekeepers, electronic archives and chef.