The Labor Ministry has issued four directives to increase job opportunities for Saudi women and to regulate women’s work in accordance with Shariah rules.
New opportunities are available in sales, accounting, family areas of recreation centers and restaurant kitchens.
Deputy Labor Minister Fahd Al-Takheefi said: “The new directives are not mandatory and employers have the freedom to implement them, with the exception of sales positions in lingerie shops.”
The first directive is related to the feminizing of jobs in lingerie and cosmetics shops. This includes the sales of abayas, maxis, sleepwear and bridal gowns.
The second directive deals with laws regarding different sections for men and women in the work place.
The third directive relates to women working in recreation centers. At the moment, expat men work in the family sections of these centers. Women will be employed in the sale of children’s toys.
The fourth directive relates to Saudi women working in restaurant kitchens, in women-only environments.
The ministry has instructed employers to provide Saudi women with suitable working environments separate from men to ensure their privacy.
In the past 10 months, the ministry has successfully created 50,000 jobs for women; 19 times more jobs than in the past several years.
Women account for approximately 85 percent of unemployed Saudis. More than one million Saudi women have presented their CVs to the ministry seeking employment.
Thakheefi said: “Under the new labor laws, Saudi women no longer need the consent of their father or custodian to be employed.”
Saudi women offered more job opportunities
