Reforms in Saudi Arabia Increase Employment Rate Among Women

Reforms in Saudi Arabia Increase Employment Rate Among Women

Introduced government reforms increase the number of Saudi women in the labor market (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Official statistics by the Saudi government revealed a rise in women's labor force participation rate during Q4 2020 despite the COVID-19 crisis, which cast a shadow over the global economy.

The coronavirus pandemic has forced many governments to take strict preventive measures including lockdowns, raising the unemployment rate, especially among women.

According to the statistics issued by the General Organization for Social Insurance (GOSI), the total number of women working in the labor market during Q4 2020 amounted to 823,000, compared to 813,000 in Q3 of the same year.

These figures indicate the employment of about 111 women per day, which represents a 1.2 percent increase.

According to recent data, the majority of women are employed in the capital, Riyadh, with 391,000 women registered for social insurance, followed by Jeddah (144,000 women), and the Eastern Region (101,000).

Earlier, the Saudi government announced launching the Unified National Employment Platform to support the Saudi labor market.

The platform includes a database of job seekers of both genders in public and private sectors to improve and raise the efficiency of procedures for receiving and handling all employment requirements for all relevant parties.

Also, the reforms adopted