Women’s equality ‘to give Saudi Arabia $400bln boost by 2030’

Women’s equality ‘to give Saudi Arabia $400bln boost by 2030’

Establishing work environments with genuine equality between male and female employees will encourage innovation and productivity, and could boost Saudi Arabia's GDP (gross domestic product) by up to $400 billion over the next decade, according to new research.The research showed that in the past many obstacles stopped women from entering the workforce, including familial and spousal obligations and restrictions, unequal pay, and a lack of affordable child care services and transportation.However, the Kingdom has been pushing women's empowerment since announcing its goals for Vision 2030, lifting a ban on driving, introducing child care programs allowing women to travel without their guardian's consent.Khaled Al-Dhaher, country managing director for Accenture in Saudi Arabia, said that leadership needs to come from senior managers."In Saudi Arabia, a critical starting point for the career advancement of women is at the top. Our research concludes that a positive tone from the top of the organization goes a long way in setting out both the moral and commercial case for gender equality,“ he said."Ultimately, a positive workplace culture facilitates a shift in the collective corporate mindset “” and, in turn, enables a resilient economy that is less dependent on oil and more reliant on a young