The Saudi Ministry of Labour announced yesterday that it expects to raise the percentage of women who are employed to 28 per cent of the total workforce by 2020.
The ministry said in a press statement that the number of Saudi workers within the “working from home programme” will reach 141,000 by 2020, and that the programme aims to reduce the unemployment rate among women.
12.1%
- Unemployment rate in the Gulf kingdom
The ministry said the programme will provide flexible working hours that allow individuals to fulfil their family obligations and provide job opportunities for qualified people with disabilities.
According to the Saudi General Administration of Statistics, the Saudi labour force reached 5.7 million people during the third quarter of 2016, including 1.28 million women.
The unemployment rate among Saudis reached 12.1 per cent at the end of the third quarter of 2016.
Social customs in Saudi Arabia have negative impact on women’s employment, which leads to increase the unemployment rate among them.
The kingdom plans to reduce the unemployment rate among its citizens to nine per cent by 2020 through a national transformation programme.
The state’s plan aims to provide 450,000 jobs for Saudis, and create 1.2 million jobs by 2020.
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