Women to constitute 28% of Saudi Arabia's work force by 2020

JEDDAH: The Ministry of Labor and Social Development said that its work from home program is set to create about 141,000 jobs by 2020 and added that it expects that the percentage of women in the Saudi workforce will increase to 28 percent by the same year.

The ministry’s program is part of the National Transformation Program 2020 and one of the main methods geared toward providing adequate job opportunities for citizens, especially women and those with disabilities and job seekers in fields with less opportunities.

The ministry said in a statement the main aim of the program is to reduce the unemployment rate among women, the percentage of which is higher than the unemployment rate among men due to several social obstructions, including the difficulties women face in commuting and familial responsibilities at home.

The program is expected to contribute to the creation of jobs outside the three main cities of the country and is also expected to increase the participation of women in the local labor market as it will provide flexible working hours and spare them from having to commute to work.

The ministry’s initiatives come within the first phase of the National Transformation Program 2020 that is being implemented in partnership with the Council of Economic Affairs and Development and 18 other government entities.