More Saudi women will join the workforce, minister tells UN forum
NEW YORK: Saudi Arabia is determined to help more women join the workforce and is implementing schemes to increase their numbers, the UN was told on Wednesday.
“We have put in place a program that supports the economic empowerment of women and increases their participation in the workplace,” Tamadher bint Yousef Al-Rammah, who was appointed deputy minister of labor and social development last month, said at the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) meeting in New York.
“The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia believes work is a woman’s right,” Al-Rammah told delegates.
Women comprise 56 percent of Saudi university graduates, she said. About 205,000 female students receive grants to study abroad each year and women are finding more jobs in private, public and government institutions, Al-Rammah said.
The CSW summit brings together more than 6,000 envoys, campaigners and activists for the world’s largest annual discussion on improving life for women and girls, particularly those in developing countries.
This year, the March 12-23 event addresses “gender equality and the empowerment of rural women and girls” and tackles the 40 percent pay gap between male and female farm laborers around the world.
Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, executive director of UN Women, opened the summit with a warning that the income gap between women and men widened last year for the first time since records began in 2006, according to the World Economic Forum.
“The forum predicts that it will take — and listen to this — 217 years before we achieve gender parity. Not on our watch,” said MlamboNgcuka. “It has never been so urgent to hold our ourselves and leaders accountable for the promises to accelerate progress.”