Saudi Minister of Labor Adel Fakieh (right), receives a memento from Sheikh Khaled Olayan, Chairman of SABB.RIYADH – Saudi Minister of Labor Adel Fakieh attended a conference organized by Saudi British Bank (SABB) titled “Maximizing the Employment of Saudi Women" at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Riyadh on Tuesday. The national event was well attended by a significant number of senior officials from both the public and the private sectors with an active interest in - and influence over - the issue of Saudi women's employment environment. The attendees included heads of Human Resources departments in major Saudi/international companies, human capital development specialists, academics, and senior governmental figures. Sheikh Khaled Olayan, Chairman of SABB, expressed his thanks and appreciation to the minister of labor for patronizing the event, which is indicative of the minister's strong commitment to support every effort that aims to increase the level of participation of Saudi women in the labor market, and the national economy in general. The minister of labor gave a speech highlighting his vision for the role of the private sector with respect to the employment of Saudi women. Fakieh stressed the partnership between the private sector and the Saudi government in a strategic direction taken to respond to pressing societal needs. He emphasized the Ministry of Labor's determination to strengthen and develop labor market mechanisms while carefully considering the three parts of the process: the private sector, job seekers, and the government. With such framework, Fakieh underlined the work needed to put in place all the necessary regulations to secure an optimal work environment for Saudi women. Such measures would offer the community the fullest potential of half of its human capital, he noted. The minister of labor's remarks were followed by professor William Scott-Jackson who offered an overview of the study conducted by Oxford Strategic Consulting (OSC), which focused on the potential and the challenges surrounding the employment of women in the Kingdom, while keeping in line with religious guidelines and cultural traditions. Scott-Jackson's presentation was followed by the Director General of Human Resources Development Fund Ibrahim Al-Muaeqel, who offered his insightful views on the promises and prospects of Saudi women employment in a lively manner. Results of the research conducted by Oxford Strategic Consulting (OSC) under the sponsorship of SABB were discussed at the conference. The research seeks to help facilitate the highest economical contribution possible by women in Saudi Arabia, by proposing in detail practical recommendations and realistic measures for companies to consider, and to apply. The research team worked directly with a group of expert specialists and various stakeholders including the Human Resources Development Fund, King Saud University and senior officials from the Ministry of Labor. The study covered more than 50 companies and 500 women employees from different regions of the Kingdom to identify the obstacles, and then outline appropriate and effective strategies to tackle them. The event is considered a significant contribution to an ongoing national effort to maximize the role of Saudi women in the labor market. The commitment displayed by members of both the public and the private sectors to boost the percentage of women working in Saudi Arabia, coupled with the realistic approach promoted by the research recommendations, should provide employers with needed support to ensure a prominent role for women in the national economy. – SG
