• Home

Soon, Saudi Arabia plans to employ women in restaurants

Riyadh - Initially, women will be hired to work in 16 restaurants on a trial-and-error basis in the project.

A step towards reforming the labour market and empowering women economically, the Council of Saudi Chambers will employ women in the food sector, Saudi Gazette quoted Arabic newspaper Al Madinah on Wednesday.
However, initially Saudi women will be hired to work in 16 restaurants on a trial-and-error basis in the project which is headed by Princess Nourah Bint Mohammad, wife of the Riyadh Amir.
"On a trial basis we will hire women in 16 restaurants. We will also hold a workshop with restaurant owners in order to discuss strategies to hire more women in the sector," said Huda Al Jiraisi, head of the initiating team.
At present the rate of women's unemployment is 33 per cent and the total rate of unemployment in the Kingdom is 12 per cent.
Read: Saudi women may be allowed to drive taxis from June
The move comes in a bid to offer more employment opportunities Saudi women in the private sector where the women's contribution to the labour market stands at 20 per cent.
And the plan to employ Saudi women in restaurants in the Kingdom, is a part of the Council's aim to increase women's contribution to the labour market to 30 percent by 2030.
Saudi Arabia, with a market size of $5.1 billion in 2015, was the region's largest Quick Service Restaurant (QSR) market (43.8% share in GCC market), according to a GCC food service report.