Saudi Govt Begins Survey of Women's Stores

News - Middle East North Africa Financial Network, Middle East

Three government administrations are coordinating their efforts to begin surveying the job opportunities available for women in women's retail stores. The Ministry of Commerce and Industry, the Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs and the Council of Saudi Chambers of Commerce would be cooperating to conduct the survey and register all the stores selling women's apparel and determine the fines to be imposed on them if they do not employ Saudi women and the mechanism for enforcing the system.

Saudi women interested in working in these stores will be provided with training before they are to enter this field starting next year. The Ministry of Labor had announced two months ago that shops selling women's items would be restricted to employing Saudi women only as part of its efforts at providing more job opportunities for Saudi women. Stores selling lingerie have a year to begin hiring, training and fully employing Saudi women. These are the stores on streets, in shopping centers and in department stores. The following year, stores selling abayas and women's ready-to-wear clothes are expected to comply with the new system.

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