Breast-feeding break at work

The Ministry of Labor has announced several new measures to encourage women to enter the work force, including breast-feeding for one hour a day over two years.
Mothers would be allowed this concession at a time agreed upon with their employers. A ministry official told Arab News that the new steps would empower women, giving them the rights and independence to work in a safe and secure environment.
The concessions would also cover women with disabilities, he said. The other measures include working from home and in retail outlets such as shops and stalls in enclosed malls, particularly those selling products for female customers. Allowing women to work from home would reduce transport problems and benefit their families, he said.
The ministry said that employers are required to follow the Nitaqat program’s quotas.
The rate of unemployment amongst Saudi women in 2013 has been pegged at 34 percent, up 2 percent from the previous year, according to recent statistics issued by the Central Department of Statistics and Information (CDSI).
The CDSI statistics also showed that the rate of unemployment among men stands at 6.2 percent. According to the Civil Affairs Ministry, there are 1.2 million Saudis working in the public sector with women accounting for 38.3 percent.