Mideast women have 67.4% less disposable income than men

Women in the Middle East and Africa had 67.4 percent less annual disposable income than men in the region in 2012, the largest gap in the world, according to Euromonitor International, the consumer markets research group.
In many households, women account for a larger share of purchasing decisions and the gap is therefore a threat to the consumer market, according to the study.
The statistics showed that the annual disposable income per capita for women in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries was $ 4,004, while men had $ 17,021 or 325 percent more to spend.
The report also showed that Saudi Arabia has the largest income gap among the GCC countries.
“Frankly speaking, women joined the work force late in Saudi Arabia compared to other countries,” said Amal Sheera, deputy chairperson of the human resources committee at the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
“Private companies do not provide any training or support for women after hiring them and expats are not willing to pass on their expertise to young Saudi women.”
Sheera said that although women in the Kingdom are allowed to work today, they are still not given enough support or equal opportunities in the workplace.
The employment rate among women in Saudi Arabia was 13.6 percent last year, according to reports.
Sheera said: “If there is a post in customer care for example, the male candidate will be sanctioned to receive benefits for his family such as insurance, while the woman candidate will not receive any such benefits to support her family. If the salary is SR 4,000 for a man, for example, the woman candidate will receive SR 3,000. Discrimination still exists,” said Sheera.
She said many women today are the main breadwinners in their households. “Around 70 percent of educated women are unemployed today in the Kingdom, with most holding doctoral and other degrees in various fields of study. Women today with presentable and acceptable education certificates accept jobs of any kind and with any income, mainly to support their families. But in the case of men, they would not agree to work in positions they are not specialized in.”
Labor Minister Adel Fakeih says that the Kingdom has banned gender-based salary inequalities between men and women working in similar jobs. Also in previous reports, Ahmed Al-Humaidan, a labor ministry undersecretary, was quoted as saying that the current Saudization process would create 1.5 million jobs for Saudi women in certain fields.