About 42 percent of Saudi women working at female accessory shops in the Kingdom have abandoned their jobs because of low wages, according to a labor expert.
“The main reasons for Saudi women leaving their jobs at women-only shops are the low salaries and the lack of cooperation from owners,” said Tarad Al-Amri, executive president of Saudization House.
Al-Amri recommended raising the salaries of these workers in these shops and offering better perks. Employers collaborating with the Human Resources Development Fund (HRDF) could achieve this, he said.
The third phase of the Saudization of women-only shops, announced last Sunday, covers more shops and creates more jobs for women, he said.
A source at the Ministry of Labor said the third phase includes shops selling perfumes, maternal products, dresses, footwear, bags, stockings and ready-made garments.
The source said the ministry would introduce two more phases over the coming 48 months.
Muhammad Al-Shahri, chairman of the textile and clothing committee at the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry, urged shop owners to comply with the regulations.
According to sources, the number of Saudi women working in the private sector rose from 42,400 in 2011 to 454,300 last year.
A royal order to employ Saudi women in lingerie shops was first issued in 2012, but could not be implemented over cultural issues.
Women quit jobs over low wages
