In recent years, Saudi Arabia has seen a significant increase in the number of women leaders in the labor market, thanks to the leadership training and guidance initiative for women cadres under the Vision 2030 plan. The total number of women leaders has surpassed the initial target of 1,000 and has reached 1,707 women. This increase is a positive sign of the progress being made in empowering Saudi women in various sectors of the workforce.
The Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development reported that the total number of women benefiting from training programs has also seen a notable increase. The initiative titled “Developing productive projects for those who want to practice self-employment” has helped around 320 women in the last year, surpassing the target of 310 beneficiaries. This initiative has played a crucial role in equipping women with the necessary skills and knowledge to succeed in their chosen fields.
In addition to the increase in women leaders, the overall participation of women in the labor market has also seen a significant rise. The share of women in the labor market has increased from 21.2 percent in 2017 to 34 percent in 2023. The rate of economic participation has more than doubled, reaching 35.5 percent from 17 percent. The percentage of women in middle and senior administrative positions has also shown growth, reaching 43.8 percent from 28.6 percent.
The report also highlighted the success of Saudization in highly skilled jobs, with the rate reaching 39.6 percent in 2023, exceeding the target of 36 percent. The goal for 2025 is set at 40 percent, with only a small percentage remaining to reach the target. This shows the continued efforts to increase the representation of Saudis, particularly women, in key positions within the workforce.
One of the key initiatives that have benefited Saudi women is the Wusool transportation support program, which has assisted 234,000 women. Additionally, 1.6 million women have benefited from the vocational guidance initiative for school students. These programs aim to provide support and guidance to women at different stages of their education and career development, ultimately leading to greater participation in the labor market.
Furthermore, the completion of the proactive implementation of the parallel training project for the year 2023-2024 has seen the number of female trainees reach 15,000, with a 100 percent completion rate. The Skills Accelerator Program has also played a significant role in preparing both male and female trainees for the labor market, with over 16,000 trainees participating in 49 training programs across various high-skilled sectors. These programs aim to boost the efficiency of Saudi employees in the private sector and support industries with a significant impact on the national economy.
