By Raya Jalabi

UNAIZAH in Saudi Arabia (Reuters – Reham Al Ahmed walked out of a taxi and into the shopping center where she sold cosmetics for four days a work week.

Al-Ahmed is a high school graduate and the first female in her family who has a job. Although her parents didn’t want her to go into work, they finally allowed it because the cost of living in capital was too high.

Many families are becoming more dependent on women for work due to high taxes and cutbacks to subsidies. In so doing, women are negotiating a new place for themselves in their country’s delicate social fabric – a trend celebrated by some and watched suspiciously by others in a country still tethered to its conservative traditions.

Al-Ahmed lives with her family and her five younger siblings. She chose to shop in a place that mainly serves female customers, as she was able to dispel her parents’ fears about her mother mixing with males.

The 24-year-old explained that he used to feel guilty about asking his father for any help. “But, since I began working, I am proud that I can help my family.”

Showing up to work across the country every day are thousands of women like Al-Ahmed – unimaginable just a few years ago but now increasingly the norm under reforms led by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to modernise the kingdom.

Saudi Arabia has been highlighting its women’s progress at a moment when Western countries are being closely scrutinized over its human right record. These include a crackdown against dissent which ensnared numerous women’s activists and the killing of Jamal Khashoggi in 2018. It is an absolute monarchy and does not allow for any political parties.

The power is still held tightly by men. Right now, King Salman has no female members in his cabinet and in the senior advisory positions. The advisory Shura Council is composed of only 30 out 150 women.

But women now make up 33% of Saudi’s labour force – nearly double what it was five years ago. They have taken up positions previously only available to Saudi males or migrant workers.

Women are now allowed to drive since 2018, as part of these reforms. Al-Ahmed earns just 4,500 rupees ($1,200 per month) and cannot afford to take driving lessons or even a car.

According to her, she spent nearly a third on taxis. She is also saving money for a car. It’s a great feeling to get a job that allows me to work for my money. It was impossible for me to imagine this.

Saudi Arabia has a few women who have worked for a long time. They were usually employed as nurses or teachers in public sectors, which is consistent with the once strict rules regarding gender segregation.

However, there are fewer restrictions for mixing, driving and certain aspects of male guardianship so firms hire more women than ever.

It is evident in the retail and hospitality sectors, where in 2011, the government introduced a scheme to replace cheap foreign workers with Saudi nationals to address Saudi unemployment.

Jennifer Peck, economist said that “a lot of the jobs that are going women” were previously held by non-Saudis. It is now easier for women in client-facing positions to get work thanks to new laws.

She found that Saudi women working in the privat sector have increased to 935,508 by 2021 (from 56,000 in 2010), and is continuing to grow.

SOCIAL MORES

These changes don’t just happen in Riyadh.

Unaizah in Qassim’s conservative heartland is changing. More women are now working, even though some are wary about changing decades of tradition.

Ghada al-Salman (33) graduated from university. However, she struggled to find work in Qassim where the women unemployment rate is 18%. This is three times higher than for men.

After turning to baking, she opened three bakeries that now employ 45 people. Rose Ribbon Bakery was one of the few Qassim women-owned business. She was promoted at a date festival.

Serving customers slice after slice of date cake, she stated, “Without my family, I wouldn’t have been capable of doing any of this.”

“Most fathers would not allow their daughters to work all day with men, even if it’s the boss or they wear the niqab.

Salman is like all women in Unaizah who wear a full-face mask and long black abaya. However, she is still subject to criticism from conservatives older than her.

While happily enjoying one of her cakes, the 60-year-old man complained about social change’s rapid pace.

“(The government) is telling us women must work – but that goes against our traditions. He requested anonymity because Islam requires that men care for women.

GAP GENDER PAY

The changes needed by others are long overdue. Rana Alturki (45), who was one of the first women to join her father’s oil-and gas company in 2000, has worked years in a gender-segregated workplace for many years.

Alturki said, “Back then the men weren’t polite. No one would greet me or go in the elevator together with me. They wouldn’t even be in the same place as me.”

Alturki stated that “thankfully, things are different.” In my day we weren’t able to request a salary because of our fear. But girls these days – they come in and negotiate hard. They recognize their worth.”

Research by Al Nahda found that Saudi Arabia has a 49% gender pay gap.

Hala Al-Dosari (a U.S-based Saudi woman’s rights specialist) said that “Social attitudes still rule women’s access the labour market.” She also noted the fact that the majority of the new jobs for women in the United States are not well-paying.

Dosari explained that even though laws against discrimination and harassment were passed, these laws aren’t systomatized and many women continue to be harassed or denied their rights.

Peck, an economist, said that some employers continue to ask for the approval of their male guardians when they hire women, even though recent reforms have given women more control over their lives.

A large employer told Reuters that he would prefer to employ women, as they work twice as hard for the same pay. Peck’s research found that almost all of 400 employers surveyed believed Saudi women earn lower salaries, while one third thought women work harder and were more productive.

These are growing pains for most Saudi women.

Salman, the bakery owner, said: “Young ladies ask me every day how I can do it.” Salman, a bakery owner, said that it was impossible 10 years ago. The future is now yours.

($1 = 3.7508riyals).