SAUDI ARABIA Women At Work 2016
My project could not have been completewithout a visit to Saudi Arabia, a major regional power with a deeply religious and patriarchal society. This oil-rich country’s sphere of influence spreads far beyond its borders.
Saudi Arabia has no problem with illiteracy. On the contrary, thousands of women have managed to get government scholarships to study abroad. It has, nevertheless, the highest percentage of female unemployment in the world, due to cultural and religious restrictions.
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia upholds a strict implementation of Shariah, or Islamic law, which includes male guardianship and strict segregation of the sexes.
While 96% of the employed women are in state teaching jobs, I was intrigued by the type of work the remaining 4% are able to practice.
I decided to work in Jeddah, a city with the highest rate of female unemployment in the kingdom, but also a place known to be relatively less strict in enforcing conservatism than other cities. I spent time with four highly-educated women who allowed me a closer look into their personal and professional lives, and showed me how they managed to bridge the gap between available jobs and their high-level skills.
I asked the women: “What does work mean to you?
