Survey reveals narrowing gender gap in many sectors

The first-ever nationwide study of female participation in Saudi Arabia’s economy and society has highlighted the barriers facing women seeking to bridge the gender gap in the country, Arab News reported.

Using data collected from 15,000 households across the Kingdom, the study not only revealed major advances in women’s roles in health and education, but also the stronger measures needed to improve participation in the economy and legislation. The Participation of Saudi Women in Development study is the most wide-ranging survey to be conducted on the social, economic, health and educational experiences of women in the Kingdom. 

It is the result of an innovative partnership between the National Observatory for Women at King Saud University, the Kingdom’s General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT), the charity Alwaleed Philanthropies and UN Women. 

The study assessed women’s participation and development in 56 areas across five sectors: Economic, health, educational, legislation and social. Using official records gathered by GASTAT and household data, the study provided value between zero and one, with a score closer to one indicating a small gender gap.