Women in Saudi barred from doing these 23 jobs

Dammam: There are 23 jobs that women are not allowed to undertake in Saudi Arabia, according to an official from the Labor Ministry in the Eastern Province.

In a local media report on Friday, Sultan Al-Mutairi, head of the ministry’s inspection department, said the country’s labor laws only allow women to work in certain positions that suit their nature.

The report quoted Al-Mutairi as listing the banned occupations, which include working underground, with sewage and petroleum derivatives, excavating, using cement, construction and painting requiring standing on high scaffolding, and ovens melting iron.

In addition, they cannot work in industries generating energy, handle dynamite, oxygen welding, car workshops, and as blacksmiths. They must also not be employed to work with fertilizers derived from various materials including the waste of animals or blood, the report stated.

They are further banned from melting glass, loading and unloading goods in ports, making metal vehicles containing more than 10 percent lead, and manufacturing or fixing electric batteries. In addition, they must not be employed in the rubber, dyeing and coal industries; and cannot make mirrors using mercury.

The report stated that they cannot be employed in factories treating ash containing lead or extracting silver out of lead, manufacturing lead dioxide or yellow lead dioxide, cleaning workshops, and fixing or cleaning machines.