The women’s wing of the Riyadh Chamber of Commerce and Industry (RCCI) opens today in what is seen as a landmark recognition of women’s participation in the Saudi economy.
“The RCCI women’s section will act as a mini-chamber of commerce, offering all the services provided by the RCCI headquarters, and will be electronically connected to the RCCI to provide the necessary information to assist Saudi businesswomen,” said Abdulrahman Al-Jeraisy, President of the RCCI. The first priority of the women’s wing will be to elect its officials.
Huda Al-Jeraisy, a member of the women’s Executive Committee of the Riyadh Chamber, told Arab News that there are 2,800 businesses owned by Saudi women, a number that she hopes to see increase.
According to a study conducted by King Abdul Aziz University in Jeddah, Saudi women hold a 34% stake in private businesses in Riyadh, 25.6% in Jeddah and 5.58%. There are an estimated 5,000 businesswomen in Riyadh and 4,000 in Jeddah.
Huda Al-Jeraisy said that key services of the women’s section would include measures for the authentication of the paperwork necessary for women to set up new businesses. It will also run training programs for women and organize seminars. Saudi women constitute only one per cent of the private sector workforce in Saudi Arabia. “One of the priorities of the women’s wing is to boost this figure,” she said.
Source: SPA
