JAKARTA: Saudi Arabia’s delegation to a group of 20 major economies meeting in Indonesia said that empowering women in the digital sphere will help increase their participation in the workforce, as countries agreed to boost international cooperation.
The G20 Ministerial Meeting on Women’s Empowerment, which was held in Bali Aug. 24-25, included discussions on closing the digital gender gap and women’s entrepreneurship and was attended by delegations of G20 member and invited countries, international organizations and private sector companies.
Indonesia this year holds the rotating G20 presidency and has hosted a series of high-profile meetings, which will culminate in a leader’s summit in November.
Saudi Arabia, which was represented by the Family Affairs Council in last week’s meeting, said that women’s contribution to economic and social development is one of the Kingdom’s focuses as it seeks to achieve its 2030 Vision, a reform plan designed to diversify the country’s economy.
“One of the 2030 Vision goals is to increase women’s participation in the workforce and support women(-owned) businesses,” Dr. Hala Al-Tuwaijri, secretary-general of Saudi Arabia’s Family Affairs Council, said in a statement shared with Arab News on Monday.
“This could not be achieved without empowering women in the digital and financial sphere.”
Initiatives and programs that support women in the workforce, help them reach work-life balance and provide them with the right tools to join a future-ready economy can be achieved through future work models such as flexible and remote work, Tuwaijri said.
The digital economy is a “key enabler for a vibrant society, efficient government and a thriving economy,” Tuwaijri said. Women’s participation in the Saudi workforce had reached 35.6 percent by the last quarter of 2021, surpassing the Kingdom’s target of 30 percent, she added.
The global labor force participation rate for women is just over 50 percent, according to data from the World Bank, compared to 80 percent for men. Studies have found that women are less likely to be formally employed and have fewer opportunities to expand their businesses or progress in their careers.
The Bali conference concluded with participants agreeing to strengthen international cooperation in an effort to empower women.
“The participants have expressed their support to increase women’s participation and access to leadership positions, especially as decision-makers,” Indonesian Minister of Women Empowerment and Child Protection Bintang Puspayoga said.
“Strong commitment from stakeholders, including countries and international organizations, is the key to (achieving) gender equality and empowering women.”
