The Saudi government's efforts to increase female employment seem to be having the opposite effect in some areas.
Several women-only shops in Jeddah are closing down because there are not enough qualified women to work in them and they are not allowed to employ men, reports:
.... Transportation, however, is not merely an "excuse".
The problems that Saudi women face in travelling to and from work are very real and go a long way towards explaining the apparent lack of commitment that employers complain about.
Since women are not allowed to drive, they often end up spending large amounts of their wages on taxis or private male drivers. This has led to renewed calls for a bus system that women can use. [al-bab] Read more
