Saudi Arabia has the lowest proportion of female employment compared to other Gulf countries, such as Qatar, UAE and Kuwait, said a report.

About 38 per cent of employees in government institutions last year were Saudi Arabian women, said the Arab News report.

More than 8,300 women out a total of over 19,000 employees worked in government offices, while nearly 7,000 female employees left work at government offices, it said quoting statistics issued by the Ministry of Civil Service.

“Although Saudi females have reached positions such as deputy minister, university director and Shoura Council member and represent the kingdom in international organisations and functions, their overall contribution to the labour market remains very weak in both the government and private sectors,” Latifa Al-Shaalan, a Shoura Council member, was quoted as saying.

“Job opportunities in the government sector are still limited to women and are concentrated mainly in the education sector and to a lesser extent, in health and social services,” Al-Shaalan was quoted as saying.

The report stressed the need for a national strategy to open up career opportunities for women, especially in government bodies that either do not employ women at all or have a very low rate of female employment.