Riyadh: The number of women working in the banks of Saudi Arabia has increased in the last three years, according to data released by the Saudi banks. This comes at a time when Saudi Arabia has seen an increased number of women entering the workforce.
The data showed that the highest percentage of women employees in 2021 was in Riyad Bank at 27.3 percent, followed by Gulf International Bank (GIB) with 27 percent.
Here’s the percentage of Saudi women working in banks
| Bank name | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 |
| Riyad | 27.3 per cent | 25.5 per cent | 25 per cent |
| Gulf International Bank(GIB) | 27 per cent | 25 per cent | 23 per cent |
| Saudi Investment Bank (SIB) | 23.7 per cent | 20 per cent | 21 per cent |
| Arab National Bank (ANB) | 21.6 per cent | 19.89 per cent | 19.61 per cent |
| Saudi British Bank (SABB) | 21 per cent | 20 per cent | 19 per cent |
| Banque Saudi Fransi | 19 per cent | 17 per cent | 15 per cent |
| Al-Rajhi Bank | 17.1 per cent | 14.23 per cent | 14.56 per cent |
| Alinma Bank | 16.2 per cent | 12.56 per cent | 12.76 per cent |
| Saudi National Bank (SNB) | 13.7 per cent | 13.47 per cent | 12.78 per cent |
| Bank Al-Jazira | 10.8 per cent | 9.60 per cent | 8.50 per cent |
| Albilad Bank | 6.9 per cent | 6.55 per cent | 5.89 per cent |
Saudi Arabia to increase women workforce ahead of vision 2030
For decades, Saudi Arabia had one of the lowest rates of female labor force participation in the world. The Middle-East region has always lagged behind the rest of the world when it comes to women and the job market.
In recent years, the participation of Saudi women has increased from 20 percent in late 2018 to 33 percent by the end of 2020.
Saudi Arabia’s crown prince Mohammed bin Salman plans to change economic and social rules as part of his vision 2030 plan to diversify the country’s economy.
The country in recent years adopted several reforms to empower women, including ensuring that women can drive cars, enter playgroups and stadiums, and pursue occupations that were previously accessible only to men.
After the transition to allow Saudi women to travel in the kingdom, from 2019 onwards Saudi Arabian women can also travel abroad without permission and may apply for their passports, ID documents, and all official registrations directly without requiring a male guardian (mahram).
In February 2021, Saudi Arabia opened up military posts for women for the first time which allowed them to report through a unified portal.
In the first, Saudi female officers were allowed to guard Islam’s holiest site not just that the women were allowed driving licenses, and even elected to councils, and so on.