Job Discussion Forums

goalies · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Posts: 8

I would like to have information about the working conditions of expatriate mothers living in Saudi Arabia (Riyadh) and more particulartly about the facilities offered to mothers working in the Kingdom: childbirth(hospital services?), maternity leave and childcare (nursery and kindergarden; are these available in the universities?).
Thanks.

scot47 · Joined: 10 Jan 2003 Posts: 15343

This is not Sweden. The assumption here is that if women work they will stop working when they have children.

Are yoiu already working in the Magic Kingdom ? I suspect not.

Nomad Dan · Joined: 17 Feb 2003 Posts: 145 Location: Myanmar

No, though there are employment opportunities for females in Saudi Arabia, I am afraid that there are no provisions for women with young children anywhere. Not in the "liberal" Eastern Province and certainly not in Mutawah-ville Riyadh.
Nomad Dan

Albulbul · Joined: 08 Feb 2003 Posts: 364

The assumption in Saudi Arabia is that a the husband will have an income high enough to support his wife (or wives !) and children without them having to work. That is one reason why salaries here look high when compared to what you can earn in the West.

There is a Labour Code which gives a good deal of protection to employees. There is not much in it though about rights of women in work when they become mothers. It is assumed that women will stop working when they have children, and perhaps re-enter the labour force later.

Saudi families also typically have domestic servants so that the need for kindergartens, daycare and so on is not the same as in western societies.

It is DIFFERENT ! So different that you cannot make simple comparisons !