Equal opportunities

The laws of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, grounded in Islamic Sharia principles, uphold equal opportunity and aim to reduce all forms of inequality. This is achieved by eliminating discriminatory practices and strengthening relevant legislation, policies, and procedures. The Kingdom also promotes a complementary model of equality between men and women, one that recognizes the distinct characteristics of each gender while ensuring fairness and justice as the ultimate outcome. Saudi Arabia believes that the complementarity between men and women is an effective approach to advancing and protecting human rights, including women’s rights, and to eliminating discrimination against women.

The definition of “discrimination against women” set out in Article (1) of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) aligns with the Kingdom’s approach. Saudi regulations do not permit any distinction, exclusion, or restriction that impairs or nullifies the recognition or enjoyment of human rights and fundamental freedoms for women in any field. Men and women are granted equal rights across all human rights domains, including employment, education, health, and economic rights.

Saudi Vision 2030 and Equal Opportunity

Saudi Vision 2030 has advanced equal opportunity and reduced inequality through a wide range of reforms and initiatives, including:

• Issuing and amending regulations, policies, and frameworks that reinforce equal opportunity and reduce disparities.
• Enacting the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Law, which safeguards their rights, ensures equal access to services, and reinforces the principle of non-discrimination and equal opportunity.
• Introducing the Elderly Care and Rights Law, aimed at enabling older persons to live with dignity, ensuring their rights are protected, and adapting services and facilities to meet their needs.
• Implementing more than 50 reforms empowering women and enabling their full participation across sectors, including the establishment of the Gender Balance Center.
• Strengthening child protection systems and enhancing children’s rights based on equal opportunity principles, alongside several related reforms under Vision 2030.

Key Regulatory Foundations Supporting Equal Opportunity

Several national laws and international agreements form the regulatory foundation for equal opportunity and non-discrimination in employment and occupation, including:

• Basic Law of Governance
  • “The State protects human rights in accordance with Islamic Sharia.” (Article 26)
  • “Governance in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is based on justice, consultation, and equality, in accordance with Islamic Sharia.” (Article 8)
  • “The State facilitates work opportunities for every capable person and enacts laws that protect both workers and employers.” (Article 28)
• Labor Law
  • “Work is a right for every citizen. Citizens are equal in the right to work without any discrimination based on gender, disability, age, or any other form of discrimination, whether during employment, performance, or job advertising.” (Article 3)
• International Labour Organization Convention (ILO)
  • “Each Member for which this Convention is in force undertakes to declare and pursue a national policy designed to promote, by methods appropriate to national conditions and practice, equality of opportunity and treatment in respect of employment and occupation, with a view to eliminating any discrimination in respect thereof.” (Article 2)

National Policy for Promoting Equal Opportunity and Equal Treatment in Employment and Occupation

This policy reflects the Kingdom’s commitment to embedding equal opportunity and equal treatment in employment and occupation as a cornerstone of social and economic development.

It defines key concepts, including:

• Discrimination in Employment and Occupation (Unequal Treatment):
  Any distinction, exclusion, or preference based on race, color, gender, nationality, social origin, disability, age, marital status, health status, maternity, family responsibilities, clothing, or any other reason—whether direct or indirect—that undermines equal opportunity or equal treatment in employment or occupation.

It does not include:

• Distinctions based on job-specific qualifications.
• Differentiation between nationals and non-nationals.

• Equal Treatment in Employment and Occupation:
  Equality in all aspects of employment, including hiring, working conditions, promotion, wages, training, and career development, based on merit and qualifications.
• Groups with Fewer Opportunities:
  Persons with disabilities, older persons, individuals in economically disadvantaged or high-unemployment regions, those with family responsibilities, individuals previously incarcerated for non-major offenses, people affected by health conditions (including mental and physical illnesses), and other groups supported by the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development.

Policy Objectives

The National Policy for Equal Opportunity and Equal Treatment in Employment and Occupation aims to eliminate all forms of discrimination in the workplace through three main objectives:

1. Developing Regulatory Frameworks:
   Strengthening laws and policies that explicitly prohibit discrimination and promote equal treatment in employment.
2. Enhancing Workforce Participation:
   Supporting the inclusion of women and groups with fewer opportunities through targeted programs and initiatives that enable their entry and continuity in the labor market.
3. Ensuring Effective Implementation:
   Monitoring policy implementation, establishing grievance mechanisms for discrimination complaints, and coordinating between relevant government entities to ensure effective governance and oversight.

Relevant National Systems and International Conventions Supporting Equal Opportunity

• Basic Law of Governance
• Labor Law
• Health Law
• Rights of Persons with Disabilities Law
• Elderly Care and Rights Law
• Child Protection Law
• Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW)
• International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination