RIYADH: The shop is full as women take our items not usually thought of when thinking Saudi Arabia. Garters, skimpy panties and bras line the walls as women, young and old, look for the next naughty item to take home to their husband. But another shop two doors down at a Riyadh mall faces imminent closure if their male staff are not switched to women. With only two months until a deadline, the risks are great. Any business that fails to comply with the decision will face strict penalties. All businesses have started advertising openings for female workers. This fact is manifested by the thousands of applications filed by these businesses at employment agencies. Some investors who own women's accessory and clothes businesses said they have started asking expatriate male workers to find work in other places as they want to hire Saudi women to replace them. According to the Labor Ministry's instructions, business will have to have a security guard outside in addition to places where women can perform prayer, rest and use the bathroom. Economists in the country say the decision will give thousands of women the chance to work in the retail industry. The measure covers all types of shops located in shopping malls and elsewhere. “Women are more familiar with cosmetics than men. They know more of types and colors of skin," said Masha'al Al Shamari, head of the communication center at the Saudi labor ministry, in a statement. “Women will be dealing with women. They would feel more comfortable than dealing with men, especially when they are buying lingerie," she was reported as saying by Gulf News, in reference to the now 6-month-old regulation requiring lingerie shops to hire only women employees. The ministry had originally given shops until the first week of January to abide by the lingerie restrictions, but later pushed it back to allow all shops to comply. If a shop is caught with male employees they will face the full penalty of the law, the ministry said earlier this year. The punishments start with preventing the establishments from the services being provided by the ministry and increases until final closure. The shops selling other women material including make-up, accessories and clothes were then given until June 30 to have only women working. Women in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia had long complained about having to buy their lingerie from male shop attendants. BN
