From Kerala to the Kingdom: The untold stories of women breaking stereotypes in Saudi Arabia

TL;DR:

• 2.6 million Indians contribute significantly to Saudi Arabia ’s economy. Female Workforce participation up from ~23% to ~35–36%, with rising leadership and SME ownership.

• Labour reforms, protected contracts, and embassy-endorsed advocates like Manju ensure safety and rights enforcement. From hospitality and education to STEM, healthcare, and wellness job avenues are growing.

• Persisting hurdles such as Saudization, legal friction, and cultural biases still limit full expat female participation.

Expanding Indian Presence in the Kingdom

• Indian expat population: As per the Indian Ministry of External Affairs (MEA 2024), 2.59 million Indians live in Saudi Arabia, making them the largest expatriate group.

• Expat composition: The General Authority for Statistics Saudi Arabia (GASTAT) also confirms that expats account for 44.4% of the Kingdom’s total population of around 38 million in 2024..

• Labour force reality: Migrants account for 56.5% of total employment, and remarkably, 89% of private-sector jobs are filled by non-Saudis.

India-born employees dominate key sectors: construction, healthcare, retail, hospitality, and now increasingly technology and education.

Vision 2030 & Women's Workforce Trailblazing

• Female labour force jump: As per GASTAT, Saudi women’s workforce participation surged from 23.2% in 2016 to ~34–36% by 2022–2024, exceeding Vision 2030’s 30% target.

• Leadership & entrepreneurship: Over 78,000 women hold senior management roles (Q3 2024), 551,318 businesses registered in 2023 by women, and nearly 450,000 freelance permits issued.

• Anti-discrimination and autonomy: Women gained equal pay laws, the ability to drive (2017), protection against harassment, and the right to travel, access credit, and own businesses without male guardianship.

Reforming the System: Tools Empowering Expats
Saudi has introduced robust labour programs tailored for expats, benefitting women significantly:

• Musaned (2014): A digital, standardised contract system implemented via licensed agencies ensures transparency, clarity in wages, and a channel to file grievances.

• Qiwa & Labour Reform Initiative (2021): These platforms improve employer-employee relations, enforce contracts, facilitate mobility, and make health insurance and heat-safety mandatory.

• Bilateral labour agreements: Bilateral agreements such as India-Saudi collaboration enables information-sharing and investigation of labor practices, reducing mismatches and exploitation .

Human Stories in the Spotlight
Manju Manikuttan (Kerala → Al Khobar)

• Profile: Moved to Saudi in 2011 as a beautician; now a celebrated social worker through Navayugam.

• Impact: Took over the women's deportation centre after mentor’s death. Rescued hundreds of Indian women workers misled into domestic jobs in precarious situations.

• Recognition: In 2019, she became the only non-resident woman awarded the Nari Shakti Puraskar by President Kovind at Rashtrapati Bhavan.

• Notable rescue: Helped “Chandrika,” an accountant duped into domestic work, until her safe return to India.

• Legacy: Officially authorised by Indian embassy and supported by Saudi authorities at Dammam's deportation centre which illustrates her deep-rooted credibility.

Nouf al‑Marwaai (Saudi → Indian-recognised visionary)

• Profile: Saudi national who founded the Arab Yoga Foundation in 2004. Pioneered mainstream acceptance of yoga in KSA .

• Impact: Certified 700+ instructors and trained over 10,000 practitioners by 2019 .

• Honour: Became the first Saudi woman to receive India’s Padma Shri in 2018 for cross-cultural wellness contributions.

• Significance: Her journey highlights the growing acceptance of female-led initiatives and cultural bridges in Saudi Arabia.

Emerging Opportunities for Women Expats
Indian women are now entering diverse, meaningful roles:

• Beyond domestic labour: Expansion into hospitality, healthcare, finance, education, IT, and STEM fields.

• Growth sectors in 2025: Renewable energy, digital transformation, healthcare expansion, tourism (NEOM, giga-projects), FinTech, construction, and education are hotspots.

• Protection & support: Women-only transit, childcare, mandatory health insurance, summer-hour rules, and anti-harassment laws ensure a safer environment.

Challenges: Navigating Gaps & Headwinds
Despite progress, obstacles persist:

• Saudization: Preference for Saudi nationals in private sector hiring limits expat access, impacting skilled expat women in IT and corporate roles.

• Gender & nationality bias: Reddit voices echo that expat women face tougher competition for corporate roles as Saudis are prioritised .

• Legal frameworks vs execution: World Bank highlights that though legal reforms are robust (score 50/100), implementation mechanisms like childcare, parental leave, and financial inclusion need strengthening.

• Continued discrimination & unequal networks: Expats still struggle with bias, lower salaries, or fewer promotion chances compared to locals .

What Lies Ahead:

• Regulated safety nets: Platforms like Musaned and Qiwa, and embassy-backed advocates like Manju offer concrete protection and recourse.

• Diverse career paths: Women can build careers in new sectors; STEM gigs, digital health, education roles, hospitality, entrepreneurship, and wellness (e.g., yoga studios).

• Inspiration & purpose: Stories of women like Manju shows expat women can lead, innovate, and gain recognition.

• Alignment with mega-programs: Saudi’s economic diversification means demand for skilled female talent is rising especially in giga-projects and tech ventures.

• Supportive ecosystem: Infrastructure (women-only transport, childcare), legal protections, and bilateral agreements are in place, though bridging gaps remains critical.