“Increased women’s labor force participation to 35.5% by the end of 2024,” shared His Excellency, the Minister of Human Resources and Social Development, at the International Labour Conference in Geneva – June 2025.
Among the other key achievements highlighted by him during the 113th conference held on June 4, 2025, are:
- Developed the Wage Protection System
- Launched the National Policy to Eliminate Forced Labor in February 2025 — the first of its kind in the Arab world
- Amended Article 61 of the Labour Law to prohibit all forms of discrimination in the workplace based on race, gender, age, disability, or social status
- Promoted occupational safety and health, with compliance rates reaching 72.6% and a yearly decline in work-related injuries
- Introduced AI-powered digital monitoring systems to proactively detect and address occupational hazards
- Strengthened tripartite dialogue mechanisms through effective programs such as the amicable settlement of labor disputes, which achieved a 79% success rate in 2024
The Minister also renewed the cooperation agreement with the International Labour Organization (ILO), officially launching the third phase of their joint technical cooperation program, which first began in 2018.
Honored to lead Saudi Arabia’s delegation at the 113th #ILC2025 in Geneva. I emphasized the importance of global cooperation in shaping the future of work, achieving social justice, and driving sustainable growth among nations and tripartite partners.Saudi Arabia remains… pic.twitter.com/sciMfdfNxN
— أحمد سليمان الراجحي (@Ahmed_S_Alrajhi) June 4, 2025This cooperation aims to support the Kingdom’s efforts to improve labour policies, create better work environments, and raise the overall quality of jobs—building a more vibrant, inclusive, and competitive job market.
The Minister shared, “We’ve signed today a renewed cooperation agreement with ILO, marking the launch of the third phase of the technical cooperation program. This reflects our commitment to fostering a dynamic, competitive, and inclusive labor market that aligns with global standards and the goals of Vision 2030.”
He also emphasized the Kingdom’s commitment to developing the work environment in line with the highest international standards and strengthening the alignment between national policies and global trends. This is part of the broader goal to build an efficient and attractive labour market that enhances human capital and boosts the competitiveness of the national economy.
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Furthermore, the Minister announced that the Kingdom will host the third session of the ILO Labor Market Conference in Riyadh on January 29–30, 2026—an initiative aimed at expanding international cooperation and sharing expertise for a more just and sustainable future of work.