( CNN ) -- A friend once said `` We women must learn to choose our battles . '' Women in Saudi Arabia shape their agenda according to where they choose to take on their new challenges , what they prioritize , when they let go , and how they win . The self-evident statement that `` Saudi Arabia should integrate and empower women economically '' defines my battle and that of many other women . Read more : Saudi activists say kingdom trying to silence them . Economic empowerment offers a win-win scenario for Saudi Arabia and its women . It promotes gender equality and helps the country to diversify away from petroleum , a longstanding national goal . Rising numbers of well-educated women enlarge the national talent pool , allowing reduced dependence on expatriates ( who comprise over half the workforce ) . Instead women are still not seen as part of the solution . Since 2001 , the number of Saudi women seeking employment has risen faster than the number of jobs , resulting in a 28 percent female unemployment rate , nearly four times that of men , according to The Ministry of Labor in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia with Booz & Company analysis . Opinion : Small protests have big impact in Saudi Arabia . Women 's economic empowerment also boosts household income . Studies demonstrate that women are more likely than men to use their resources to promote their children 's health and education . Economic growth alone is not enough . It needs to be geared instead towards inclusive growth of women . Saudi Arabia is prosperous , with GDP per capita of close to $ 23,000 in 2012 according to the IMF . However , Saudi Arabia ranked 123 out of 128 countries in Booz & Company 's Third Billion Index which measures women 's economic participation . In addition to economic growth , Saudi Arabia needs inclusive economic policies that promote long-term , targeted reforms that harness the potential of its aspiring women . Allowing women to drive , for example , is economic empowerment . Many Saudi women are likely to give up their jobs because they can not afford to hire drivers to get them to work . Read more : America , the Saudi Arabia of tomorrow . Economic measures need to be accompanied by civic changes that make women more visible in leading positions and that allow them to engage in shaping the debate . The decision to appoint women to the Shura Council , the kingdom 's national consultative body , will have both these effects . Research shows that visibility is a key dimension of empowerment . It creates national role models and encourages younger women to advance in their careers . In Argentina , for example , women have made progress thanks to their national prominence . They hold high political office and are 39 percent of the parliament , compared to 6 per cent in 1990 . Visibility fosters economic integrationâ€ ” Argentina 's women are now 40 percent of the workforce , according to the World Bank . The engagement of women in the policy debate is critical . Women 's issues can become more salient in Shura Council discussions . The council 's advisory role means it can offer proposals and programs to executive bodies that emphasize women 's education , employment and civil , legal and social status . The step forward of putting women on the Shura Council , and King Abdullah 's promise that women can vote in the 2015 municipal elections , raises the prospect of women holding ministerial posts ( Currently , one woman is the deputy minister of education , unlike many other Arab Gulf countries where women now hold ministerial positions ) . The struggle for economic empowerment is the right fight for Saudi women and for a country seeking to transform its economy . The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Mounira Jamjoom .
The number of Saudi women seeking employment has risen faster than the number of jobs . The engagement of women in the policy debate is critical , Jamjoom writes . She argues that economic measures need to be accompanied by civic changes .