FIN-CT11

FOR INTERNAL UN Country Team USE

Common Country Analysis: Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

United Nations Country Team December 2015

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Table of Contents Executive Summary I. Introduction 1.1 Country Background 1.2 Saudi Arabia at a Glance 1.3 Purpose and Scope of the Country Analysis 1.4 Relationship to Other Development Plans and Analyses II. Analysis of Key Issues 2.1 Knowledge-based Equitable and Sustainable Economic Development,

underpinned by Innovation and Improved Infrastructure 2.1.1 Situation Analysis and the Tenth National Development Plan Priorities 2.1.2 Competitiveness 2.1.3 Economic Diversification 2.1.4 Generating National Employment/Saudization 2.2 Effective and Equitable Delivery Social Services and Education for Improved

Quality of Life 2.2.1 Situation Analysis and the Tenth National Development Plan Priorities 2.2.2 Quality Social Protection 2.2.3 Social Safety Nets 2.2.4 Role of Civil Society Institutions’ in Social Safety Nets 2.2.5 Education 2.2.6 Health 2.2.6 (A) Children’s’ Welfare 2.2.6 (B) Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)/ Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome

(AIDS), Malaria, and Tuberculosis 2.2.7 Urbanization & Housing 2.3 Sustainable Use of Non-oil Natural Resources and Preservation of Culture and

Heritage 2.3.1 Situation Analysis and the Tenth National Development Plan Priorities 2.3.2 Climate Change and Energy 2.3.3 Natural Environment 2.3.4 Air Quality 2.3.5 Water Resources, Agriculture, and Food Security 2.3.6 Harmful Substances and Hazardous Wastes 2.3.7 Biodiversity Protection and Conservation of the Marine Environment 2.3.8 Protection and Conservation of Cultural Resources 2.3.9 Desertification Control 2.4 Equitable, Accountable, Effective, and Efficient Public Sector 2.4.1 Situation Analysis and the Tenth National Development Plan Priorities 2.4.2 Regional Equity and Decentralization of Services 2.4.3 Disaster Risk Reduction 2.5 Cross-Cutting Issues 2.5.1 Human Rights and Justice 2.5.2 Women’s Empowerment

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2.5.2 (A) Situation Analysis and the Tenth National Development Plan Priorities 2.5.2 (B) Women’s Health 2.5.2 (C) Gender-based Violence 2.5.2 (D) Women’s Achievements in Education 2.5.2 (E) Economic Empowerment 2.5.3 Youth 2.5.3 (A) Situation Analysis and Tenth National Development Plan Priorities 2.5.3 (B) Youth and Education 2.5.3 (C) Youth and Health 2.5.3 (D) Social Media as a Medium of Expression 2.5.4 Overseas Development Assistance (ODA) and South-South Cooperation III. The Way Forward: The United Nations Common Country Strategic Framework (UNCCSF) 3.1 The UN Comparative Advantage in Strengthening a Human Rights-Based

Approach to Development 3.2 Capacity is Development 3.3 Knowledge-based Equitable and Sustainable Economic Development 3.4 Effective and Equitable Delivery of Social Services for Improved Quality of Life 3.5 Strengthening Education 3.6 Promoting Public-Private Partnerships to Address Employment Generation 3.7 Sustainable Natural and Cultural Resources Management, Use, and Preservation 3.8 Equitable, Efficient, and Responsive Public Sector. 3.9 Cross-Cutting Issues 3.9 (A) Human Rights 3.9 (B) Promoting Women's Empowerment 3.9 (C) Statistical Capacities for Accountability and Evidence-Based Policy Making Conclusion References Bibliography Acronyms and Abbreviations Annexes Annex 1: Proposed Global Sustainable Development Goals. Annex 2: Millennium Development Goals Achievements Annex 3: SDGs’ Proposed National and International Priorities. Annex 4: The Structure of Government Expenditure 1970-2014 Annex 5: The Tenth National Development Plan Objectives Annex 6: National Development Objectives’ Comparison (MDGs, Proposed SDGs, 10th

National Plan) Annex 7: Objectives of the Saudi Employment Strategy Annex 8: National Tenth Development Plan Macroeconomic Development Objectives Annex 9: National Tenth Development Plan Social Development Objectives Annex 10: Social Safety Nets Supportive Measures Annex 11: Government Educational Measures Annex 12: Key Decisions, Strategies and Measures aimed at Integrating Sustainable

Development Principles into the Government’s Policies and Programs

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Annex 13: Tenth Development Plan Sixth’s Objective: Raising the Value-added of Natural Resources in the National Economy, Diversifying their Sources and Ensuring their Sustainability along with Protecting the Environment and Conserving the Wildlife.

Annex 14: Tenth Development Plan Organization and Administrative Development Objectives

Annex 15: Tenth Development Plan Thirteenth’s Objective: Empowering Women and increasing their Contribution to Various Fields of Development

Annex 16: Saudi Population (15 Years and above) by Sex, Age Groups, and Marital Status Annex 17: Female Population (15 years and over) by Age Groups and Educational Status

for 2013 Annex 18: Women-owned Commercially Registered Enterprises by Type of Activity Annex 19: Private Sector Approach to Female Employment Annex 20: Summary of Policies and Measures Adopted by the Council of Ministers in 2004

to Enhance the Economic Activity of Women Annex 21: Youth Employment/Unemployment Annex 22: Programmes Targeting Youth Annex 23: Distribution of Youth by Marital Status as a Percentage (2007) Annex 24: Saudi Arabia's Contributions to Arab, Regional and International Development

Institutions Annex 25: Saudi Arabia Humanitarian Assistance Annex 26: Indicators’ Framework. Figures Figure 1: Map of Saudi Arabia Figure 2: Distribution of Saudis in the Labor Force (15 years and above) by Sex for 2014 Figure 3: Distribution of Saudis and Non -Saudis in the Labor Force (15 years and

above) by Sex for 2014 Figure 4: Distribution of Employed versus Unemployed Saudis in the Labor Force

(15 years and above) by Sex for 2014 Figure 5: Male and Female Students at Public Education Stages for 2013 Figure 6: Population Density in 17 Saudi Cities. Figure 7: Saudi Arabia Population Pyramid (2014) Figure 8: Saudi Female Employment in the Private Sector for 2012. Figure 9: Population Profile and Age -Sex Distribution (2011) Figure 10: Distribution of Youth by Place of Residence as a Percentage (2004) Figure 11: Youth’s Perceptions of Education and Work Skills Tables Table 1: Estimates of Population by Sex and Nationality (Saudi/Non Saudi) for the years

2004-2014. Table 2: Investments in MDG Sectors during the 7th and 8th National Development Plans Table 3: Gender Development Index and the Gender Inequality Index Table 4: Labor Force Participation Rates 2008-2012, by Sex Table 5: Youth and the Labor Market Table 6: The Distribution of Youth by Education Levels

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Executive Summary

This present Common Country Assessment (CCA) analyzes the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s (KSA) political, socioeconomic, and environmental situation, mainly from human rights and Millennium Development Goals (MDGs)/ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) perspective (see Annex 1 on the global SDGs).1 It identifies major challenges, root causes, and proposes potential areas for the United Nations’ (UN) support. Additionally, it examines the extent to which fundamental entitlements are satisfied in various domains, with a focus on the impact of developments on the most vulnerable groups in society, in particular the poor, women, and children. Saudi Arabia is that it is a country in transition.2 An analysis of this transition explores how historical developments have already enabled dramatic transformations, and the steps that the Kingdom has taken to respond to the various immediate and long-term challenges. During the last four decades, it has transformed from a less developed state to a confident, wealthy one, largely because of increasing public revenues and balanced budgets as well as by targeted public welfare programmes and improvements in the provision of statistical data. This transition notion focuses on the mix of influencing variables, that affect the political landscape, including issues such as oil, regional stability, development, and social change among others, all of which have witnessed dramatic changes and transformations.3 Encompassed within this transition are: a) the dynamics surrounding oil and the impact of oil markets on social mobilization especially with the downturns in oil prices and the decreasing public dependence on revenues from oil resources; b) the ensuing dialogue that has been generated between modernity on the one hand and tradition on the other as an aspect of social change; c) popular forms of organization through social media and engaging multiple domestic constituencies including state and non-state actors in debates about the future of the country;4 d) a focus on Saudi Arabia’s political economy and an analysis of the state’s economic development, state- sponsored development, and business infrastructure; e) the move toward concerted integration into the world economy and a drive toward regional cohesion; and f) the socio-political dimensions over women’s’ empowerment and the possibilities of changing dynamics within Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia enjoys a very high human development,5 reflecting “tangible improvements in all human development indicators such as the standard of living, health and education services,

environmental conditions as well as potentials of comprehensive development.”6 It ranked 34th out of 189 countries in human development in 2014.7 Indicating the speed of this transformation, as recently as 2006, it ranked 76th and was classified in the medium-human-development group of countries.8 In fact, the human development index (HDI) trend reflects a steady progress, moving from 0.583 in 1980, to 0.773 in 2005, 0.815 in 2010 reaching 0.836 in 2013.9 Moreover, it is a high income, non-OECD country (Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development) with a 746.248 billion in Gross Domestic Product (GDP/Current US$) as of 2014,10 increasing from 526.811 billion in 2010.11 Likewise, and due to the adoption of solid development planning approaches, it “succeeded in increasing its income many-folds, with per capita income growing at an average annual rate of 5.74 percent over the period 1990–2012.”12 Indeed, the GDP per capita (current US$)13 soared from USD$19,326.6 in 2010, to USD$25,819.1 in 2013, reaching

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USD$25,409.0 in 2014.14 On the other hand, the GDP (constant Local Currency Unit - LCU)15 reached 2,431,877,000,000 in 2014.16 At the same time, the Gross National Income (GNI) per capita (in current LCU),17 increased from Saudi Riyal (SR) 73,444 in 2010 to 98,222 in 2013,18 and the GNI per capita (Purchasing Power Parity –PPP- current international US$)19 increased from USD$45,270 in 2010 to USD$53,760 in 2013.20 As such, it is the largest economy in the Middle East and the sole Arab member the Group of 20 (G20) of major global economies.21 To augment its exports capabilities and stimulate the private sector, the Kingdom joined the World Trade Organization (WTO) in 2005. It likewise is increasingly well positioned in global economic platforms, hosting the International Energy Forum (IEF),22 and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC).23 As the MDG Report for Saudi Arabia states, the Kingdom has achieved the MDG goal of eradicating income poverty well ahead of the target year of 2015 (see Annex 2 on MDGs Achievements). It is not easy to get accurate internationally reported data on poverty. Government data suggests that the percentage of households living under the extreme poverty line (food poverty-under USD$2 a day per person) decreased from 0.08 percent in 2004 to 0.06 percent in 2010.24 However, media and private estimates place the rates at much higher levels.25 Being on track for achieving the MDGs, however, increases the challenge of addressing issues of quality rather than quantity. In particular, addressing goals achievements at sub-national levels, inequities in women’s empowerment, focusing on pro-poor growth; broadening the engagement of stakeholders, enhancing institutional coordination and data quality, among others. Thus, despite the progress that Saudi Arabia has made especially in terms of human development, a number of challenges remain to ensure the sustainability of those gains in the longer term. These challenges include: diversifying the economy; engaging in global issues of climate change and environment; building Saudi human capacities to lead and participate in the new industrial and service sectors, thereby decreasing reliance on foreign workers; more effectively translating national policies into human development gains through improved governance and public administration; and developing capacities to ensure that growth proceeds with equity, with respect to issues of women, youth and different regions.26 Two themes in particular emerge from the various national planning frameworks as key to the country’s long-term future as stated in the The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the World: Scenarios to 2025: 27 (a) education and innovation, which can support the private sector through the provision of highly qualified Saudi professionals with relevant skills as a means of aiding economic diversification, reducing reliance on state-run industries, and reach long-term economic stability; and (b) leadership and governance, which can offer the Government greater efficiency and openness, in turn increasing the effectiveness of public sector interventions, thus buttress national security. Similar to other Net Contributor Countries (NCCs),28 Saudi Arabia aspires to enhance its integration into the world economy as the Evaluation of NCCs pointed out, “this means finding ‘niches’ of comparative advantage in which it can play a role that transcends their contributions to the energy sector to become important actors in areas such as trade, financial services, information and communications technology, and tourism.”29 Root causes for many of these

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challenges are due on the continued high dependence on petroleum as the economic base and the urgency for diversification; imbalances in the labor market; socioeconomic inequities at sub- national levels and by gender; limited civil society participation; inadequate institutionalization of a human rights culture; and inefficient utilization of natural resources and inadequate elimination of practices that harm the environment. The Government takes responsibility for the protection of all, and the provision for their welfare under an extensive social welfare system.30 However, the dramatic socioeconomic developments of recent years, combined with the continuing rapid increase of the Saudi population, makes sustainability of the welfare state and its dominant provision of basic social services an ever- increasing challenge. Given the highly youthful profile of the population, adolescents and youth in particular are likely to be seriously affected if the welfare state proves unsustainable. The total labor force participation rate (percentage of total population ages 15+)31 was 55 percent in 2013 or 11,232,277,32 with the employment to population ratio for ages 15 and older standing at 52 percent for the same year.33 Recent national statistics for 2014 note that the participation rate is 11,739,303 (54.1 percent of total population of 15 years and older), of whom 9,889,791 are males (Saudis and no-Saudis). 34 The participation rate for males in the labor force (percentage of male population ages 15+) stood at 78 percent for the same year,35 and the participation rate for females (percentage of female population ages 15+) constituted 20 percent in 2013.36 In addition, youth labor force participation rate for ages 15-24 stood at 9.80 percent as of 2013 for females, and 26.21 percent for males.37 Interesting to note that more non-Saudis than Saudi nationals work in the national economy, with an estimated 42 percent employed in the private and public sectors (9.2 million non-Saudi workers in 2013).38 On the other hand, unemployment total (percentage of total labor force) stood at 5.7 percent for 2013,39 with 2.9 percent for males (percentage of male labor force), 40 and 21.3 percent for females (percentage of female labor force).41 Males make up 40.6 percent of the total unemployed for 2014 (671,630 of the total labor force.)42 Finally, unemployment among youth ages 15-24 stood at 21.1 percent for 2013, which is a drop from the 2011 rates of 24.6 percent, 43 of whom 55.3 percent are females,44 and 21.1 percent are males.45

The Saudi labour market is highly imbalanced, with two dominant features being the private sector’s reliance on foreign workers at sub-standard wages and employment conditions that are unattractive to nationals, and the strong preference of nationals for public sector employment.. The challenge of “Saudization” is magnified by the need to apply a multifaceted approach to tackle it including addressing the mismatch between education outputs and labor market needs which is “leading to structural unemployment among Saudis;”46 the need to be strategic about which sectors to expand to lessen the unemployment among Saudis and reduce the reliance on foreign workers; what role should the private sector play in expanding employment; best approaches to enhance the capacities of human resources, including raising the quality of education and refocusing it on analytical skills and those needed for a knowledge-based economy. In an effort to increase the pool of highly qualified graduates, the Kingdom has sent some 150,000 students abroad for study who would be returning the next couple of years, providing a pool of qualified resources but at the same time lacking for jobs. The large geographical size of the country and the concentration of the population in few urban cities, leaving other areas less populated, makes providing coverage of basic social services to all dispersed population centers a challenge, especially in terms of quality and efficiency. Indeed as

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the MDG Report for 2013 notes, “Provision of basic health services entails support to primary health centers, in urban and rural areas, including those providing maternal and child care, health education, and preventive health services. Since rural areas are not as attractive to the private sector as urban centers, it is envisaged that the former will remain dependent, to a large extent, on government health services.”47 There is very little data to analyze properly the situation of children as it relates for example to the magnitude of issues that impact on children, such as child labor, child marriage, female

genital mutilation (of all kinds), violent discipline, and even birth registration.48 Moreover, as UNICEF notes “the relative shortage of child-related disaggregated data, especially protection- related, including at subnational levels and according to age groups, sex, wealth quintiles, etc., raises concerns about the optimal equity of developmental social services.”49 Saudi Arabia cities are urbanizing fast with the rapid population increase, which approximated 30 million in 2014. Indeed, urbanization increased from 48 percent in the 1970s to around 80 percent in 2000, with a projection of 88 percent by 2025.50 Approximately, 82.5 percent of people lived in urban areas in 2012,51 and the rural population as a percentage of the total population reached 18 percent in 2013.52 Almost two-thirds of the Kingdom’s population is concentrated in three out of 13 administrative regions (Riyadh, Makkah and the Eastern Region).53 This rapid growth of major urban centers in particular poses numerous development challenges, including increased use of water resources, high consumption patterns, lifestyles, increased industrialization, the difficulty of providing adequate housing, traffic jams, pollution, sanitation problems, and the high costs of supplying safe drinking water, solid waste management and biodiversity. The housing sector faces numerous challenges, including an inadequate supply of housing units, weak affordability of owned or rental units, inadequate financing of housing or residential land, and the proliferation of unplanned neighborhoods in major cities. More than half of the population lives in rental housing estimated at about 60 percent with an estimated 4 percent purchased their homes with mortgages, and the existing shortfall in housing was estimated in 2013 at 500,000 homes.54 Saudi Arabia, with rapid population growth, a highly sensitive ecosystem, and an economy centered on resource extraction is particularly vulnerable to issues of sustainable development and climate change, with profound implications for human development. Several aspects contribute to that including the rapid urbanization, increased industrialization and pollution levels, among others. Climate change and these factors will have ramifications on agricultural productivity, heightened water scarcity, deteriorating air quality, increased exposure to extreme weather events, increased health risks, increased volume of waste of all types, and deteriorating health indicators for communities. Saudi Arabia suffers from water scarcity as the MDG Report for 2013 states, “scarcity of water resources constitute a vital issue for the Kingdom, due to the fact that the largest share of water consumed for agricultural, municipal and industrial purposes comes from non-renewable resources. Accordingly, requirements of sustainable development urge for the rationalization of water consumption, and more reliance on conventional renewable water resources.”55 A particular issue arises from the steady increase in demand of limited natural resources. For

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example the “use of non-renewable groundwater resources to meet growing demand has had serious implications in terms of rising water salinity, falling water reserves, and increased soil degradation and soil salinity due to constant planting of crops, particularly those stressful to the soil.”56 Food security is another major concern for Saudi Arabia especially with its rapid population growth rates. To address the needs of its growing population, the country has to rely on food imports. As the Saudi Agricultural and Livestock Investment Company (SALIC) states, “Import statistics are quite telling: the value of food imports to Saudi Arabia peaked at SR 65.25 billion (US$17.4 billion) in 2009, and is expected to increase steadily over the coming years as demand surges. In 2010, Saudi imports accounted for 45 percent of total Arab food imports of US$38.1 billion. The country is the world’s 19th largest agricultural food importer, with its food imports averaging around US$15 billion annually in recent years.”57 Protection of human rights is being given increasing importance in the Kingdom. Additionally, Saudi Arabia is addressing a number of human rights issues, particularly with regard to women, religious minorities, children, migrant workers, and those in the criminal justice system, through the establishment of the Saudi Arabia Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) which acts as a body comparable to a National Human Rights Institution (NHRI) and its president has the status of a Government Minister,58 and a National Society for Human Rights.59 Recommendations made in the last Universal Periodic Review (UPR) to Saudi Arabia included for example, ratifying other human rights instruments to which it is not yet a party to.60 These affect the rights of migrant workers, particularly domestic migrant workers, which remain of special concern despite some improvements in the protection of these workers. Important to highlight that KSA has signed agreements with both the Philippines and Indonesia protecting the rights of domestic workers.61

Women make up approximately half of the Saudi population (13,504,050 million of the total 30,770,375 million; of whom 3,200,507 million are non-Saudis).62 In recent years, the Kingdom paid particular attention to advancing the socioeconomic and cultural development of women and the family based on the rights granted to them in the Basic Law of Governance and the successive development plans.63 As noted in the Ninth Development Plan (2010-2014), “the status of women in education, health and economic development was enhanced, and the standard of living of families improved steadily. There was also a vibrant dialogue in the media on the effective role of women and the family, emphasizing its developmental viability in this respect.”64 Several measures and policies have been issued to enhance women’s economic participation.65 However, their employment remains sector-specific confined mostly to the single-sex occupations, such as the bureaucracy or in health care,66 which calls for developing their capacities and broadening their opportunities. Despite these progressive steps, there is the need to enhance women’s role in decision-making bodies and representation in public offices to reach the 30 percent threshold recommended by the Beijing protocol.67 Important to note in this regard, that on December 23, 2014 a new law was enacted. Under the new law, social security protection is offered to those who report cases of violence without revealing their identity. Additionally, access to assistance, treatment, accommodation and social, psychological and physical health care for victims will be offered. The

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law also imposes penalties and sanctions against abusers.68 In December 2015, women were for the first time allowed to vote and stand for municipal elections, with 21 women gaining seats across the country. Issues of reliable statistics regarding domestic abuse remains a challenge with most of the cases go unreported. However, media reports revealed that the courts addressed 454 cases of violence against women in 2013.69 Important to note that Saudi Arabia accepted the UPR’s,70 recommendation to strengthen domestic legislation to promote and protect the rights of women, children, domestic workers and migrant workers; and that it will ensure the victims of domestic abuse have immediate access to mechanisms of protection and redress.71 Recognizing the modality of its operations in KSA as a NCC and premised on the national priorities and the necessity not only to sustain results of the achievements of the MDGs but also to set the stage for attaining the proposed government’s priorities for the post-2015 SDGs (see Annex 3: SDGs’ Proposed National and International Priorities), the United Nations Country Team (UNCT)72 agreed that it would explore and advocate with the government to focus on the following priorities for cooperation:

1) Knowledge-based equitable and sustainable economic development, underpinned by innovation and improved infrastructure;

2) Effective and equitable delivery social services and education for improved quality of life; 3) Sustainable use of non-oil Natural Resources and preservation of Culture and Heritage; and 4) Equitable, accountable, effective, and efficient public sector.

These priority areas were validated and finalized at following consultation with the government and national partners at a workshop organized in November 2015. Crosscutting issues that will be taken into consideration include South-South cooperation; capacity development; human rights; results-based management; gender equality and women’s empowerment; and youth and adolescents. Key criteria for proposing the four areas of cooperation are national priority needs, potential for long-term impact on national goals; lessons learnt and good practices; and opportunities to strengthen both national capacities and international cooperation.

In summary, while the UNCT’s role in Saudi Arabia is predicated first on the principle of national ownership and demand in the context of an NCC, nevertheless this CCA identifies a

number of key development challenges and opportunities for the UNCT to explore with Government its support of development activities and the SDGs in the Kingdom. In the context

of the transition taking place in the country, the UN’s role in Saudi Arabia must also evolve ensuring its continuing relevance and added value in the dynamic, complex and rapidly

changing environment of a high-income, high-human-development country. Whatever the UN does in any country must be underpinned by the programming principle of the human rights- based approach. As it moves forward with the development of the United Nations Common Country Strategic Framework (UNCCSF), the UNCT can also explore wider engagement with other domestic and international partners – local government, civil society organizations, the business community, the media and academia alike. In so doing, the UNCT can help Saudi

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Arabia capitalize on unprecedented opportunities in deepening human

development.Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Country Assessment United Nations Country Team (August 2015)

I. Introduction 1.1 Country Background Saudi Arabia is the 14th largest country in the world,73 covering approximately 2,149,690 square kilometers and occupying some four-fifths of the Arabian Peninsula.74 As shown in Figure 1, it is bordered by Jordan, Kuwait and Iraq to the north, the Arabian Gulf, Bahrain, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates to the east, the Sultanate of Oman and the Republic of Yemen to the south, and the Red Sea to the west.75 Saudi Arabia is distinct from other countries in the fact that is “the cradle of the Islamic message and the direction to which all Muslims throughout the world turn to in prayer, due to the fact that God created His Sacred House (the Kaaba) at Makkah al-Mukarrama and the Mosque of the Prophet at Madinah al-Munawwara.”76 As such, Muslims perform the annual pilgrimage and visit the holy sites in the Kingdom. The presence of millions of visitors obliges the state to undertake measures for their security and wellbeing. Saudi Arabia does not have a separate written Constitution but is guided by the Qu’ran, the Holy Book of Islam.77 Under the Basic Law of 1992, the monarchy remains the central institution of the Government, with the King, serving also as Prime Minister, leads the executive branch supported by a Council of Ministers whom the King appoints. The King also appoints the members of the Majlis Al-Shura, a 150-member consultative assembly that forms the legislative branch. The legal system is rooted in Islamic Shari’a law,78 with the King appointing judges to the religious courts. Legislation is by resolution of the Council of Ministers,79 ratified by Royal Decree, and must be compatible with Shari’a. While there are no recognized political parties or national elections, senior members of the Royal family are often consulted with regard to national policies and provide vigorous debate, with the King serving as the ultimate arbiter. Additionally, a government system of consultations also exists during policy formulations, such as throughout the drafting of the Tenth National Development Plan (2015-2019). The clerical establishment, or ulema, also exercise strong influence in religious and other matters.

Figure 1: Map of Saudi Arabia. Source: World Atlas Map.

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Armed violence from groups claiming to be inspired by religion has led the Government to place strong emphasis on national security measures to counter threats of terrorism, following numerous terrorist incidents.80 This resulted in a key and continuing challenge: how to balance the need for reforms, including political reforms – deemed necessary by the Kingdom for ensuring the long-term sustainability of development results – and the security imperatives. However, the dominant feature is that of moving ahead with reform and change management to enhance sustainable development. A spate of swift decisions have been witnessed contrary to the much slower pace in decision-making processes. Indeed, since His Majesty (HM) King Salman took office several Royal Decrees were issued covering changes in governance approaches,81 in addition to profound changes in the leadership composition.82 The Decrees reflected a heightened emphasis on more accountability and a greater focus on results starting with HM King Salman emphasizing the need to enhance government’s efficiency through improved performance and monitoring.83 To streamline the bureaucracy, for example, one of the Decrees reduced the number of councils, committees, and layers that the government represented,84 and established the Council of Economic and Development Affairs; the Council of Political and Security Affairs; and merged few ministries such as that of Higher Education and Education.85 Ministers are requested to submit their plans to the Councils, make presentations on them, and are being challenged on benchmarks to be achieved and to respond to what is being debated in the media on the performance of their respective sectors.86 As such, inadequate delivery can lead to a loss of ministerial posts, i.e. the Minister of Housing was relieved of his duties only after few weeks in office.87 Moreover, there is currently an intensified focus on the productivity of the government, administrative reform to create value added, enhancing employment opportunities, and responding to satisfaction indicators of the government by the private sector and citizens’ alike.88 A positive sign in this regard is the establishment of new mechanisms of responsiveness and accountability and social media is playing a big role in engaging private citizens in state affairs that affect their lives. There are also signs of the Majlis Al-Shura getting more involved and calling upon university professors, experts from various sectors, such as health, labor, etc. to make presentations, discuss specific issues, and propose recommendations.89 As noted, many have characterized this period in Saudi Arabia’s history as one of “transition”. The Government’s development planning has focused on issues of productivity, efficiency, competitiveness, and diversification. The current impressions from the various government officials is the need to be critical to approaches, revisit them, and find better ways to utilize them whether financial or otherwise.90 This is in addition to the increasingly active role of Saudi Arabia in the international arena and its move to take a leading role when it comes to regional issues. Thus, it is a period witnessing attempts to link the future vision with the past. From the above, it is evident that interesting changes are taking place within the country, which provide excellent opportunities for UN agencies contributions.

1.2 Saudi Arabia at a Glance

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Saudi Arabia has an estimated population of 30,770,375 million for 2014 with 20,702,536 Saudis versus 10,067,839 million expatriate workers,91 an increase from the 29,369,428.0 million in 2014.92 These figures represent an increase from the 22,563,886 million in 2004 (16,443,987 Saudis and 6,119,899 non-Saudis) which in itself was an increase of 33.78 percent from the census of 1992.93 Moreover, it also indicates the increase in the number of non-Saudis as a percentage of the total population. Women make up approximately half of the Saudi population,94 (13,504,050 million of the total 30,770,375 million; of which 3,200,507 million non-Saudis).95 However, the ratio of female migrants to male migrants is approximately 1:2, (3,200,507: 6,867,332).96 It is also a young society with the population proportion under 15 years representing 29.2 percent of the total population in 2013,97 as Table 1 below indicates. Table 1: Estimates of Population by Sex and Nationality (Saudi/Non Saudi) for the years 2004- 2014.98 Source: Central Department of Statistics and Information, Estimates of Population by Sex and Nationality.

Yea r

Saudi Non-Saudi Saudi & Non-Saudi

Male Female Total Male Female Total Male Female Total

2004 8,245,575 8,198,412 16,443,987 4,248,335 1,871,564 6,119,899 12,493,910 10,069,976 22,563,886

2005 8,453,097 8,401,060 16,854,157 4,506,528 1,968,899 6,475,427 12,959,625 10,369,959 23,329,584

2006 8,663,597 8,606,584 17,270,181 4,780,413 2,071,296 6,851,709 13,444,010 10,677,880 24,121,890

2007 8,876,666 8,814,670 17,691,336 5,070,944 2,179,018 7,249,962 13,947,610 10,993,688 24,941,298

2008 9,091,249 9,024,301 18,115,550 5,379,132 2,292,343 7,671,475 14,470,381 11,316,644 25,787,025

2009 9,307,550 9,235,696 18,543,246 5,706,050 2,411,561 8,117,611 15,013,600 11,647,257 26,660,857

2010 9,525,178 9,448,437 18,973,615 6,052,837 2,536,980 8,589,817 15,578,015 11,985,417 27,563,432

2011 9,743,626 9,662,059 19,405,685 6,297,735 2,672,935 8,970,670 16,041,361 12,334,994 28,376,355

2012 9,962,397 9,876,051 19,838,448 6,581,439 2,776,008 9,357,447 16,543,836 12,652,059 29,195,895

2013 10,181,018 10,090,040 20,271,058 6,643,278 3,079,936 9,723,214 16,824,296 13,169,976 29,994,272

2014 10,398,993 10,303,543 20,702,536 6,867,332 3,200,507 10,067,839 17,266,325 13,504,050 30,770,375

Saudi Arabia enjoys a very high human development,99 reflecting “tangible improvements in all human development indicators such as the standard of living, health and education services,

environmental conditions as well as potentials of comprehensive development.”100 It ranked 34th out of 189 countries in human development in 2014.101 Indicating the speed of this transformation, as recently as 2006, it ranked 76th and was classified in the medium-human-development group of countries.102 In fact, the human development index (HDI) trend reflects a steady progress, moving from 0.583 in 1980, to 0.773 in 2005, 0.815 in 2010 reaching 0.836 in 2013.103 Moreover, it is a high income, non-OECD country (Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development) with a 746.248 billion in Gross Domestic Product (GDP/Current US$) as of 2014,104 increasing from 526.811 billion in 2010.105 Likewise, and due to the adoption of solid development planning approaches, it “succeeded in increasing its income many-folds, with per capita income growing at an average annual rate of 5.74 percent over the period 1990–2012.”106 Indeed, the GDP per capita (current US$)107 soared from USD$19,326.6 in 2010, to USD$25,819.1 in 2013, reaching USD$25,409.0 in 2014.108 On the other hand, the GDP (constant Local Currency Unit - LCU)109 reached 2,431,877,000,000 in 2014.110 At the same time, the Gross National Income (GNI) per

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capita (in current LCU),111 increased from Saudi Riyal (SR) 73,444 in 2010 to 98,222 in 2013,112 and the GNI per capita (Purchasing Power Parity –PPP- current international US$)113 increased from USD$45,270 in 2010 to USD$53,760 in 2013.114 As such, it is the largest economy in the Middle East and the sole Arab member the Group of 20 (G20) of major global economies.115 To augment its exports capabilities and stimulate the private sector, the Kingdom joined the World Trade Organization (WTO) in 2005. It likewise is increasingly well positioned in global economic platforms, hosting the International Energy Forum (IEF),116 and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC).117 Forecasts predict that the government will continue its support to economic activities despite its deficit as the Samba group notes, “Lower oil prices clearly weigh on economic activity to some extent, but the government remains committed to supporting the local economy, even at the expense of large fiscal deficits … However, the more constrained environment will become apparent in 2016-18.”118 The Government recently had to resort to borrowing raising USD$4 billion domestically in July 2015 and is expected to continue its borrowing program from both domestic and international sources to cover the budget deficit. The country is on track to achieve all targets of the MDGs, adopted at the United Nations Millennium Summit in 2000 (see Annex 2: Millennium Development Goals Achievements).119 Building on a developmental pattern anchored on establishing a legal and policy environment conducive to the Goals’ achievement, intensive efforts have been made to attain and surpass the targets,120 ahead of the 2015 deadline.121 Significantly, the MDGs have been integrated into the National Development Plans (2005-2009, 2010-2014 and the current plan 2015-2019), as well as into medium and longer-term Government policies which allows for following up on the MDGs’ achievement within the objectives, programs and projects of development plans. It is worth nothing that the monitoring and evaluation environment to track progress on the MDGs has been rated as “good” for all the goals and targets, including the ability for data collection, statistical follow-up, statistical analysis, incorporating analysis into policies, monitoring and evaluation, and the quality of survey data.122 Being on track for achieving the MDGs, however, heightens the challenge of consolidating the achievements and safeguarding quality, rather than quantity. Key issues linked to managing growth need to be addressed, including managing the macro economy; addressing inequities (regions, socio-economic, gender, etc.); linking the macro economy and the micro economy; ensuring a functioning incentive framework for the micro economy; strengthening the engagement of varied stakeholders; data quality; strengthening governance mechanisms; and institutional coordination and alignment. In this regard, it is interesting to examine the budgetary investments made in MDGs-related sectors. The table below reflects the allocation of budget to MDGs’-related sectors in the Seventh Development Plan (2000-2004) and the Eighth Development Plans (2005-2009):123 Table 2: Investments in MDG Sectors during the seventh and eighth Plans Source: Ministry of Economy and Planning and UNDP, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Sector 7th Plan 8th Plan Percent Change 7th-8th Plan

SR. Bill. Percent SR Bill. Percent SR Percent

Human Resources 276.9 57.1 56.6 25.5 -0.5

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Social & Health 92.6 19.1 19.0 25.8 -0.1

Total Expenditures 485.3 100.0 614.6 100.0 129.3- 26.6

According to a study carried out by Dr. Mbelle on the costing of the MDGs, 124 the above figures reveal that in monetary terms, there is an increase in allocations to “MDGs-related sectors”, but in relative terms, there has been a decrease. In fact, resource allocation in the Eighth Development Plan has not been “pro-MDG sectors” – while resources increased by 26.6 percent, allocation decreased implying that, the share of MDG sectors in the incremental resources declined. The same pattern of expenditure is also reflected in the Ninth Development Plan (2010-2014) which in fact indicated a decrease in the total expenditures for allocations to human resources from 55.6 percent to 50.6 percent (please see Annex 4, The Structure of Government Expenditure 1970- 2014).125

1.3 Purpose and Scope of the Country Analysis

In the Country Analysis (CA) for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), the UNCT, analyzes the current development situation and begins to answer the question: Where and how can it advocate for having the most impact on development in the country? The answers to the questions posed by the CA serve as the basis for identifying priorities to inform the United Nations Common Country Strategic Framework (UNCCSF) for Saudi Arabia for 2017-2021. Moving beyond the traditional donor-recipient relationship, the UNCT engages with the Government of Saudi Arabia in mutually beneficial exchanges of knowledge and experience, linking the global to the local and vice versa. Because of the Kingdom’s NCC status, the UNCT is not required to develop a full United Nations Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF), but has voluntarily agreed to simplify the UNDAF methodology for the UNCCSF. This will help to better align the UNCT’s collective efforts in the country to be more effective and efficient, while exploring with the Government current identified areas for joint programming/working together for greater synergies and contributing substantively to national MDG/Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) -related goals.126 The work of the UN in Saudi Arabia has been growing in terms of size of programming, and in increasing the presence of UN agencies coming to work in KSA, either as non-resident agencies or as those exploring opportunities to do so.127 Thus, the UNCCSF as a joint strategizing endeavor provides an opportunity for the UN agencies to work with their respective national partners and project the UN as a collective body that can add value within an NCC context. To prepare for the UNCCSF process, the UNCT began to identify the main development priorities for the country and agreed on the United Nations’ comparative advantages and key opportunities for work that can contribute to the overall development in Saudi Arabia.128 In this context, the purpose of this Country Analysis is:

 Add value to the strategic analytical documents that already exist in Saudi Arabia and complement them from the perspectives of the mandatory UNDG key programming principles of a human rights-based approach, gender equality, environmental sustainability and capacity development;

 Outline the priorities identified by the UNCT; and

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 Describe the process in preparation for the formulation of the UNCCSF. This Country Analysis was informed by the guiding principles of the Millennium Declaration, in particular the fundamental need to underpin all development on an intrinsic respect for human rights. It focuses on the main thematic areas of the MDGs and the SDGs, with particular emphasis on aspects, which need more acceleration towards Goals’ achievement. This is discussed in the larger context of a range of contextual issues - past development trends and future prospects, including references to KSA’s commitments to human rights and international conventions. To prepare the CCA and set the groundwork for the UNCCSF process, several interviews were held with high-level officials from the government, academia, the private sector and CSOs. A UNCT retreat was organized in May to identify the main national priorities and the UNCT’s comparative advantage. Based on this analysis the current assessment was formulated. Subsequently, a broad consultative workshop with the government and CSOs with the UNCT was organized in November. In this context, the purpose of the consultative workshop was to: (1) to add value to the strategic analytical documents that already exist in Saudi Arabia and complement them from the perspectives of a human rights-based approach, gender equality, environmental sustainability and capacity development; (2) to outline the priorities identified by the UNCT; and (3) to describe the preparation process for the UNCCSF. The workshop’s outcomes were the validation of the CCA findings especially in terms of identified development priorities for the country and agreed United Nations’ comparative advantages and key opportunities for work that can contribute to the overall development in Saudi Arabia. This consultative workshop represented an important opportunity for national ownership of the process, which built on the previous consultations with Government and other key stakeholders. Premised on the national priorities encompassed in the Tenth National Development Plan 2015- 2019 (see Annex 5 for the full text) and the necessity not only to sustain results of the achievements of the MDGs (see Annex 2 on MDGs achievements’ results) but also to set the stage for attaining the government’s priorities for the post-2015 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) (see Annex 3 for proposed government national and international priorities for the SDGs), the UNCT validated at its November 2015 workshop with national partners to advocate for a focus on the following priorities for cooperation:

 Knowledge-based equitable and sustainable economic development;  Effective and equitable delivery of social services for improved quality of life;  Sustainable natural and culture resources’ management, use, and preservation; and  Equitable, efficient, and responsive public sector.

Crosscutting issues that will be taken into consideration include South-South cooperation; capacity development; human rights; results-based management; gender equality and women’s empowerment; and youth and adolescents. Within the priority focusing on “A knowledge-based equitable and sustainable economic development,” issues analyzed include economic diversification beyond oil, competitiveness,, institutional and human resources’ capacities, and the urgent need to generate employment among Saudis. “Effective and equitable delivery of social services for improved quality of life” priority area examines social protection networks, quality social protection; social safety nets; the role of civil society

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institutions’ in social safety nets, education, health, children’s welfare, Human Immunodeficiency Virus, Malaria and Tuberculosis; and urbanization and housing. . For its part, “Sustainable natural and cultural resources’ management, use, and preservation” analyzes climate change and energy, water resources and agricultural productivity, land, biodiversity and conservation, as well as sustainable consumption and production. Finally, the priority area focusing on “Equitable, efficient, and responsive public sector” emphasizes the need for supporting decentralization, transforming human resources’ management practices, humanitarian responses, disaster risk reduction, and introducing results-oriented approaches to management. Within a human rights and gender sensitive approach, it also examines issues of concern related to national socio-political and economic scenarios, youth development and environmental sustainability, besides analyzing gaps and equity issues between regions and population groups, also highlighting the vulnerability of marginalized groups, such as those living with disabilities, among others. From the range of issues discussed, a few are recommended for priority attention in the next UNCCSF given their potential to contribute to more equitable and sustainable development outcomes in the medium and long term. Capacity strengths and weaknesses of institutions and communities are indicated, with suggestions to develop capacities to strengthen the role and contribution of non-government entities, the private sector and the media to rights-based initiatives. Additionally future areas of research are recommended on which gaps were identified during the CA process. The selected strategic areas for cooperation are not intended to be fully inclusive of all interventions carried out by the various UN agencies, but they do represent an explicit common response in advocating for and engaging with partners for a more coherent and coordinated UN support in KSA. As an NCC, national ownership is a strong feature of the UNCT’s programming in Saudi Arabia which is the result largely of the fact that governments finances almost the entire programmes and UN agencies programs are aligned with national priorities. However, in the rapidly changing environment in which the NCCs now find themselves, the UNCT needs to analyze and explore opportunities for more effective engagement, recognizing that business as usual could result in reduced significance of their activities in terms of their human development objectives. This is especially true in the context of increased private sector competition in providing the kind of technical assistance that the UNCT can bring. Other key criteria for proposing the four areas of cooperation are national priority needs, potential for long-term impact on national goals; lessons learnt and good practices; and opportunities to strengthen both national capacities and international cooperation. Overall, the comparative advantages of the UNCT in the four areas have been identified as:

 The demand-driven nature of programming which bestows a high level of national ownership and subsequently a clear match between Saudi Arabia’s emerging needs and UN agencies’ mandates and capabilities, including the UN’s neutrality, impartiality and support for compliance with agreed international standards and norms;

 Support to upstream policy to create an enabling environment for the implementation of internationally-agreed goals, including the SDGs, as well as to meet the Kingdom’s obligations under international conventions and frameworks;

 A conduit and window to the UN system and access to a wide array of international expertise;

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 Support to results-based development policies and monitoring and evaluation of national development frameworks, encompassing access to international expertise, impartial policy advice, and developing capacities for data collection and evidence-based decision making processes;

 Promotion, advocacy, and engagement in national dialogue and nationally-led development processes on the implementation of international standards/obligations (i.e., MDGs/SDGs, international human rights instruments, etc.);

 Support to capacity development at all levels (enabling environment, institutional and individual); and

 Ability to contribute to cross-border and trans-boundary cooperation, through a number of regional and interregional initiatives especially since many UN agencies enjoy a regional presence with the ability to work at national, regional, sub-regional and global levels.

The partners to achieve these objectives will be government line ministries including the Ministry of Economy and Planning; Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Agriculture; Ministry of Water and Electricity; Ministry of Justice; Ministry of Social Affairs; Ministry of Education; Ministry of Health; Ministry of Municipality and Rural Affairs; Ministry of Civil Service; the Presidency for Meteorology and Environment; the Saudi Commission of Tourism and Antiquities; the Anti- corruption Commission; the Human Rights Commission; the National Human Rights Society; the Consultative Council (Shura); academic and research institutes; non-governmental organizations (NGOs); civil society organizations (CSOs), and the media, among others.

In summary, while the UNCT’s role in Saudi Arabia is predicated first on the principle of national ownership and demand in the context of an NCC, nevertheless this CCA identifies a number of key development challenges and opportunities for the UNCT to explore with Government its support of development activities and the SDGs in the Kingdom. In the context of the transition taking place in the country, the UN’s role in Saudi Arabia must also evolve ensuring its continuing relevance and added value in the dynamic, complex and rapidly changing environment of a high-income, high-human-development country. Whatever the UN does in any country must be underpinned by the programming principle of the human rights-based approach. As it moves forward with the development of the United Nations Common Country Strategic Framework (UNCCSF), the UNCT can also explore wider engagement with other domestic and international partners – local government, civil society organizations, the business community, the media and academia alike. In so doing, the UNCT can help Saudi Arabia capitalize on unprecedented opportunities in deepening human development. Country Teams have the option to choose one of the three CA types most suited to their situation: participation in government-led analytical work; complementary UN-supported analytical work where some gaps exist in the information base; and, a full CA process where few high quality documents exist and existing material is not sufficiently analytical. Based on a review of available reference material, the UNCT opted for a Complementary Analysis instead of a full CA. This was based on the availability of national and international studies and statistical data to address most issues covered. A considerable volume of recent reports of thematic studies and publications undertaken by the Government, national NGOs, academia, the World Bank, and UN agencies provided valuable

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information, also helping to identify issues of concern and emerging opportunities. This included analysis of most recent in-country assessments and studies, mostly dating from 2010 onwards, but also some earlier ones where more updated information was not available.129 A variety of sources were used including primarily national statistical data from the Central Department of Statistics and Information, national reports produced by line ministries and sector strategies, national reports submitted to the various Treaty Bodies and their concluding observations, the national Millennium Development Goals Reports (MDGR), National Human Development Reports, National Development Plans (8th, 9th, and 10th) which are the Government’s medium term development frameworks encompassing its strategies and action plans for national development, and specialized UN or World Bank studies (Please see a complete list of resources in the bibliography and references). The UNCT also developed a roadmap outlining the UNCCSF’s preparation process. The roadmap identified support needed from regional offices, headquarters, and serves as an entry point for the provision of quality support and assurance. Additionally, it aligns the UNCCSF process with the national development planning process; makes use of, and strengthen, national capacities and mechanisms; and lays out the steps and milestones for the UNCT’s contribution to the country analysis and UNCCSF preparation in a realistic way. A retreat with all UN agencies (resident and non-resident) was held on May 24th to discuss approaches and identify future opportunities which could help to enhance the relevance and cohesion of programme partnerships resulting in more efficient and effective development support through the next UNCCSF. The outcome of the retreat was the identification of key issues selected by the UNCT as priority areas to focus on. Through all stages of the CA formulation, attention is accorded to the five fundamental guiding principles, namely human rights based approach to programming (HRBA), gender mainstreaming, environmental sustainability, capacity development, and results based management (RBM). In all, it is hoped that this analysis will create an important momentum for further collaboration on synergistic United Nations development initiatives in Saudi Arabia during the formulation and implementation of the UNCCSF 2017-2021.

1.4 Relationship to Other Development Plans and Analyses The kingdom’s long-term strategy is based on a vision of a diversified sustainable economy as stated, “By the will of God, by 2024, the Saudi economy will be a diverse, thriving and prosperous economy based on sustainable foundations. It will extend rewarding work opportunities to all citizens, will have a high-quality education and training system, and will provide excellent healthcare for all, in addition to all the services necessary for ensuring the welfare of all citizens, while safeguarding social and religious values and preserving the national heritage as well as the environment."130 These themes are reflected as well in the medium term, 131 where the Tenth National Development Plan 2015-2019 (see Annex 5 on the National Development Plan’s Objectives) represents the major national development strategy during a key period for the Kingdom to consolidate its development gains, and build a truly sustainable economy, while addressing social, cultural, and environmental concerns. In this regard, it sets the directions for all aspects of

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the country's socio-economic development during the plan’s period (see Annex 6, National Development Objectives’ Comparison: MDGs, SDGs, 10th National Plan). Two themes in particular emerge from the various national planning frameworks as key to the country’s long-term future as stated in the The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the World: Scenarios to 2025: 132 (a) education and innovation, which can support the private sector through the provision of highly qualified Saudi professionals with relevant skills as a means of aiding economic diversification, reducing reliance on state-run industries, and reach long-term economic stability; and (b) leadership and governance, which can offer the Government greater efficiency and openness, in turn increasing the effectiveness of public sector interventions, thus buttress national security. These objectives have also been echoed in the government’s proposal for the SDG’s priorities it made for both the national and global levels. Most prominent priorities at the national level included enhancing economic diversification; improving productivity; increasing growth and employment levels for both the public and private sectors; sustainable and equitable development (environmental biodiversity, safe-drinking water; urbanization, agricultural productivity, information technology) and social safety networks (primary health care and early childhood education). Similar priorities were echoed for international goals (please see Annex 3: SDGs’ Proposed National and International Priorities). In many of these areas, the UN can bring international expertise and support, which will be discussed in detail in the next sections. It should be noted that the UNCT already has established Joint Working Groups on South-South Cooperation; Post 2015 Agenda; Youth; Communication; and Human Rights, which have been active in analyzing key issues and discussing coordination and cooperation among the UNCT. From the above summary, it is evident that Saudi Arabia has experienced and continues to experience significant macroeconomic development that has helped address human development. The Government has made major strides to adjust the governance framework in response to this growth. At the same time, it has improved social protection mechanisms, while making commitments to further addressing issues at home and advancing its image and influence abroad. While significant advances have been made and are commended by international bodies, the CA examines remaining national priorities’ areas that the UNCT have identified as priority areas for its support.

II. Analysis of Key Issues 2.1 Knowledge-based Equitable and Sustainable Economic Development, Underpinned by Innovation and Improved Infrastructure 2.1.1 Situation Analysis and the Tenth National Development Plan’s Priorities

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Petroleum represents the mainstay of the economy, and Saudi Arabia “possesses 18 percent of the world’s proven petroleum reserves and ranks as the largest exporter of petroleum. The oil and gas sector accounts for about 50 percent of gross domestic product, and about 85 percent of export earnings. Apart from petroleum, the Kingdom’s other natural resources include natural gas, iron ore, gold, and copper.”133

Additionally, Saudi Arabia is the largest economy in the Middle East and the sole Arab member the Group of 20 (G20) of major global economies.134 To augment its exports capabilities and stimulate the private sector, the Kingdom joined the World Trade Organization (WTO) in 2005. It likewise is increasingly well positioned in global economic platforms, hosting the International Energy Forum (IEF),135 and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). Although oil prices fell sharply with the global economic crisis in late 2008, the Kingdom suffered only a comparatively mild economic impact, and oil prices have since rebounded.136 The government addressed the crisis by applying strong economic measures including structural reforms and it “introduced exceptional financial measures, including capital and liquidity injections … In line with monetary easing in the United States in the late 2008, and to ease domestic credit conditions … it lowered interest rates, and eased liquidity through direct injections in the money market, and through statutory changes, including reductions in reserve requirements and relaxation of prudential loan-to-deposit ratios.”137 As the International Monetary Fund (IMF) stated, “Saudi Arabia has announced the largest fiscal stimulus package among the G-20 for 2009–10 and a $400 billion investment plan over five years.”138

Based on these strategic measures, the forecasts for Saudi Arabia seem strong as the Jadwa Investment Group predicted based on the economy’s performance and the measures the government has put in place. The Group notes, “The economy will continue performing strongly in 2015, albeit at a slower pace than in the previous few years. Lower oil production will drag down overall GDP growth while the non-oil private sector will continue to record robust growth. The decline in oil prices will mean a narrowing of the current account surplus and a larger than- budgeted fiscal deficit.”139 As for the non-oil private sector, the group notes that it “should continue to be the engine for growth in the economy, benefiting from elevated government spending as well as corporate lending and solid domestic consumption. Construction and utilities are likely to be the fastest growing sectors of the private sector.” 140 Moreover, economic forecasts indicate that the continued drop in oil prices may increase the fiscal deficit but the government can avert that if it continues in its high level of spending. These forecasts of course maybe impacted by the regional political instability, which may affect the business and investment climate. 141 Despite the progress achieved so far, there are numerous economic challenges that need to be

addressed in order to ensure that the objective of achieving a Knowledge-based Equitable and

Sustainable Economic Development. These encompass: the need for diversification of the

economy and the one-source dependence which calls for looking into non-traditional areas in

industry, mining, downstream petrochemicals and refining, SMEs, clustering of industries and

creating an enabling environment for this diversification through regulations, infrastructure and

institutions; availability of resources to increasing the allocations to various sectors, especially the

social sector; how to manage expenditures and how to manage liquidity; need for capacity

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development at all levels; privatization; enhancing the knowledge economy and competitiveness,

promotion of integration into the global economy, to build national human capacity and reduce

dependence on foreign labor, focus on taking into account the needs pro-poor growth, youth

unemployment and provision of employment opportunities, quality education and innovation,

among others. Additional challenges identified include: providing basic services across the country

(bridging urban-rural divide); diversification of the economic activities; strengthening Saudi

human resources, including gender equality in the work force; enhancing and promoting the

private sector’s participation in provision of the basic services; and efficiency and effectiveness of

the public sector and regulations

In cooperation with governmental and non-governmental organizations, the private sector, academia and Research and Development (R&D) institutions, the UNCT can support them in the following suggested areas of intervention:

 Capacity Development;  Strengthening governance mechanisms;  Enhancing policies and regulations for development support;  Supporting know-how transfer and sharing of knowledge and best practices;  Support in developing evidence-based measurement frameworks and key performance

indicators (KPIs);  Fostering collaboration with counterparts in neighboring countries; and  Supporting interventions focusing on research and development.

The next sections will focus on some of these issues, mainly enhancing the competitiveness of the economy; diversification beyond oil; and generating national employment through Saudization.

2.1.2 Competitiveness142 In its national vision and strategies, the Kingdom embraces the ambitious objective of becoming143 “one of the world's Top 10 most competitive economies by 2010: the 10x10 mission.”144 Currently, it ranks 24 out of 144 economies globally.145 The index includes indicators that review public institutions; property rights; intellectual property protection; ethics and corruption; diversion of public funds; public trust in politicians; and judicial independence, among others.146 Moreover, Saudi Arabia has “risen from 67th to 13th position in the World Bank's Ease of Doing Business Index and is currently number one in the Middle East. The Kingdom ranked 3rd and 7th in the world, respectively, for ease of registering property and paying taxes.”147 Additionally, it is the largest recipient of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in the Arab world.148 Saudi Arabia emerged as a global energy superpower focusing on improving the competitiveness of its business environment.149 Several features work to attract investors and businesses to it. The country offers numerous incentives to investors, including an open economy; high purchasing power of the population; low rates of taxation; freedom for foreign investors to own real estate and projects; freedom of entry and exit of capital and transfer of income and profits; a stable exchange rate; modern infrastructure; an advanced banking system; and a political system supportive of investment and development. 150 Additionally as the MDG Report for Saudi Arabia states, “this is backed up by persistent national efforts aimed at institutional and administrative development; creation of a business-friendly environment; improving the investment climate;

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upgrading of performance efficiency of government agencies; and enhancing the drive towards a knowledge-based economy.”151 These initiatives culminated in the kingdom's ranking for four consecutive years as the first among Arab countries with an enabling environment for “Doing Business” and sixteenth in the world.152 The above successes are not without challenges. The wide choice of destinations available to foreign investors and the variety of instruments for investments are making attracting foreign direct investments to the Kingdom more challenging. Global economic and technological developments since the 1990s, characterized by economic and trade openness as a result of globalization, have created other challenges to the Saudi economy in a highly competitive environment, including access of national products to foreign markets, and increased competition between national products and their foreign counterparts in the local market. This makes efforts to strengthen the private sector, and to improve macroeconomic and microeconomic competitiveness, critical elements of Saudi strategies for future development. A need also exists for increased connectivity to benefit from the growing knowledge, information, and cultural exchanges among nations. More emphasis is needed on developing knowledge capacities and technologies in the successive development plans to enable a knowledge-based economy. In this regard, the National Strategy for the Transition to a Knowledge Society which states that “Transformation into a knowledge society implies social, economic, cultural, political and institutional dimensions. Therefore, knowledge, in this context, comprises all types of knowledge in all sectors and activities. Transformation into knowledge-based economy (KBE) is inevitable for transition to knowledge society.”153 Other initiatives included the launching of the "National Science, Technology and Innovation Plan (NSTIP) ";154 the approval and implementation of both the "National Plan for Communications and Information Technology ";155 the "National Industrial Strategy;"156 the implementation of the "Strategy and Plan of Talent, Creativity, and Innovation Support;”157 the construction of the Economic Knowledge City in Medina; the inauguration of the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST); the construction of the Dammam Technology Zone; and finally approving the "Plan for the Future University Education in the Kingdom (AAFAQ) ".158 Moreover, the country has achieved significant progress in the protection of intellectual property rights, which was a requirement for WTO’s membership and is important for attracting foreign companies’ investments. However, membership in the WTO notwithstanding, some challenges of diversification and liberalization will require combined efforts of the Government and the private sector. These include giving particular attention to assisting SMEs to overcome competitive challenges; the need for further technical support, within the limits allowed by the WTO to enable industrial activities affected by WTO’s accession to adapt to increased competition between their products and imported ones; the promotion of national non-oil exports in order to benefit from the “most-favored-nation” status in the markets of other WTO members; and the need to enhance support for programmes to develop the regulatory environment for services since most companies and institutions in the service sector need large investments in infrastructure and technology transfer.

2.1.3 Economic Diversification

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Ever since the start of development planning in the Kingdom, diversification of the economic base has been a principal objective of economic and social development. However, diversification from the dependence on exports of crude oil and increasing the role of the non-oil sectors’ contribution to GDP is not an easy undertaken. The global financial crisis and the fluctuations in oil prices in addition to rising unemployment made the need to focus on renewable energy sources and enhance industrial and private sector employment a necessity. The government aspires to attain one of the world’s most ambitious urban-industrial expansion plans. While Saudi Arabia’s economic base continues to be dominated by oil, the Kingdom has taken steps to diversify the economy. Today, industrial products make up more than 90 percent of non-oil exports. It exports petrochemicals, plastics, metal goods, construction materials, and electrical appliances to some 90 countries.159 These petrochemical and other oil-based industries are concentrated at industrial cities in major urban centres. The plants use natural gas and natural gas liquids that were previously flared, as well as refined products from the oil industry to manufacture products that would in turn feed non-oil industries. Concentration on industrial plants in specific areas also facilitates the provision of vital support services, such as water, power, and transportation. These centres serve as hubs of new non-oil industrial growth in areas where Saudi Arabia can forge competitive advantages, such as in high- value-added, high-tech industries, research, and development as well as energy-intensive industrial exports of petrochemicals, steel, and cement. For example, the Jubail Industrial City on the Arabian Gulf has dozens of factories and industrial facilities, including a desalination plant, a seaport, a vocational training institute, and a college. Similarly, the Yanbu Industrial City on the Red Sea has a modern port, refineries, a petrochemical complex and many manufacturing and support enterprises.160 In addition, one of the most ambitious economic projects to date is the massive King Abdullah Economic City near Jeddah, which was launched in December 2005. The residential and commercial megaproject includes a dedicated port, an industrial park, a residential and hotel complex, and educational facilities. In 2006, similar economic cities in Rabigh, Hail, and Madinah were also launched. 161 From the above, it is evident that diversification of the economic base has increased, with the share of non-oil sectors constituting some 77.56 percent of total real GDP in 2012, despite the remarkable growth of the oil sector in recent years.162 Its contribution to GDP stood at 56.5 percent in 2014. 163 Similarly, the share of non-oil merchandise exports from total exports increased from around 8.5 percent in 2000 to some 13.1 percent in 2012, and the share of imports of consumer goods from total imports has declined, due to the growth of the share of national products in domestic consumption, which is an indicator of the improved competitiveness of these products.164 The contribution to GDP of the private sector has stood at 39.5 percent (at constant prices for 2014) increasing from 37.7 percent in 2010. 165 In addition, the proportion of private sector growth for 2014 amounted to 5.58 percent (at constant prices), 166 and the growth of exports of non-oil goods for 2014 stood at 7.08 percent with the proportion of non-oil exports to imports registering 33.31 percent in 2014. 167 Other sectors of the economy have also been expanding. The real estate sector has surged in recent years, contributing 7.3 percent of GDP in 2013,168 and is the second-largest sector after petroleum. Additionally, the growth of the transport and communications sectors together with finance, insurance, and business accounted for around 6.1 percent in 2013.169 Tourism has also

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been an important part of the economy, largely related to the annual pilgrimage of Muslims from around the world to Makkah and Madinah. In all, the average annual growth rate of the private sector amounted to 11.8 percent during 2010-2014.170 Agriculture, meanwhile, contributed only 2.1 percent to GDP in 2014.171 Nevertheless, it underwent the beginnings of a radical restructuring process under the Eighth Plan 2005-2009, designed to put the sector on a path of sustainable development by subjecting agricultural development to the constraints of water resources. In addition, to promoting national food security, the Government has begun a programme to support investments in agricultural activities abroad and took a number of measures aimed at alleviating the impact of rising food prices. The above efforts of enhancing diversification rest on the availability of qualified Saudi professionals and reducing unemployment that the next section will address.

2.1.4 Generating National Employment/Saudization Human resources’ development realized tangible progress over the past two decades due to the considerable investments targeted to developing the education and training sectors. However, demand for labour surpassed Saudi labour supply in many professions, necessitating the recruitment of large numbers of expatriate labour to meet the demand. Thus, over the past two decades, the concept of Saudization of jobs has emerged and has come to represent an unrelenting direction in development endeavours. A significant challenge exists to move from high reliance on foreign workers - for professional and non-skilled work - to an increasing role for Saudis to become part of the labor force. This challenge of “Saudization” is magnified by the need to adapt to the new wave of globalization and knowledge-based employment. This is especially the case with the government’s keenness to address the challenges associated with unemployment. The Saudization program was initiated in 1994, and implemented during the Sixth Development Plan (1995-1999). It focused on imposing quotas on private firms for hiring nationals to increase employment rates among the Saudis. A Ministerial Decree was passed in 1995 which declared

that “private firms with over 20 employees should reduce the number of non-Saudis by 5 percent annually, implement penalties for non-compliance including denial of access to certain types of government support, enforce a freeze on applications to hire new workers from abroad and on their renewal of existing permits.”172 These quotas have changed over time based on implementation outcomes and reviews of successive development plans’ achievements. Throughout the various developments, the Saudization program’s goals has been three fold: “Increase employment for Saudi nationals across all sectors of the domestic economy; reduce and reverse over-reliance on foreign workers; recapture and reinvest income which otherwise would have flowed overseas as remittances to foreign worker home countries.”173 The Saudization endeavour has been linked to employment/unemployment figures. The total labor force participation rate (percentage of total population ages 15+)174 was 55 percent in 2013 or 11,232,277,175 with the employment to population ratio for ages 15 and older standing at 52 percent for the same year.176 Recent national statistics for 2014 note that the participation rate is 11,739,303 (54.1 percent of total population of 15 years and older), of whom 9,889,791 are males (Saudis and no-Saudis). 177

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The participation rate for males in the labor force (percentage of male population ages 15+) stood at 78 percent for 2013.178 Similarly, the Central Department of Statistics notes that for 2014 of the total labor force (15 years and above) of 5,577,489, of whom 4,379,347 were males (estimated 78,5 percent).179 The participation rate for females (percentage of female population ages 15+) constituted 20 percent in 2013.180 National figures for 2014 indicate that Saudi females constituted 16.4 percent while Saudi males in the labor force constituted 83.6 percent,181 as shown in Figure 2.182

The Saudi labour market is highly imbalanced, with two dominant features being the private sector’s reliance on foreign workers at sub- standard wages and employment conditions that are unattractive to nationals, and the strong preference of nationals for public sector employment. This translates into high rates of employment for expatriates to fill labor market demand. There is an estimated 42 percent employed in the private and public sectors (9.2 million non-Saudi workers in 2013).183 As shown in Figure 3, the 2014 statistics on the distribution of Saudis versus non-Saudis in the labor force (15 years and above) was 46.90 percent of non-Saudi males as opposed to 37.30 percent of Saudi males and 20.20 percent of Saudi females versus 5.5 percent of non-Saudi females. 184

On the other hand, unemployment total (percentage of total labor force) stood at 5.7 percent for 2013,185 with 2.9 percent for males (percentage of male labor force), 186 and 21.3 percent for females (percentage of female labor force) for the same year.187 Males make up 40.6 percent of the total unemployed for 2014 (671,630 of the total labor force.188 As Figure 4 indicates, unemployment among the Saudis stands at 39.70 percent for males and 60.30 percent for females. In addition, youth labor force participation rate for ages 15-24 stood at 9.80 percent as of 2013 for females, and 26.21 percent for males.189 Finally, unemployment among youth ages 15-24

37.30%

20.20%

46.90%

5.50% Saudi Males

Saudi Females

Non-Saudi Males

Non-Saudi Females

39.70%

60.30%

Unemployment in the Saudis Labor Force (15 years and above) by Sex Males

Females

Males 84%

Females 16%

Figure 2: Distribution of Saudis in the Labor Force - 15 years and above - by Sex for 2014. Source: Central Department of Statistics and Information, Labor Force Survey, 2014, Round two.

Figure 3: Distribution of Saudis and Non-Saudis in the Labor Force (15 years and above) by Sex for 2014. Source: Central Department of Statistics and Information, Labor Force Survey, 2014, Round two, p. 16.

Figure 4: Distribution of Employed versus Unemployed Saudis in the Labor Force (15 years and above) by Sex for 2014.

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stood at 21.1 percent for 2013, which is a drop from the 2011 rates of 24.6 percent, 190 of whom 55.3 percent are females,191 and 21.1 percent are males.192 The challenge is compounded by the mismatch between education outputs and labor market needs which is “leading to structural unemployment among Saudis.”193 There is definitely a need to open the market and learn from others, but equally important is the need to be strategic about which sectors to expand in recruitments of expatriates. Another important issue to consider is the role that the private sector plays in the recruitment of expats. Indeed, human resources development in the Kingdom has been a major concern since the initiation of development planning some three decades ago. Consequently, all levels of education have witnessed considerable expansion. Raising the quality of education thus is the most important and challenging issue namely to ensure that graduates contribute actively to development, rather than being a burden on it. To do so, the education curricula must be reassessed, particularly in mathematics and science, and appropriate knowledge, experience and skills deepened, with students equipped with self-learning abilities. To tackle this, the government initiated a series of employment-related plans and measures since 2008, including the new Employment Strategy,194 the Human Resources Development Fund,195 and the National System for Joint Training.196 In this regard, the Saudi Employment Strategy is designed to serve as a reference for addressing employment issues in the Kingdom. It sets out a vision to "“provide adequate number of job opportunities with suitable wages to employ all Saudi manpower and to realize competitive advantage for the national economy.”197 During 2011, the ministry started to implement the incentive program of Saudization (Nitagat) to encourage the firms to Saudize jobs. It is a “policy supported by large ICT investments and etools which addresses the growing of expatriate labor by encouraging employers to hire Saudi nationals in the private sector and increasing transparency in the labor market for policy makers through an easily accessible online interface.”198 The Strategy focused on achieving full employment; a sustainable increase in the participation of Saudi human resources; and raising labor productivity to the standards of developed economies (see Annex 7: Objectives of the Saudi Employment Strategy).199 Despite these efforts, the ability of the private sector to create decent jobs in adequate numbers may be a challenge, given past experiences and the current situation. Earlier efforts at “Saudization” have produced lower than expected results, with the private sector unable to generate a large numbers of jobs appealing to the increasingly educated Saudi workforce. Some argue that the Saudization policy alone is not enough and the focus should be on creating more employment opportunities for Saudis through economic development and projects.200 Others note that it has been difficult to implement the target quota thus leading some businesses to close, especially smaller ones,201 and that its implementation needed fairer rules, which promoted the Ministry of Labor to address this.202 Research on the subject also highlighted the importance of human resources development and the engagement of the private sector and multinationals in the design and implementation of the Saudization policy.203 Cognizant of these challenges, the government’s Tenth Development Plan’s (2015-2019) expanded the focus of the Ninth Development Plan (2010-2014) on key macroeconomic development objectives to include economic diversification; transitioning to a knowledge-based

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economy; expanding the absorptive capacity of the national economy and enhancing its growth, competitiveness, productivity; achieving fiscal/monetary stability; ensuring the sustainability of natural resources; and developing the SMEs sector and Saudization (please see Annex 8: National Tenth Development Plan Macroeconomic Development Objectives).

Root Causes The common root causes for the above challenges in Saudi Arabia, which are interlinked, can be traced to:

 Continued high dependence on petroleum as the economic base;  Inequities in socioeconomic indicators, by region, rural-urban divide and gender;  Structural imbalances in the labour market;  Need for a strengthened human rights culture and expanded civil society participation;  Socio-cultural traditions that may result in constraints to opportunities based on gender;  Need for more sustainable resource use and elimination of practices that harm the

environment;  The high dependence on foreign labour;  Low employment of women and youth;  Need for diversification of the economic base;  Strengthening economic integration with other countries, including through South-South

cooperation;  Increasing marketing efficiency;  Lack of vision in the previous planning processes and currently weak coordination;  Easy availability of oil revenues and high global demand- (Dutch Disease);204  Lack of Policy mechanisms to attract the private sector; and  Weak human capacities compounded by the lack of consistency in planning.

2.2 Effective and Equitable Delivery Social Services and Education for Improved Quality of Life 2.2.1 Situation Analysis and the Tenth National Development Plan’s Priorities Many factors, including access to quality of education and health services; clean water and improved sanitation facilities; adequate nutritional intake; modernized management styles; and better-developed family and community knowledge, skills and practices, will all contribute to national aspirations for enhanced social well-being. As noted in Section 1, the Kingdom has worked intensively to achieve all the MDGs before the 2015 deadline and has made considerable progress in this regard, yet the country’s social indicators, while high or improving, continue to highlight challenges needed to be overcome to further improve living standards. Article 27 of the Basic Law establishes a “system of social security” that has made Saudi Arabia a welfare state, fueled by its oil revenues.205 The Government thus takes responsibility for the protection of all, and the provision for their welfare under an extensive social welfare system.206 However, the dramatic socioeconomic developments of recent years, combined with the

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continuing rapid increase of the Saudi population, makes sustainability of the welfare state and its dominant provision of basic social services an ever-increasing challenge. Given the highly youthful profile of the population, adolescents and youth in particular are likely to be seriously affected if the welfare state proves unsustainable. Families, civil society and government confront many issues in efforts to ensure an appropriate environment for children and youth as they grow, as well as for when they become young adults as beneficiaries of, and contributors to, the social welfare of the nation. For children, chief among the concerns is the quality education and health services; proper nutrition; and normal rights and protection afforded to a child to grow in a positive environment. For youth, as will be detailed in the following sections, the main issue is economic opportunity. The relative abundance of resources in the Kingdom and the tradition of the State bearing responsibility for providing services have produced a social culture in which many young people are dependent on the State to provide employment opportunities, particularly in the public sector. This gives a particular urgency to needed strengthening of quality social services. The Tenth Development Plan aims to address such issues holistically, from economic, social and cultural dimensions simultaneously as examined below. Several challenges need to be tackled including the sustainability of the welfare state and its role mostly in the provision of basic social services, the difficulty of providing adequate housing, urbanization and the impact of that, in addition to issues of food security. As identified in the consultative workshop with national counterparts and the UNCT held in November, the below are the identified challenges:

Challenge Direct Causes Potential UNCT Interventions

The quality of education is not consistent with market needs and community variables

 Outdated education curriculum Teachers’ inadequate capacities

 Ineffective teaching methods.

 The development of education and teaching methods;

 Continuous development of curriculum to keep pace with societal changes and the changing needs of the market. For example, integrating concepts of human rights culture, intellectual security, belonging and loyalty, skills and work ethic; The continued strengthening of the outstanding teacher and school administration; Development and enhancing the capacities of teachers specialization; and Raising the efficiency of educational supervision and modernization of schools’ supervision mechanisms

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The delayed activation and development of social welfare laws, including the relationship of the Law to the needs of special groups such as people with disabilities, women, and youth.

 The weakness of community awareness of the rights of special groups; The absence of special social care for special groups;

 Inadequate implementation of existing legislations.

 Activate and update the legislation on social care for special groups; Activate the participation of the private sector; and Raise the level of community awareness of the importance of the role of these groups.

The limited efficiency and provisioning of public services in the regions and provinces.

 A growing population, and non-balanced distribution across regions;

 The weakness of the administrative efficiency; and Corruption.

 Activate the coordination and integration between the concerned authorities to provide services;

 Activation of partnerships with the private sector to provide services; Support for activating the management accounting devices; and Activation of internal monitoring within governmental agencies.

Root Causes  Education policies that do not keep pace with the needs of the times;  Cultural reasons: Failure to adopt the culture of Education Message;  The efficiency of the relevant executive bodies;  Lack of coordination between the relevant authorities;  The absence of an active CSOs role;  Cultural reasons: a culture of kindness;  The weakness of the effectiveness of coordination of the monitoring and evaluation of five-

year plans;  Lack of coordination between the relevant authorities in the implementation of

development plans;  Weakness of effective accountability; and  Cultural reasons: The weakness of the culture of respect for labor; and a culture of

dependency on government services

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2.2.2 Quality Social Protection As the MDG Report for Saudi Arabia states, the Kingdom has achieved the MDG goal of eradicating income poverty well ahead of the target year of 2015 (see Annex 2 on MDGs Achievements). Government data suggests that the percentage of households living under the extreme poverty line (under USD$2 a day per person) decreased from 0.08 percent in 2004 to 0.06 percent in 2010,207though there is a recognition of a large number of vulnerable people who need assistance. The expansive public social services available in the Kingdom including education, health and social security services confined vulnerable people to pockets. However, vulnerability is multi- dimensional that correlates education, income, health, standards of living, and access to capacities and opportunities. Thus, addressing these aspects also requires multidimensional approaches. Therefore, despite the progress made in reducing poverty, several challenges remain including:

 The need to tackle the multidimensionality of vulnerable population;  The need to accelerate economic diversification and generate employment for Saudis;  The need to give a greater role to the private sector so as to generate sufficient

employment opportunities;  The need to cater to all population groups taking into consideration the widely dispersed

population settlements with differences in population density across the Kingdom;  The need to sustain social protection mechanisms, such as the high subsidies, into the

future; and  The need to address the continuing high population growth that increases the demand

for services, such as health and education. The Tenth Development Plan (2015-2019) outlines optimal investments in the quality of life; developing human resources and its productivity, including improving entrepreneurship; providing adequate job opportunities; empowering women; enhancing social safety networks including the provision of access to housing, high quality healthcare; and developing the cultural movement (please see Annex 9, The National Tenth Development Plan Social Development Objectives).208

2.2.3 Social Safety Nets In order to achieve the MDG goal of eradicating poverty, the government has taken a set of decisions and measures to develop and support social safety nets mechanisms. To address these challenges, the Council of Ministers has adopted several resolutions in recent years that outline practical measures to reduce the cost of living and improve the quality of life. As noted in the MDG Report for 2013, the objectives of the National Social Development Strategy include “providing the poor with opportunities to build and enhance their financial and human assets by providing job opportunities, credit, education, training and health services; improving market access to their products; enhancing their capability to participate effectively in economic activities; and improving their living standards by enhancing their ability to face risks such as bad health, economic shocks related to market fluctuations, natural disasters, and providing them with assistance in case of disasters or emergencies.” 209

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It is worth noting that the Strategy is not confined to addressing poverty issues but stresses the need to maintain the living standards of all citizens, particularly middle-income groups, with efforts to help them avoid falling into the poverty trap. For example, the Supplementary Support Programme established under the Strategy aims to bridge the gap between the actual incomes of households and individuals and the absolute poverty line; increasing aid to orphans with special needs including the provision of subsidies to foster families, school stipends and marriage grants; increasing public pensions and social security payments; continuing to subsidize basic commodities; accelerating the construction of low-cost housing; and supporting assistance programmes for the care of persons with disabilities within the family.210 In addition to the provision of free education and health services through government institutions; the government also subsidizes foodstuffs so as to mitigate the effects of sharp price increases; and adopts utility consumption tariffs (electricity and water), which vary according to level of consumption, all of which are intended to relieve the burden on the poor. Additionally, several supportive measures have been taken to enhance social safety nets including the provision of social security cash benefits to families and low-income groups; income generating and productive projects; covering their basic social needs of education, housing, and providing credits and loans, etc. (Please see Annex 10, Social Safety Nets Supportive Measures).211

2.2.4 Role of Civil Society Institutions’ in Social Safety Nets Civil society institutions (CSOs) have a major role to play to support the government’s effort in its developmental role. Their numbers have expanded to 628 in 2012 of which 40 are societies managed by women.212 Their activities cover wide areas from maternal, child, elderly and disabled care to programs for orphans and people with special needs as well as skills development, literacy programs and health services. Due to their important role, the government increased its support to charity societies “by 50% to reach SR450 million per year.” 213 The government also extended support to the local committees, which serve in remote areas which numbered 381 local committees in 2012. 214 Despite the absence of a law governing civil society organizations and the difficulties in registration,215 many CSOs are very active. As noted by Montagu, “the arena for Saudi political engagement and civil society has expanded since the end of the 20th century; social reform, initially encouraged in the late 1990s by the then Crown Prince Abdullah, has gained some momentum; and charitable organizations and the country’s formal and informal associations have moved forward. The domestic voluntary sector in Saudi Arabia is broad and deep, and is made up of charities, NGOs, not-for-profit organizations (NPOs), chambers of commerce, and professional and informal associations and groupings.” 216 With the increased attention given to civil society institutions and enhancing their developmental role, the Tenth Development Plan called for strengthening the vital role of these institutions including enhancing the efficacy of their role in the various fields of development; urging them to direct their activities towards the least developed regions; and increasing their contribution to the efforts aimed at enhancing the participation of women in the development process and establishing female cooperative societies.217

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2.2.5 Education The kingdom has made a steady progress towards achieving MDG Goal 2, namely to “ensure that, by 2015, all children, boys and girls alike, will be able to complete a full course of primary education.” Pursuing the goal of enhancing educational achievement at all levels,218 especially compulsory education (primary level), the government has taken concerted measures in its successive planning to address this issue. These measures encompassed making kindergarten a separate stage (2002); making primary education compulsory (2004);219 giving the Ministry of Education the role of supervising all general education; and emphasizing the effective implementation of educational strategies.220 Another important measure has been to enhance the role of the private sector in educational provisioning and planning, especially since the public sector remains the main provider of educational services, with a share of 89.9 percent of the total enrolment in primary schooling and 88.5 percent of the total enrolment in all stages of public education in 2010.221 During the past three decades, Saudi Arabia has made marked achievements in making education available for all, particularly women. Important to note that government expenditures on education as a percentage of GDP increased from 6.3 percent in 2004 to 5.1 percent in 2008.222 However, its expenditure on education as a percentage of the total government expenditure decreased from 18 in 2004 to 17.7 in 2008. 223 Adult literacy rates stood at 94 percent in 2013 (percentage of the people ages 15 and above),224 and the total adult literacy rate (percentage) during 2008-2012 stood at 87.2 percent,225 with the adult females (percentage of females ages 15 and above) reaching 91 percent,226 and the adult literacy rate for females as a percentage of males for 2008-2012 stood at 90.5 percent.227 Finally, the literacy rate for youth females (percentage of females ages 15-24) stood at 99 percent for 2013,228 and the literacy rate for youth males (percentage of males ages 15-24) was also 99 percent for 2013.229 Education is particularly crucial to Saudi Arabia, given the country’s strong youth population and competitiveness agenda, and is central to the realization of the way forward. In pursuit of a knowledge-based economy, the government launched its programme for developing the education sector that aims at addressing issues at all levels of education, including encouraging a new focus on science, technology and mathematics; expansion of skills-development activities, particularly analytical thinking and hands-on skills, as well as use of ICT; retraining of teachers; and enhancing initiative, innovation and entrepreneurship. Additionally, and in order to attain universal primary education and increase enrolment rates at all education levels,230 a number of measures and policies have been adopted, not only to guarantee education for all throughout the Kingdom, but also to improve and maintain the quality of education, mainly enforcing primary education; establishing kindergartens; involving parents in children’s’ education; provisioning of care for children with special needs; and supporting low-income families’ educational needs (please see Annex 11, Government Educational Measures). The Tenth Development Plan (2015-2019) focused on a number of fundamental policy developments that laid the basis for a move toward a knowledge-based economy, including expanding investments in science and technology, ICT, giftedness, creativity and innovation. The Plan underscores the central role of education in achieving and strengthening human resources

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development, since education expands the scope of options available to citizens to gain knowledge and acquire skills, thus enabling them to benefit from the capabilities they acquire. The Plan envisages the creation of an integrated, comprehensive educational system that will strive to lay out solid foundations for general education, with the help of well-trained, highly qualified education professionals who can develop students' capabilities and help them acquire different types of skills. Universal primary schooling is a key step in this process, since it is the foundation for the entire education system.231 Moreover, the Plan emphasizes strategies aimed at establishing additional technical colleges, higher technical and vocational training institutes, as well as expand existing institutes; improving the vocational examination system to improve professional standards and licensing; and improving reliable data on employment needs to assess the expansion of training opportunities. Indeed, human resources’ development in the Kingdom has been a major concern since the initiation of development planning some three decades ago. Consequently, all levels of education have witnessed considerable expansion. The gross enrolment ratio (percentage) for secondary education witnessed similar advances increasing from 89 percent in 2005 to 122.9 percent in 2013 (for females from 85.7 percent in 2005 to 119.5 percent in 2013, and for males from 92.3 percent to 125.7 percent for the same years). 232 Finally, females and males enrollment in Tertiary education is about equal with females at slightly higher levels throughout, increasing from 33 percent (gross enrolment ration percentage) in 2004 to 58.8 percent in 2013 as opposed to males’ enrolment ratio, which increased from 23 percent in 2004 to 56.4 percent in 2013.233 Yet education in the Kingdom still faces significant challenges. With population growth rates for the general population standing t 2.55 percent for 2014, and for Saudis at 2.1 percent, 234 more Saudi parents are seeking high quality education for their children. Therefore, aspects According to results from the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study for 2011, students were not able to reach the international achievement benchmark level of 500 in math or science.235 To do so, the education curricula needs to be reassessed, particularly in mathematics and sciences, and appropriate knowledge, experience and skills deepened, with students equipped with self- learning abilities. In higher education, the kingdom can benefit from increasing enrollments in graduate education in addition to enhancing the role of research and development (R&D) activities. There is a need to also expand efforts underway on the number of business and technology incubators; science and technology parks; and venture capital companies.236 To summarize, key issues to address include:

 To redirect educational teaching approaches from rote learning to analytical thinking and practical skills while promoting initiative;

 To continue the efforts of reducing the rates of repetition and dropout rates taking into consideration the improvements made already in that regard;

 To conduct studies on the internal efficiency of the education system at all levels in order to modernize the curricula and teaching methods;

 To address illiteracy, especially among older Saudi women;  To focus on curriculum development and lifelong learning, and linking education with

development including upgrading the equipment and ICT infrastructure in education, which is especially needed to respond to the demands of a knowledge-based economy;

 To enhance capacities and skills’ development for teachers through national teacher training programs;

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 To address the absorptive capacity of the system which is crucial, particularly given the gap between the growing demand for university education and available capacity;

 To ensure the provision of career counselling to direct students to disciplines required by the labor market (i.e., medicine and sciences as opposed to humanities) as well as to expand technical and vocational training;

 To provide more training opportunities to women to increase their participation in economic activity, and to align educational content with labor market needs to reduce unemployment among university graduates, especially women;

 To focus on the “Arabization” of knowledge as a language medium for learning;  To revise lifelong learning policies and programmes to expand opportunities for those

already in the workforce;  To adopt measures seeking to enhance performance evaluation and monitoring;  To adopt policies and incentives that encourages privatization;  To enhance the infrastructure of schools to become “fit the purpose”; and  To diversify educational specializations particularly in sciences and applied science

specializations. In conclusion, it is evident that education is directly linked to the health of the population, another critical indicator of human development. More educated people take better care of themselves, take preventive measures, lead a healthier lifestyle, recognize illness in time and seek qualified medical assistance. Moreover, a better-educated population has better job opportunities, higher income and, as a result, is better able to pay for timely and well-qualified medical services.

2.2.6 Health Over recent years, the Kingdom took important steps to promote health services. Overall, the average life expectancy at birth has improved in the last quarter-century increasing from 69 in 1990 to 76 in 2013; 237 and for females from 71 in 1990 to 78 in 2013 and for males from 67 to 74,238 with females as a percentage of males standing at 105 percent in 2012.239 The same progress has been achieved in reducing fertility rates (total births per woman) with the total declining from 7.3 percent in 1970, to 5.8 percent in 1990, to 2.64 percent for 2013 (close to the world average of 2.5 percent).240 Moreover, the mean age of childbearing averaged 29.6 in 2004 declining to 28.8 in 2014.241 Recent statistics indicate population growth rates for the general population standing at 2.55 percent for 2014, and for Saudis at 2.1 percent.242 The average annual population growth rate during 1990-2012 was 2.5 and it is projected for 2012-2030 to be 1.3.243 While this provides a significant demographic window of opportunity, on the other hand, it simultaneously increases pressure on basic services, particularly in urban areas, and makes offering Saudi youth productive employment or maintaining other development achievements challenging. The Ministry of Health is the principal healthcare agency, providing preventive, curative and rehabilitative healthcare. Private sector and universities also provide health services through university hospitals, in addition to contributions by the Saudi Red Crescent Authority, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre, and the healthcare services of the military, security and other governmental agencies.

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Health services are provided through a wide network of healthcare facilities. In 2013, these facilities included 404 hospitals with 136 private hospitals and 268 Ministry of Health hospitals in addition to 2225 Health Centers.244 The total density per 100,000 population in terms of public hospitals was 1.04 in 2013; and in terms of district/rural hospitals l0.21; in terms of provincial hospitals 0.82; and in terms of specialized hospitals was 0.01.245 Notable among the achievement is establishing in 2002 a health system that provides comprehensive health care to all citizens. Additionally, the Health Services Board and the Cooperative Health Insurance Board were established to enhance health insurance coverage to non-citizens and citizens. Additionally, to improve the quality of health care, the Central Council for Accreditation of Health Institutions and the Saudi Food and Drug Authority (2003) were established and the Health Care Strategy addressed strengthening these institutions and enhancing their effectiveness and coverage. The Ninth Development Plan (2010-2014) placed great emphasis on improving health care services focusing on health infrastructure and efficacy of services including primary health care centers for family and community medicine services.246 These efforts will continue under the Tenth Development Plan (2015-2019),247 through expanding health facilities to cope with the population growth, and improving the performance, quality of services, and users’ satisfaction. The plan adopts a set of policies and programmes directed towards furthering the role of cooperative health insurance to cover more segments of society; achieving more decentralization in management and operation of health facilities; and supporting primary health care facilities.248 Despite these achievements, there are still many challenges, most notably:

 To increase the budgetary allocations to health care. Health care expenditures (public as a percentage of total health expenditure) decreased from 73 percent in 2005 to 64 percent

in 2013,249 and health expenditures (total as a percentage of GDP) decreased from 4 percent in 2005 to 3 percent in 2013;250

 To take measures to cover the demand for health care services which is steadily rising due to several factors, most significant among them are the relatively high rate of population growth, and the society's increased awareness of the importance of healthcare in general and of preventive care in particular;

 To narrow the disparities in the quality and efficiency of health services and ensure comprehensive coverage to all. The vast area of the Kingdom and the wide differences in population density constitutes a further challenge to efforts aimed at this.. Provision of basic health services entails providing support to primary health centers, in urban and rural areas, including those providing maternal and childcare, health education, and preventive health services. Since rural areas are not as attractive to the private sector as urban centers, it is envisaged that the former will remain dependent, largely, on government health services. Indeed, as one article noted: “Optimizing the accessibility of health care services requires equity in the distribution of health care facilities throughout the nation and equity of access to health professionals, including transport to services and providers. Accessibility is also affected by the level of cooperation between related sectors. The current [Ministry of Health] MOH statistics indicate that there is a mal-distribution of health care services and health professionals across geographical areas. People experience long waiting lists for many health care services and facilities. Additionally,

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there is a dearth of services for disadvantaged groups such as the elderly, adolescents and people with special needs such as disability, particularly in rural areas;”251

 To implement policies and mechanisms for a structural transformation of the health system, in particular through expanding the role of the private sector to address the increasing demand for health care services. This calls for enhancing efforts that aim to reorganize and restructure the Ministry of Health as one article stated, “The public health sector is overwhelmingly financed, operated, controlled, supervised and managed by the MOH. This model of management may not able to meet the population’s health care needs into the future unless serious and well-planned steps are taken to separate these multiple roles. Possible solutions include giving more authority to the regional directorates, applying the cooperative health insurance scheme and encouraging the privatization of public hospitals;”252To extend cooperative health insurance, focusing on monitoring and quality control. In this regard, a recent partnership between the Ministry of Health (MOH) and the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) has been made to “to develop a world-class integrated surveillance and burden of disease monitoring system … Through this collaboration, IHME and the MOH designed and implemented a baseline household survey, the Saudi Health Interview Survey, to gather data related to select burden of disease and risk factors at the national level;”253

 To expand the provision of primary health care and health services for migrant workers, who often face challenges in accessing basic care;

 To enhance the decentralization of financial and administrative services to improve health care providers’ ability to take timely and appropriate management decisions.

 To improve the quality of professional and administrative health services including strengthening mechanisms to protect patients and safeguard their rights;

 To establish a consolidated, integrated health information system to provide timely data, and establish large-scale health information network that links facilities throughout the country to underscore the efficiency of service delivery, planning, coordination, monitoring and evaluation;

 To give increased attention to the “Saudization” of the health care workforce, given that Saudi nationals comprise only a small percentage. As indicated by the World Health Organization (WHO), “the ability to formulate and apply practical strategies to retain and attract more Saudis into the medical and health professions, particularly nursing, is a clear priority for effective reform of the Saudi health care system.”254 However, this is not without its challenges as one study indicated, “The prospects and implications of the "Saudization" policy must also be carefully examined in the context of demand and supply of health workers. With the projected growth of the population to 30 million by 2016 and an increase in the number of "old" people from 1 million to 2.5 million by 2020,255 the country will need an additional 15,000 to 20,000 hospital beds and nearly 15,000 more physicians. At the projected production levels of Saudi doctors and nurses, the prospects of meeting that demand without importing foreign workers is virtually zero.”256

 To address comprehensively health issues and challenges faced by young people, including those related to traffic accidents. Indeed, traffic accidents are the primary cause of death among young people and the most important source of disability, requiring urgent action and heightened national awareness. According to WHO, “road traffic accidents are now the highest cause of death, injury and disability in adult males aged 16 to 36 years in Saudi Arabia. Caring for people affected by road accidents consumes a significant proportion of the MOH budget; for example, the cost of treating injured people

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during 2002 was estimated to be SR 652.5 million (US$174 million).”257 Moreover, drug abuse appears to be comparatively limited but growing, in part because of increased access, ample purchasing power, changes in social dynamics, and the lack of diversified means of spending free time (please see section on youth); and

 Increase awareness raising targeting particularly adolescents and young people who need sources of reliable and comprehensive knowledge about reproductive health. This is especially relevant since data on marriage reveals a trend toward delaying the age of marriage, in part because of economic reasons such as unemployment or the difficulty of securing adequate housing. This average age of marriage has risen from 25.3 years for men and 20 years for women in 1979 to 27.2 years and 24.6 years respectively in 2007.258

The next section will address other critical health issues including maternal and child health in addition to diseases (see section on women’s status for maternal mortality).

2.2.6 (A) Children’s Welfare The Kingdom made significant advances in improving children’s health and survival and their access to education, having achieved relevant MDGs related to this, and are on track to meet others.259 The Gross Enrolment Ratio (percentage) in primary education increased from 98.1 in 2005 to 108 in 2013 with the Net Enrolment Rate (percentage) increasing from 85.7 in 2009 to 96.5 in 2013,260 and Primary school net enrolment ratio (percentage) during 20082011 stood at 96.6,261 This increase was reflected for both males and females where females faired a bit better. Female net enrolment rate (percentage) increased from 85.6 percent in 2009 to 97.8 percent in 2013 as opposed to the increase in the males’ net enrolment rate from 85.7 percent in 2005 to 95.3 percent in 2013, 262 with a ratio of 99.5 for females as a percentage of males for the period 2008-2012.263 In particular, the enrollment rate in primary school has been nearly equal between girls and boys. According to statistical figures from 2013, Figure 5 shows that there are insignificant differences between male and female students’ enrollment at different public education stages.264

Figure 5: Male and Female Students at Public Education Stages for 2013. Source: Central Department of Statistics &

Information.

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These measures paid off evidence by the decrease in the numbers of out-of-school children, which decreased from 473,769 in 2005 to 115,277 in 2013 in total. 265 Moreover, despite the relatively late start in the education of girls, rates of enrolment of girls’ at all educational levels have witnessed remarkable progress with a decrease in out-of-school female children from 231,702 in 2005 to 34,684 in 2013; and for males from 242,067 in 2005 to 80,593 in 2013.266 Targeted governmental child health care programs achieved also marked success, as reflected in the results made during the last decade regarding incidences of targeted communicable diseases. The incidence per 100,000 population declined from 0.04 in 1990 to zero in 2012 for Polio, from 0.86 to 0.02 for Whooping Cough, from 60.3 to 5.290 for Hepatitis B, from 0.25 to 0.03 for neonatal Tetanus, from 76 to 0.2 for Mumps, to zero for Rubella, and from 18.6 to 12.3 for Tuberculosis over the same period.267 Additionally, immunization for Diphtheria, Pertussis (whooping cough), and Tetanus (DPT) in terms of percentages of children ages 12-23 months, increased from 96 percent in 2005 to 98 percent in 2014.268 Similarly, immunization coverage for 1-year-olds reached 98 percent for 2012, 269 and the proportion of one-year-old children immunized against measles (percent) increased from 88 percent in 1990 to 97.8 percent in 2012. 270 Additionally, because of the above efforts under-5 mortality rates (per thousand live births) dropped from 47 deaths per 1,000 live births in 1990 to 9 in 2012 with nine for males and eight for females.271 On the other hand, infant mortality rate (under 1 years old per thousand live births) decreased from 37 per 1,000 live births in 1990 to 7 per 1,000 live births in 2012.272 These rates indicate that the Kingdom is proceeding confidently towards achieving MDG 4 aiming at reducing child mortality rates by 2015 (Target 4 A: Reduce by two thirds, between 1990 and 2015, the under-five mortality rate).273 Yet, despite this progress in reducing health risks to children, there is a need to address emerging health issues such as child obesity and non- communicable diseases such as diabetes. 274From the above it is clear that over the past two decades, health services targeting children made remarkable progress, particularly in the field of primary health care, which spread in all population centers of the kingdom and witnessed significant improvement in terms of efficiency and level of integration. These services are provided through several programs including:

 The child care program which contributed to achieving a remarkable decrease in under- five mortality rates;

 The healthy child program which follows up the psychological and physical growth of the child until the age of five;

 Increased rates of registration, follow up, and visits for under-five children with attention especially given to vulnerable children and reducing complications resulting from delayed growth at the early childhood stage;

 The program of comprehensive vaccination against targeted child diseases;  Infant and child feeding programs; and  Improved maternal and child health records.

The maternal and child health records program for example, aims to ensure comprehensive care to maternal and child health and provides the best health services through follow-up on the mother’s health during and after the pregnancy period. It also aims to follow-up on the health of the child during natal and post-natal stages. This takes place by recording all related procedures,

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including follow up on health conditions; periodical health visits; and follow up on the child’s growth. The health follow up activities includes control of diarrhea, malnutrition, and immunization against communicable diseases. In this regard, UNICEF has been supporting the government in enhancing its knowledge bases through child-focused research, such as on the situation of children and through capacity development support to the National Childhood Committee on child protection from violence. Similarly, the Child Oral and Dental Health Program aims to enhance the level of awareness of the mother and children under six years of age. This programme is implemented by the Ministry of Health in cooperation with the Ministry of Education. Furthermore, the program of mobile clinics includes preventive and awareness-raising activities targeting students of early primary stage. Despite the achievements listed above, substantial health challenges remain. These include:

 Inadequate child-disaggregated data to analyze properly the situation of children as it relates for example to the magnitude of issues that impact on children, such as child labor, child marriage, female genital mutilation (of all kinds), violent discipline, and even birth registration.275 Additionally as UNICEF notes “the relative shortage of child-related disaggregated data, especially protection-related, including at subnational levels and according to age groups, sex, wealth quintiles, etc., raises concerns about the optimal equity of developmental social services.”276

 Need to harmonize domestic laws with international standards: despite the fact that Saudi Arabia ratified the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) and the significant achievements made in advancing Children’s rights,277 the Concluding Observations of the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child recommend further action to harmonize domestic laws, especially those related to protection, with the provisions of the Convention on the Rights of the Child and other ratified human rights treaties. The issues include: low minimum legal ages of criminal responsibility and marriage of girls (which is also an issue raised by the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women); absence of updated juvenile justice laws; inadequate skills of personnel dealing with children in conflict with the law; and the lack of reliable statistics on violence against children, those affected by disabilities, and domestic violence. The Committee also called for the development of multi-sectoral strategies to optimize access to quality Early Childhood Development (ECD) options within homes and preschools. 278

 Providing quality services to a rapidly growing population and meeting emerging needs;  Increasing the recruitment of Saudi nationals in the health sector;  Diversifying the financing of health care services beyond the State budget, for example,

to national cooperative insurance schemes;  Developing health databases to raise the reliability of evidence-based data;  Strengthening regional and international cooperation in controlling the spread of

infectious diseases; and  Addressing widespread non-communicable disease issues such as diabetes, hypertension,

cancer, obesity and traffic accidents.

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2.2.6 (B) Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)/ Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS), Malaria, and Tuberculosis (TB)

Health conditions in Saudi Arabia are generally good with free health care provided by the public sector. The next section will cover HIV/AIDS, Malaria, and Tuberculosis since they are usually covered in reporting on MDGs achievements. Diseases that are gaining some alarm include the deadly Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS)279 with 38 cases identified in 2103, which represent the majority of cases reported globally.280 According to the World Health Organization (WHO), “the new germ is a respiratory infection in the same family as SARS [Severe acute respiratory syndrome], a disease behind a deadly 2003 outbreak in Asia.” 281 Other diseases include cardiovascular diseases which according to WHO Report, “of the 413 deaths per 100,000 in 2002, 144 (35 percent) were due to cardiovascular disease”.282 Indeed, coronary heart disease constitutes one of the main health problems in Saudi Arabia, representing the third most common cause of hospital-based mortality, second to accident and senility.” 283 Of course cardiovascular diseases are associated with many other factors including “obesity,284 hypercholesterolemia, diabetes mellitus, excessive food intake, smoking, hypertension and lack of physical activities,”285 many of which are high in Saudi Arabia. Indeed, obesity and diabetes are rapidly emerging issues that are going to place a significant burden on the health care systems. They are a major risk factor for illness and death affecting both genders. The increased cost of addressing obesity will put a strain on the resources of governments and individuals. Women, the poor and older people are at higher risk of obesity. Many of these issues can be reduced through relevant outreach and advocacy programs. The Global Burden of Disease 2010 study found that elevated Body Mass Index (BMI) was the leading risk factor for disability-adjusted life years in Saudi Arabia. Previous studies on KSA indicate an increasing trend in the prevalence of obesity. The last national survey on obesity and its associated risk factors was conducted in 2005 in collaboration with WHO. To determine current rates of obesity and associated risk factors and chronic conditions, the MOH, in collaboration with the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, conducted a large household survey in 2013. The response rate to the survey was 89.4 percent. Compared with male respondents, female respondents were younger, more likely to be married or previously married, less educated, and overweight or obese. Overall, 28.7 percent, or 3.6 million, Saudis aged 15 years or older were obese. This prevalence ranged from 24.1 percent among men to 33.5 percent among women. Both men and women consumed low amounts of fruits and vegetables (more than 81.0 percent of men and women consumed fewer than 3 servings of fruits and vegetables per day) and most were physically inactive (46.0 percent of men, and 75.1 percent of women practiced low to no physical activity at all).286 Among women, the risk of obesity increased with age, being married or previously married compared with those never married, having been diagnosed with a chronic condition, and being pre-hypertensive or hypertensive. Women who had more education than high school were less likely to be obese than those who had a primary school educational level or less. Diet indicators and physical activity were not significantly associated with obesity among women.

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Another risk that affect women is Breast Cancer. According to the 2009 Cancer Incidence Report for Saudi Arabia, breast cancer is the most common among women representing 25.1 percent of all newly diagnosed female cancers. In 2009, the age-specific incidence rate was 22.7/100,000. The three regions with the highest incidence were the Eastern region (33.1/100,000), Riyadh region (29.4/100,000), and Makkah region (26.4/100,000). The median age at diagnosis was 48 years (range 19 to 99 years). In Saudi Arabia, the Infiltrating Duct Carcinoma (ICD-O-3, 8500) accounts for 78.2 percent of all morphological breast cancer variants.287

2.2.6 (B) Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)/ Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) To date, Saudi Arabia remains a low-HIV-prevalence country and the government is committed to addressing it as noted by the Ministry of Health National AIDS Programme (NAP) “Despite the sensitivities around HIV-related risk behaviors in KSA, the government is committed to provide an active programmatic response.”288 At the end of 2011, the Ministry of Health and NAP, in close collaboration with national stakeholders, decided to prioritize the development of a five-year National Strategic HIV/AIDS Plan for the period of 2013-2017.289 The Plan aimed to provide overall policy and programmatic guidance to all stakeholders involved in HIV prevention, care, support and treatment. In addition, a five year Operational Plan (OP) for implementing the National Strategy’s priorities into specific activities and defined roles and responsibilities has been developed. The programmatic response focuses on “1. Increased involvement of civil society and NGOs, 2) Strong efforts to integrate HIV services into health facilities; and 3) Engagement of the National AIDS Programme with multi-sectoral partners.”290

It is noteworthy that the Saudi government provides treatment to all who are affected. Seeking to control the spread of HIV/AIDS, the government diligently applies preventive measures. The National Program for Combating HIV/AIDS represents national efforts aiming at preventing the spread of HIV/AIDS and covers health education and awareness through multiple media programs; a preventive control system that includes regular surveying of groups at risk; ensuring the safety of transfused blood; performing medical tests for expatriate workers; keeping a national record of reported cases, with the aim of providing follow up and taking appropriate preventive and curative measures; establishing a system for reporting, evaluation and follow up of cases; establishing clinics for optional check-ups and the provision of advice in the twenty governorates; providing training to relevant personnel; and conducting new surveys, such as pre- marital check-ups. 291 NAP reports the following figures on prevalence: “An overall HIV rate of 1.5 per 100,000 [among Saudi Nationals]. The overall HIV prevalence among medical clinic attendees was low (0.24%), pregnant women (0%), blood donors & TB [Tuberculosis] patients (0.1%) and STI [Sexually Transmitted Infection] (0.7%) and IDU [Injecting Drug Users] (0.8%) … Pediatric cases accounted for 4% of the Saudi total. Gender differences were pronounced with a male to female ratio of 4.4:1 among Saudis. There were more cases in major urban centers as opposed to smaller cities.” 292 Additionally, taking into account the large number of expatriates in the country, the Kingdom

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pays substantial efforts to combat and halt the spread of HIV/AIDS, only 1.2 per 10,000 cases were reported in 2014 among non-Saudis.293 As noted the male to female figures indicated 445 males versus 97 females, and despite much data on modes of transmission the assumption is that it is mostly heterosexual transmission.294 Moreover, as the Country Progress Report for 2014 indicates the accumulative HIV reported cases between 1984 and 2013 stood at 20,539. Of those “5,890 (28.7%) were Saudi citizens, and 14,649 (71.3%) were foreigners. Most of the non-nationals HIV cases were found among workers who were tested for obtaining or renewing their work permit (iqama, 34%); or foreigners who were suspected HIV cases (23%), or prisoners (17%).”295 The reporting is better among foreigners and workers who have to be tested as part of their work permits’ procedures. There is also routine testing of suspected cases including STI patients, TB patients, prisoners, IDUs, etc. for Saudis and non-Saudis. Yet, national figures also indicate an increase in reported cases among Saudis rising from “a mere 125 HIV cases in 2000, to 542 in 2013.” 296 The report further cautions that these figures are not indicative of the actual situation due to the lack of uniform testing and they represent testing carried out through blood donors and premarital screening. Indeed the regulation for premarital testing led to more accurate data as the report notes, “In 2013 a total of 313,352 Saudi Nationals have been tested for HIV through the pre-marital screening programme which contributing by 14 percent for the newly detected HIV cases in that year,” 297 In addition to the substantial number of foreign workers it hosts, the Kingdom receives more than 1.5 million Hajj performers during the Hajj season, and about three and a half million Umrah performers. Twelve Antiretroviral Treatment (ART) centers provide free ART and other HIV-related medication for Saudi nationals. 298 Among non-Saudis, only those that are eligible are covered with the stipulation that they have to be born in KSA or being spouse of nationals with the rest usually deported. 299 Yet NAP reports a number of challenges that it has been trying to address including stigma and discrimination that discourages reporting as NAP notes, “Naturally this deters access to preventive or counseling and testing services, although there are anonymous [Voluntary Counselling and Testing] VTC services available. As efforts to reach out to at risk populations is more expanded, special attention on how to include different illegal migrants and other at risk populations will be imperative.” 300 Additionally, the inadequate surveillance data to characterize the epidemic makes it difficult to prioritize the response, including for example on modes of transmission. Other challenges that NAP reports include: “the involvement of [people living with HIV] PLHIV, men and women at higher risk of acquiring of HIV/AIDS in the response is still limited; Sexual health and safe sexuality education is limited to HIV/AIDS awareness only in schools; Collaboration between different sectors and NGOs is still poor and in general, more NGO involvement is needed; Strong and continuous inter-sectoral collaborations between different governmental and non-governmental departments needs to be strengthened.”301

Malaria Saudi Arabia has been very successful in eliminating malaria as one-article notes “Saudi Arabia experienced an outbreak of malaria in 1998, but is now on the brink of malaria elimination, with just 82 autochthonous cases reported in 2012.”302 Another report indicates, “Saudi Arabia has

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experienced a 99 percent decrease in reported malaria cases between 2000 and 2013 and is on track to achieve elimination by 2015.”303 Most cases are concentrated in the Asir and Jazan provinces near the Yemeni border and a high number of cases originate in Yemen, India and Pakistan. The total deaths due to malaria were only four since 2000. 304 In recent years, the incidence of malaria has plummeted to 0.5 per 100,000 in 2012, compared to 125 per 100,000 in 1990,305 a decrease by 99.8 percent between 1998 and 2012. 306 WHO World Malaria Report for 2014 in its epidemiological profile of Saudi Arabia reports only 29 cases of active foci; 40,400 cases of people living within active foci, and about 28,800 million living in malaria-free area,307 with 2513 confirmed cases in 2013 of major plasmodium species; and major anopheles species. 308

The Kingdom’s strategy for combating malaria has been multi-pronged including, scaling up vector control measures, the implementation of effective treatments and regional partnerships to fight malaria,309 promoting diagnosis and early treatment of cases; effective preventive measures to stop the spread of the disease; comprehensive control of malaria-carrying mosquitoes; awareness campaigns; and an efficient monitoring network, particularly in susceptible areas. Moreover, in terms of intervention policies, treatment is distributed free of charge since 1980 including free diagnostic tests in health public sector and there is a system to monitor adverse reactions to antimalarial treatment.310 Moreover, the government “coverage of vector control and surveillance activities within the remaining foci of transmission are high.”311 Yet, several challenges remain including “a high proportion of imported cases, continued potential for autochthonous transmission, and an increased proportion of cases attributable to Plasmodium vivax”. 312 Since most imported cases originate in Yemen, the government through its regional partnership for a malaria-free Arabian Peninsula of 2007 initiated the implementation of cross-border collaboration, increased surveillance, “long-lasting insecticide-treated bed net (LLIN) distribution, staff training exercises, and standardization of malaria drug policy between the countries.”313 There is also a risk of importation due to expatriate workers and pilgrims coming from malaria-infected countries.314

Tuberculosis (TB) Saudi Arabia has made good progress in fighting Tuberculosis (TB), and classified as moderate TB burden country according to WHO,315 but still needs more effort to achieve the MDG target to “halt and reverse the incidence of the disease by 2015.”316 Indeed, as one report indicates, “the country falls behind the global targets set by World Health Organization for the success rate of TB treatment. The country needs more population-based research studies, centralized and easily accessible clinical data registries, and centralized research and diagnostic facilities.”317 The government has put in place several measures to achieve this including monthly reporting to the Ministry of Health of new cases which are published in the annual statistical health report.318 A National TB Control Program (NTP) has been implemented in the past 30 years, including detection, treatment, reporting, laboratory services, and mandatory vaccination to all children at birth, in addition to free treatment in public hospitals.319

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The Kingdom adopted the Directly Observed Treatment System of Tuberculosis (DOTS/TB) as a control mechanism throughout the country in 2000. During the years 1991-2010, the Ministry of Health (MOH) reported 64,345 TB cases, of whom 52 percent were among Saudis and 48 percent among non-Saudis. Most of the cases were among males constituting 62 percent and the majority were (70 percent) were from the Central and Makkah regions.320 On the other hand, the MDG report for 2013 indicates that the incidence decreased from 18.6 cases per 100,000 persons in 1990 to about 8.9 cases per 100,000 persons in 2012 and the rate of cases detected and cured, in line with DOTS, reaching 100 percent in 2010.321 Some studies argue that despite the DOTS/TB, “the treatment success rate (62%) still remains below the international target set by the WHO (85%).”322 Despite these achievements in lowering the number of cases, several challenges remain in fighting TB. Most importantly:

 The difficulty of controlling TB due to the large influx of expatriate workers, pilgrims, and illegal immigrants who hail from countries with high incidence.

 The late diagnosis which leads to faster transition and limits successful control practices.323  The need for “a central database or registry with phenotypic and genotypic profiles of the

causative agent linked to patients’ demographic data,” 324 for better diagnosis.  The need for an “immediate strengthening in the current control policies, research and

diagnostic facilities, properly trained manpower management, and adaptation to upcoming technologies.”325

Other challenges related to diseases include:

 The high cost of treatment due to the emergence of “new” non-communicable diseases such as cancer which require expensive treatment; and

 The increase in numbers of non-nationals, which may increase the cost of testing and treatment such as tourists, pilgrims, and foreign workers.

 Building on this, the Tenth Development Plan (2015-2019) aims at linking widespread health centers to public hospitals in order to enhance the technical capabilities of the centers and improve early detection as well as the adoption of effective preventive and curative measures.

2.2.7 Urbanization & Housing Saudi Arabia cities are urbanizing fast with the rapid population increase, which approximated 30 million in 2014. Indeed, urbanization increased from 48 percent in the 1970s to around 80 percent in 2000, with a projection of 88 percent by 2025.326 Approximately, 82.5 percent of people lived in urban areas in 2012,327 and almost two-thirds of the Kingdom’s population is concentrated in three out of 13 administrative regions (Riyadh, Makkah and the Eastern Region).328 This rapid growth of major urban centers in particular poses numerous development challenges, including increased use of water resources; high consumption patterns; lifestyles; increased industrialization; the difficulty of providing adequate housing; traffic jams; pollution; sanitation problems; the high costs of supplying safe drinking water; solid waste management; and biodiversity.

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Cities and their population could not harness the positive effects of urbanization due to the low density in various cities, creating a motor dependent mode of transport, disconnected land uses, economic disparities and inefficient streets and public space. While growth in the largest cities has been very significant, it is not confined to them only since smaller cities outside Riyadh and other major urban concentrations have displayed a similar pattern,329 the highest being in Qatif city with 113.4 inhabitants per hectare, Jizan with 105 inhabitants per hectare, and Taif with 62.67 inhabitants per hectare. Figure (6) blow illustrates population density in 17 Saudi Cities:330

Figure 6: Population Density in 17 Saudi Cities. Source: Urban Observatories data various years, provided by UNHABITAT for

2015

This rapid growth of major urban centers in particular poses numerous development challenges. Increased urbanization has environmental consequences. The national annual energy consumption is three times higher than the global average. Additionally due to the rapid population growth, urbanization and air pollution has increasingly become one of the major challenges. While various advanced technologies and methodologies that enable effective use of energy sources have been introduced, the high cost of mainstreaming new technologies and methodologies are not broadly accepted.331 This rapid increase in urbanization is generating population demand for speedy, high quality, and efficient public services (most important housing, piped water, electricity, roads, sewerage, and telephones).332 Moreover, the major challenge of Saudi Arabia cities now and for few years to come is the youth bulge putting pressure on the government to provide them with economic opportunities, jobs, housing and quality services as well as cities with opportunities that match their aspiration. All of the above, has created a serious challenge to municipal authorities; to meet the increasing demand for services and responsive proper planning of city extensions, urban centers and land infill’s on the one hand, and enabling the private sector to play an increasing role in providing quality urban services, housing and mass transit on the other.

Many argue that the traditional reliance on conventional Master Plans has translated into neither realistic, practical or participatory plans nor effective results for the cities. Most plans have not materialized, monitoring of development failed, and urban mangers have increasingly been confronted with informal developments. The constant migration toward regional cities put even greater stress on already limited and underdeveloped urban infrastructure and resources, urging

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municipalities to implement strategies that create resilient and sustainable cities for the future. These Master plans are determined by the Council of Ministers, ministerial ordinances, instructions and manuals, rather than urban legislations. In other words, the Kingdom does not have a comprehensive law on spatial strategies, plans and policies. To address these challenges, the Government developed its consecutive first five year Development Plan in 1970 to better respond to urbanization challenges and rapid population growth and integrate the aspirations of youth. The Development Plan recommended the formulation of a comprehensive long-term spatial development strategy to address urbanization issues. This culminated in the National Spatial Strategy333 to cover four different levels: national, regional, and local and district levels. Enhancing the capacity and expanding the coverage of municipal services is key to implementing the new Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs’ (MMRA) vision and the National Spatial Strategy, which aims to reduce regional disparities by achieving balanced and sustainable development. The Government continues to invest in human resources capacities and skills, increasing the number of municipal councils of which two thirds of its members are now elected including allowing women to participate, based on an understanding that modernization and improvement of municipal services is possible only with skilled, qualified work force and active municipal council engagement. It is also encouraging the empowerment of citizens to enable them to take a larger role in urban governance. Additionally, MMRA forecasted that “88 percent of the Kingdom’s inhabitants will live in urban areas by 2025”334 Several measures have also been taken to develop the urban economy. In an effort to shift economic growth to the secondary cities, Saudi Arabia is improving the infrastructure of Asir, Hail, Hofuf, Medina, Tabuk, and Taif, and developing new towns such as the Knowledge Economic City in Medina (completion 2016-18); the King Abdullah Economic City, north of Jeddah; the Jizan Economic City; among others. Additionally, and in response to the rapid urbanization and population growth in major cities, development of advanced and sustainable network of transportation has been one of the top priorities of the Government over the decades. As part of the National Transportation Strategy,335 the Government approved projects that simultaneously develop integrated public transportation systems in four major cities in the country, namely Riyadh, Makkah, Medina and Jeddah.

Housing The housing sector faces numerous challenges, including an inadequate supply of housing units; weak affordability of owned or rental units; inadequate financing of housing or residential land; and the proliferation of unplanned neighborhoods in major cities. More than half of the population lives in rental housing estimated at about 60 percent, an estimated 4 percent purchased their homes with mortgages, and the existing shortfall in housing was estimated in 2013 at 500,000 homes.336 Several factors account for the shortage in housing. These include the government’s allocations of land, which left no space for urban areas’ development, thus “leaving the government with either buying back city plots whose price has been inflated by speculation or paying a premium to build in the desert.”337 Vast plots of land in cities are privately owned as a long-term

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investment. Indeed, according to some sources land prices in cities increased by 50 percent only in few years and land accounts usually for 50 percent of the cost of building homes which works as a disincentive to developers to build middle-income homes.338 Moreover, the option of expanding into the desert and outside city centers is costly due to the needed infrastructure and public services.339 About 7 percent of the allocations under the Ninth Development Plan (2010-2014) was earmarked for municipal and housing services, including the creation of 60 municipalities and 40 urban centers, along with one million housing units and 266 million square meters for private and public housing projects.340 Nevertheless, the capacity to achieve the target remains a great challenge. Top priority will need to be given to developing various affordable housing packages that suit the needs of lower-income groups, encouraging private sector engagement, and assuring adequate location planning and zoning. The Ministry of Housing established in 2011 is currently focusing on key initiatives including the adoption of the National Housing Strategy; developing prioritization mechanisms on affordable housing provision; encouraging the construction and provision of affordable housing; and strengthening a Public-Private Partnership approach for affordable housing provision. In total, 11 housing projects were completed and 33 housing projects were implemented as of September 2014. In addition, 13 housing districts with improvement of infrastructure were also made to absorb 59,000 housing units. Additional 103 housing land developments have been planned to provide 139,000 housing units. Additionally, to address the housing crisis, the late King Abdullah allocated 250 billion riyals (USD$66.7 billion) to build homes across the kingdom. 341 The government also promised to increase options to secure housing inducing expanding the availability of mortgages. Additionally, it distributed plots in cities throughout the kingdom, with roads, water, and electricity. 342 Moreover, the Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs has distributed around 2.2 million plots to widows and males over 18, regardless of income or economic status. 343 The Housing Strategy includes measures to combat land speculation and incentives to build, such as development financing, partnerships with builders, and simplified planning regulations. The following have been recommended by the UN General Assembly as the Habitat Agenda on sustainable human settlements including achieving balanced development:344

Recommendations for Sustainable Urbanization Urban Demography  Achieve balanced development and strengthen linkages between cities, towns and villages;  Respond to needs accompanying the changes in the population structure; and  Implement mechanisms for new national urban policy. Land and Urban Planning  Ensure transparency and accountability of urban planning processes and improve urban

planning system;  Revise urban growth boundaries and improve the sustainability of suburban development;

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 Enhance the institutional capacity at national, regional and local level to manage urban planning; and

 Implement comprehensive plans for urban renewal. Environment and Urbanization  Promoting effective use of renewable energy sources and application of advanced

technologies;  Promoting disaster-resilient cities through urban planning;  Changing people’s behaviors through environmental awareness and education; and  Integrating environmental considerations in the planning process Urban Governance and Legislation  Legislation to back up the planning and land management systems;  Public participation at all levels of planning;  Empower civil society organizations and NGOs in urban governance; and  Clarify the roles of municipalities, and other urban agencies.

The Urban Economy  Promote decentralization processes and enhance municipal finance capacities;  Encourage privatization and create incentives for local economic development through

public and private partnership (PPP’s);  Develop local plans to capitalize on local economy comparative advantages; and

Housing and Basic Services  Strengthen the correlation between spatial planning and the housing policy;  Promote the utilization of valuable under-utilized lands in urban areas; and  Encourage the use of integrated public transport in major cities.  Enhance housing finance support especially for those in greatest need.

2.3 Sustainable Use of Non-Oil Natural Resources and Preservation of Culture and Heritage

2.3.1 Situation Analysis and the Tenth National Development Plan Priorities

Protection of the environment and cultural heritage and upgrading of its systems and regulations has been an integral part of development planning consistently. Developmental activities have witnessed tangible improvements in the two main themes of sustainable development, namely environmental protection and the improvement of the quality of life. In fact, environmental issues are encompassed in the Basic Law of Governance Article 32 that stipulates, “The state shall endeavor to conserve, protect, develop and prevent pollution of the environment.”345

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Furthermore, the protection of cultural heritage is also an essential part of the identity of the country and its economic and social development, and the Saudi authority for Tourism and Antiquities headed by His Highness Prince Sultan bin Salman has contributed significantly in this field. The fact that the country inscribed four sites on the List of World Heritage is indicative of the government’s keen interest and commitment to utilize cultural resources in developmental planning. Several decisions, strategies and procedures have been issued in the past years with the aim of integrating sustainable development principles, including environmental concerns into the government’s development policies and programs in such a way that would conserve natural resources and ensure their rational utilization. An evident progress has been accomplished to realize this objective through the application of the required policies and procedures along with the implementation of many programs and projects related to this objective. These include the National Strategy and Plan for Environmental Pollution Control; the National Forestry Strategy and Action Plan; the National Biodiversity Strategy; and the National Health and Environment Strategy in addition to several laws including the General Environmental Law and the Law on Trading in Endangered Spices; Agreements on Conservation of Wildlife and Natural Habitat and the Agreement on International Trading in Wildlife; and accessing to international conventions (i.e., Desertification Control; Biological Diversity; Cartagena Protocol, Migrating Wild Animals (please see Annex 12: Integrating Environment as part of Sustainable Development). The Tenth National Development Plan (2015-2019) emphasized the conservation and protection of the environment from pollution, the conservation and development of wildlife, conservation, sustainability, and rationalization of the utilization of natural resources (i.e. oil and gas), and developing alternative sources of energy (renewable energy sources and hydrocarbon). The Plan also focused on water resources including the National Water Strategy; the use of reclaimed water and protection of non-renewable water resources; the rationalizing of water consumption and efficient utilization; and developing an integrated desalination industry. The above is linked to the Plan’s focus on resources sustainability including a package of incentives for natural resources conservation and management of natural resources in addition to protecting the environment by focusing on regulations against pollution; and protecting the natural environment and wildlife and protected zones, among others (please see Annex 13: The Tenth National Development Plan Environmental Objectives).

The Tenth Development Plan also emphasized the role of culture in the development plan under its Eighteenth Objective focusing on the following:

Eighteenth Objective: Developing the Cultural Movement and Upgrading the Level of Information Work, through: Cultural Dimension: 18.1 Activating the cultural institutions in all fields. 18.2 Sponsoring creativity and creative individuals in the various fields of science, literature and

arts. 18.3 Supporting the activities of publishing, translation and production of books, and enriching

the public libraries with various cultural outputs. 18.4 Adopting a comprehensive cultural policy that encourages the habit of reading, and

acquisition of books. 18.5 Establishing more public libraries and developing programs for utilizing them more

frequently.

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18.6 Encouraging the private sector institutions to organize cultural events and activities. 18.7 Organizing more cultural events, enhancing international participation therein and

promoting cultural exchange.

Despite the progress achieved several challenges remain including, the scarcity of water, air quality in urban areas, participation in global issues of climate change and the environment, pollution of beaches, waste management, and climate change.

2.3.2 Climate Change and Energy Given that issues of climate change and clean energy have risen to the top of global and national agendas, this has led to a paradigm shift toward clean energy approaches to development, along with a surge of economic activity and financial investment promoting a climate-friendly world economy. As such, the government has launched an ambitious solar energy expansion plan, making use of large deserts and high levels of radiation. Major efforts are also under way to revive Saudi Arabia’s potential to be a leading global player in renewable energy, with benefits of conserving oil reserves for future export revenues, preventing local impacts from pollution, and doing its part in the fight against climate change. The country has been an active participant in global discussions on climate change mitigation solutions. For example, Saudi Arabia was instrumental in the International Energy Forum (IEF), which in 2008 oversaw the launch of a new Four Kingdom Initiative, in partnership with the Netherlands, Norway, and the United Kingdom, to lead global research and piloting of Carbon Capture and Sequestration (CCS) technologies in 2012 in the facilities of the energy giant Saudi Aramco. Having acceded to the Kyoto Protocol in 2005 (an environmentally friendly policy sanctioned via the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change designed to bring greenhouse gas emissions under control - in 1997), Saudi Arabia has also sought to become an active participant in carbon trading under the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM). It is worth noting that Saudi Arabia has not submitted its intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs) to UNFCCC (requested to be submitted pre Paris COP in November/December 2015). With discussions over the appropriate design and institutional arrangements having taken place between 2006 and 2008, a formal decision to establish a CDM Designated National Authority (DNA) was issued in July 2009. Despite these progressive steps, several challenges remain. Saudi Arabia, with rapid population growth, a highly sensitive ecosystem, and an economy centered on resource extraction is particularly vulnerable to issues of sustainable development and climate change, with profound implications for human development. “Tipping points” may become evident in areas such as agricultural productivity, heightened water scarcity, deteriorating air quality, increased exposure to extreme weather events, collapse of ecosystems, increased health risks, and increased economic, social, and cultural vulnerability, all of which could imperil gains toward sustainable development. Already, urbanization and industrialization, high density of land, sea and air transport, and increased volume of waste of all types have increased the country’s pollution levels, negatively affecting environmental indicators. In addition, Environment, natural resources

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and data management is a critical challenge and represent an important niche for UNCT‘s intervention. The environmental challenges are many and interlinked. With the majority of the population living in urban areas. Policies aimed at reducing energy consumption and Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions need to become a center of attention for policy makers. One of the key measures to reduce GHG in cities is spatial planning which is at the heart of adaptation and mitigation measures towards climate neutrality. In this regard, UN agencies can provide support to the government whether in ways energy can be supplied from low-carbon or renewal sources and promoting recycling.346 To achieve inclusive climate-resilient development, a need exists to develop further policies, plans and frameworks at national, regional and municipal levels that mitigate or adapt development, across multiple sectors, to climate change. This involves a policy shift at all levels to address planning, decision making and information sharing, including the engagement of civil society and equal access for women. Moreover, development of multi-stakeholder mechanisms that facilitate dialogue across sectors and stakeholders to inform a common approach is vital. This provides the opportunity for stakeholders to engage in policy dialogue and influence decision making on climate-resilient development. More importantly, with energy demands growing at an annual rate of 5 percent and most electricity generation arising from oil-based power generation, Saudi Arabia is on a trajectory for rising per-capita carbon dioxide emissions and “carbon footprint” levels. 347 The total Carbon Dioxide Emissions from the Consumption of Energy (Million Metric Tons) increased in Saudi Arabia from 422 in 2008 to 583 in 2012, resulting in new government and private sector policies and measures to increase energy efficiency and renewable energy.348 Saudi Arabia needs to use its natural resources more sustainably and to formulate and implement climate change mitigation and adaptation plans and projects through joint collaboration, including scientific and technological cooperation. As such, it established the King Abdullah City for Atomic and Renewable Energy (KACARE) to contribute to sustainable development by promoting peaceful uses of atomic energy in areas such as agriculture, desalination, medicine and mining. Its work will support scientific research and development, training programmes and conferences, and coordination of the country's renewable energy centers.349

2.3.3 Natural Environment The issuance of the General Environmental Law, under the Council of Ministers Resolution No. 193 in 2001 was an important development for environmental protection. The Presidency of Meteorology and Environment (PME), which is responsible for coordinating and following up on the enforcement of the Environment Law initiated in cooperation with several government agencies and committees, including a number of scientific research centers, the implementation of a set of measures in industrial and urban areas. In this regard, studies were conducted to make an inventory of the emissions sources and causes of pollution in addition to recommendations for standards and guidelines. PME also cooperates with relevant government agencies in implementing measures for the conservation of coastal areas and the control of environmental degradation of the coasts. Among

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these activities is the endeavors to develop a coastal areas administration plan in addition to activating the "National Plan to Combat Pollution with Oil," and developing aerial and marine monitoring activities along the coasts. During the Eighth Plan period (2005-2009), a program was launched to conduct periodic inspections of gas, car washing, and lubrication stations. The program involved setting up units furnished with state-of-the-art equipment to carry out inspections all over the Kingdom.350 Public awareness of environmental issues also received considerable attention from the government. Among the measures taken was the launch of the first satellite Arabic television (TV) station "Bee'aty" (“my environment”), in addition to setting up the national center for the promotion of environmental awareness. Several workshops were also conducted on environment and development, in addition to the expansion of media campaigns designed to promote awareness on environmental issues. There has also been encouragement of the industrial sector to mainstream environmental concerns and impact with implementation of a holistic approach that takes environmental concerns from the planning to the production phase. The adopted environmental considerations include adherence to the environmental management systems in fulfillment of the International Organization for Standardization’s (ISO) requirements. Industrial firms have demonstrated good commitment to environmental protection through endeavors to apply internationally recognized standards in fulfillment of ISO 14001 requirements. The firms worked according to a strategic plan to conduct a comprehensive performance evaluation to match these standards. For example, the Saudi Basic Industries Corporation (SABIC) has adopted SABIC Environmental Manual since 1423 (2002) and recently applied an environmental management system at its headquarters and in its subsidiary companies. In doing so, SABIC has joined the ranks of world-class industrial corporations committed in its performance to environmental protection against the effects of pollution.351

2.3.4 Air Quality Saudi Arabia's climate, as well as its socioeconomic development, is an important factor in increasing the challenge of air pollution. The country is located in a dry area where precipitation rarely occurs and surface winds are inactive almost year-round. The country’s land topography also affects its levels of air pollution. Sand and dust storms are an increasing phenomenon in Saudi Arabia due to the natural aridity and poor land management practices, all of which have a major impact on human health and transport networks. Vehicles represent the major source of air pollution. Almost two-thirds of carbon monoxide and half of hydrocarbons and nitrogen oxides that pollute the air are attributed to fuel combustion. Growing industrial zones and widespread small industries also pose key challenges to industrial pollution control and the health of communities living near factories. Recognizing the importance of maintaining good air quality, industrial cities have been equipped with air quality monitoring stations to measure and identify levels of emissions of plants. These stations record Sulphur Dioxide and Carbon Monoxide concentration levels and other standards specified by the executive regulation of the General Environmental Law. The program is part of several mechanisms designed to maintain good air quality. For example, SABIC has carried out several programs for the same purpose, including a mobile monitoring station to measure emissions in ambient air and to measure industrial emission sources on ongoing basis.

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On the other hand The Royal Commission at Jubail built and operated seven immobile stations and two mobile ones (one of which is operated by infrared rays). These stations monitor, on round-the-clock basis, air quality and emission of gases from functional plants in the Jubail industrial city to ensure that such emissions do not exceed the environmental criteria of the Royal Commission. The stations have been distributed in a studied manner around the city to cover all industrial areas of Jubail. Other aspects include keeping essential monitoring information, such as of temperature and humidity levels, air pressure, and speed and directions of wind, all of which is transmitted electronically on daily basis for analysis purposes. Aramco also gives special attention to reducing gas emissions and monitoring air quality to ensure commitment to the environmental criteria of air quality. The Company owns an integrated network, which uses state-of-the art technologies to monitor air quality and emissions from its facilities. Because of these efforts, the Company was recently awarded the World Bank’s Prize for its efforts and excellence in the reduction of natural gas burning. Numerous other programs also exist including the Riyadh Air Quality Strategy, among others.

2.3.5 Water Resources, Agriculture, and Food Security Saudi Arabia relies on both conventional and unconventional sources of water. The proportion of population, urban and rural, with sustainable access to safe drinking water, through water distribution networks and water tanker services increased from 75 percent in 1990 to 98 percent in 2012.352 The total Water resources used in Million Cubic Meter (MCM) increased from 17,430 in 2010 to 19,193 in 2011.353 Additionally, access to sanitation services, through wastewater networks and home drainage systems increased from 96 percent in 1990 to 100 percent in 2012,354 with 98 percent of people having access to safe drinking water in 2012.355 It is important to highlight that this access was equal for both rural and urban areas. 356 Finally, the ratio of sea and land areas protected to maintain biological diversity, compared to surface area increased from 3.3 percent in 1990 to 4.15 percent in 2012. Saudi Arabia suffers from extreme water scarcity as the MDG Report for 2013 states, “scarcity of water resources constitute a vital issue for the Kingdom, due to the fact that the largest share of water consumed for agricultural, municipal and industrial purposes, all of which are dependent on non-renewable resources. Accordingly, requirements of sustainable development urge for the rationalization of water consumption, and more reliance on conventional renewable water resources, etc.”357 A particular issue arises from the steady increase in demand for non-renewable groundwater resources, which has had “serious implications in terms of rising water salinity, falling water reserves, and increased soil degradation and soil salinity due to constant planting of crops, particularly those stressful to the soil.”358 Water security in the Kingdom is focused on residential water use in the context of rapid urbanization, industrial water needs and industrial water pollution, and the challenges of irrigation. The issue of the sustainability of water resources goes back some three decades, when agricultural development began to be concentrated in the semi-arid regions characterized by scarcity of rain, with non-renewable groundwater being the main source of irrigation. The immense support and numerous subsidies provided by the State to the agricultural sector led to the expansion of cultivated areas, and subsequently to rising depletion rates of groundwater.

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Such support also contributed to widening the gap between the social cost of groundwater and the cost borne by farmers, which encouraged the expansion in the cultivation of water-intensive crops. In this regard, a major trend has been the expansion of seawater desalination plants across the country, which has contributed to high per-capita water availability levels despite low freshwater resources. One major factor that led to the depletion of water resources is the cultivation of water-intensive agricultural products such as wheat in the desert. Staring in the 1980s, cultivation began using fossil aquifers. These initiatives were heavily subsidized by the government with the attempt to lesson imports and acquire self-sufficiency in wheat. However, the negative consequences were very high including depleting non-renewable water resources. The scheme was also not very productive where the “Production costs [were] are estimated at four to six times the world price, discounting the costs of subsidies and groundwater depletion. Every ton of wheat is produced with about 3,000 cubic meters of water—three times the global norm”359 To combat the unabated groundwater depletion, several steps were taken to rationalize the cultivation of low-water-efficiency crops, such as wheat, barley and fodder, leading to a relative reduction in the volume of crops and cultivated areas. Measures included banning the export of water-demanding crops and temporarily restricting the distribution of fallow land. For example, under the Eighth(2005-2009) and Ninth Plan (2010-2014), tangible achievements were made in the water sector, including water and sanitation decentralization through the expansion of the powers of regional administrations, along with fundamental steps to formulate a comprehensive strategy for water resources development and sustainability. Progress was also made towards an integrated management of water resources.360 The major challenge facing the supply of water and sanitation services is represented in water scarcity. Therefore, it is deemed imperative to intensify the efforts of consumption rationalization and to ensure the optimal utilization of renewable water resources and treated wastewater. The other major challenge is to raise the quality of water and sanitation services and to enhance their economic and social efficiency. On the other hand, environmental pollutants generated by human activities – notably, solid and liquid waste (household, industrial and medical) – have increased, and growing quantities of wastewater are putting increasing pressure on purification and treatment facilities. At the same time, demand for water in the cities for municipal and industrial usage has increased. The marine environment is threatened by incessant expansion of desalination plants, while the steady rise in the number of cars in cities threatens the atmosphere. With increased decentralization to regional authorities, there has been a steady progress in the scope and efficiency of water management in terms of coverage and network losses and sanitation services. However, many Saudis still rely on tankers to meet their needs, at higher costs than that of water drawn from the network, and wastewater collection and reclamation requires further improvement. To address these issues, it is necessary to bridge the gap between the rates of groundwater extraction and natural resource replenishment rates, through the application of strict, effective

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demand management as well as making maximum use of non-conventional water resources such as treated wastewater. Furthermore, and to the extent possible, isotope hydrology applications and geochemical techniques can be used to complement other standard techniques for the study and management of water resources. In addition, a need exists to continue efforts to restructure agricultural production, by transferring water-intensive agriculture to areas where renewable water resources are available; continue to the provision of incentives to farmers to encourage the use of modern irrigation techniques; considering the pricing of water rates with the aim of setting appropriate tariffs that take into account consumers’ ability to pay as well as the environmental costs of use. High priority also must be given to the finalization and implementation of the National Water Strategy,361 with a comprehensive water database covering sources, usage, mechanisms, and procedures for implementation. Further efforts will need to be dedicated to expand the coverage of water and sanitation services, including through private sector participation. One positive progress is the efforts taken by industrial plants. They conduct a number of environmental protection programs that seek to maintain the quality of water intended for discharge into the Arabian Gulf and the Red Sea. Periodic monitoring of water quality is carried out through the application of more than 30 standards that cover several aspects (physical, chemical and organic), and these standards are measured either automatically or through samples collecting and laboratory analysis. These monitoring programs aim to ensure the safety of the marine environment. In this regard, the Royal Commission conducts ongoing monitoring of these standards in the two industrial cities of Jubail and Yanbu, with strict commitment to environmental legislations on marine life. Other programs are also implemented by several sectors to monitor the quality of groundwater used for drinking and agricultural purposes. Moreover, the country has joined in 1993 the Ozone layer protection treaties and since then the government has been active in phasing out all controlled consumptions of ozone depleting substances in the various sectors as required under the Montreal Protocol. Food security is another major concern for Saudi Arabia especially with its rapid population growth rates. To address the needs of its growing population, the country has to rely on food imports. As SALIC states, “Import statistics are quite telling: the value of food imports to Saudi Arabia peaked at SR 65.25 billion (US$ 17.4 billion) in 2009, and is expected to increase steadily over the coming years as demand surges. In 2010, Saudi imports accounted for 45 percent of total Arab food imports of US$38.1 billion. The country is the world’s 19th largest agricultural food importer, with its food imports averaging around US$ 15 billion annually in recent years.”362 The aridity of the country is not conducive to agricultural production and therefore the government the government discouraged local cultivation which has been and is still depleting the limited groundwater resources and started importing food products. It has also established the King Abdullah Initiative for Agricultural Investment Abroad and the Saudi Agricultural and Livestock Investment Company (SALIC).363 SALIC started in 2012 investing in agriculture, livestock and associated value chains to improve food security. It has invested abroad in agricultural production including farms and cattle.364

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2.3.6 Harmful Substances and Hazardous Wastes

Because of expanded commercial and industrial activities, the volume of solid waste has grown

in absolute terms as well as per capita – to one of the highest levels in the world – while little

waste is recycled. Even two decades ago, refuse generation was 1.61 to 2.72 kilograms per day,

comprising a high percentage of glass, metals and wood.365 Solid waste collection remains labor-

intensive, and disposal methods require modernization. Landfills face considerable pressures, the

most important of which are the decrease in assumed landfill lifespan because of the increasing

quantities of waste and encroachment by urban development. Landfill capacity is expected to be

exceeded in the next 10 years and that recycling, reuse and energy recovery are still in very early

stages. Currently recycling efforts are mainly due to the presence of the informal sectors.

Intensive efforts will be needed to address such challenges. Meanwhile, hazardous waste levels are also rising: Major sources of generated hazardous wastes include industrial, agricultural and petroleum activities; health care waste; research and lab activities; service activities such as car- service stations; photo labs; dry-cleaning shops; military operations; and garbage. Considerable efforts have been made by the industrial sector to address waste management and recycling of a considerable proportion of waste, with such proportion reaching 50 percent of waste generated in some plants. This has yielded many opportunities in terms of economic, social and environmental benefits, such as recycling of oil and paper, etc. For example, the Royal Commission in Jubail has set up strict procedures for the management of hazardous and non- hazardous industrial wastes produced by factories and companies. The aim has been to reduce environmental risks and to achieve a safe and conclusive solution to disposal of wastes. There are additionally two companies in the city that are specialized in the treatment or disposal of industrial wastes. The companies’ facilities include high efficiency incinerators to burn wastes and other facilities to treat toxicity of wastes prior to disposal.

2.3.7 Biodiversity Protection and Conservation of the Marine Environment The increase in trade and maritime transport has led to serious environmental issues. The most prominent are pollution resulting from the disposal of waste from ships and giant oil tankers in the Arabian Gulf, along with continued environmental damage to the Red Sea and the Gulf shores. Factors contributing to this include urban development and overexploitation of resources, through development of oil refineries, petrochemical plants, and industrial cities and population density in coastal cities, which has increased to nearly one-fourth of the total population.366 All these factors have affected fishing and coastal tourism, in addition to their impact on coral reefs that provide the necessary environment for maintenance of marine life, in addition to their importance to fish and migratory birds. Marine monitoring, as one element of the national programme on environmental monitoring, is a priority area for the Government. Information on the current levels of radionuclides, both in

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terms of the Naturally Occurring Radioactive Materials (NORMs) and Anthropogenic requires a reliable database. The data is used as baseline information for identifying the presence of radionuclides in the marine waters, desalinated water and marine biota, and to ensure the safe use of marine resources as drinking water and seafood. Long-term monitoring of radionuclides will also facilitate the characterization of changes due to future industrial activities, including nuclear power generation. It will also contribute to a better understanding of the dynamics of radionuclides in the marine environment. Moreover, such data can be used, in conjunction with appropriate models, to investigate sources of elevated concentrations of radionuclides in the event of trans-boundary accidents. In terms of conservation and development of biodiversity, the Kingdom has given significant attention to biodiversity and has developed a set of measures and policies that focus on conservation of land and marine wildlife. In this regard, the Saudi Wildlife Authority (SWA) resettled endangered species into their habitats. It administrates 16 protected zones constituting about 4.15 percent of the Kingdom’s area. In addition, SWA’s research centers breed certain endangered species and resettle them in some protected areas. On the other hand, SWA continues its efforts to monitor changes in ecosystems in protected areas. Over the past five years, two of the largest protected zones, Harrah Alharrah in Jouf region and Khunfa in Tabouk region, have been demarcated, in addition to establishing a new protected area at upper Jabal Shada in the Baha region. On the other hand, eco-tourism represents a major part of the Kingdom’s overall economic diversification drive, and a draft National Biodiversity Action Plan has been formulated. Yet there are challenges remaining especially due to harmful hunting practices. As a result, the rate of loss of large mammals in Saudi Arabia is relatively high compared with global standards, as evidenced by the extinction of the Arabian lion, Arabian ostrich and leopard, as well as the decline in the number of wild animal species, all of which point to the acute need for enforcing hunting regulations. Given the impact on wildlife habitats of harmful grazing and logging, expansion of agriculture, urbanization and the intensive use of fertilizers and pesticides, there also exists a need to apply rangeland cycles in cooperation with regional administrations, enforce the ban on logging, and consider environmental considerations in urbanization and road building.

2.3.8 Protection and Conservation of Cultural Resources Cultural heritage in all its forms (tangible, intangible, movable, and immovable) serves as an important resource for sustainable development through cultural tourism and creative industries by promoting a unique cultural identity, traditions, and values of countries. Cultural heritage and creative industry such as handicrafts provides income-generating opportunities to local communities, who are the caretakers of the heritage, as well as the country itself. Women are also quite often involved in creative industry, such as the production of handicrafts; hence, the promotion of cultural industry will also empower women in economic activities. The utilization of cultural resources in sustainable development also contributes to the diversification of resources for development, which, in the case of Saudi Arabia, is currently heavily dependent on the export of petroleum.

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The role of cultural resources in sustainable development has been underestimated until quite recently. This insufficient understanding has slowly changed, and the appreciation of cultural diversity and of culture’s contribution to sustainable development is now an integral part of the SDGs. The Saudi Authority for Tourism and Antiquities headed by Prince Sultan bin Salman has also recognized the role and the importance of culture’s contribution to sustainable development, and intensified their contribution in the protection and conservation of cultural heritage and resources. The country now has cultural heritage on its agenda as an important element to promote cultural identity and the link with the past, its traditions, and cultural values. The fact that Saudi Arabia has four sites on the List of World Heritage, one of which – Rock Art in the Hail Region of Saudi Arabia – was inscribed on the World Heritage List at the World Heritage Committee in 2015, proves this point. Saudi Arabia also submitted ten sites to the Tentative List of the World Heritage Convention in 2015. This means that the Government of Saudi Arabia considers that these sites have values and potential to be listed on the World Heritage List. World Heritage sites are always popular tourist destinations, and these efforts made by Saudi Arabia will contribute to expanding the tourism and creative industry sectors in the country.

2.3.9 Desertification Control Desertification and soil erosion in various regions of Saudi Arabia represent a major challenge to natural resources and vegetation cover, caused by increased population activity, overgrazing, logging, expansion of agriculture, urban expansion, coupled with a lack of rain and vulnerability to recurrent droughts. Additionally, agricultural areas are increasingly exploited for residential and commercial purposes. The Kingdom exerts tremendous efforts to control desertification and sand encroachment in order to conserve the natural environment and its biodiversity. Promotion of public awareness as to the importance of collective work in implementing national desertification control programs is also part of these efforts. In this context, the Ministry of Agriculture extended protection to 40 sites in various regions of the Kingdom with an aim to protect them from overgrazing. The Ministry also set up three stations for breeding of grazing plant seeds, plus 27 nurseries for grazing and forestry plants, in addition to a bank for genetic origins of plants. A center has also been set up to receive satellite pictures to monitor sand encroachment, which threaten human habitable and agricultural production areas. In addition, a specialized center has been established for desert studies and control of desertification, with an objective to encourage research and studies in this field. Furthermore, wide-scale efforts are being made to conserve forests and to enforce the relevant regulations. The country also seeks to compensate for wasting this important natural resource through implementation of trees planting projects, halting the building-up of sand dunes by growing trees, and establishing national parks. Work is under way as well on a project for counting forests in the Southwestern Region of the country through the Space Research Institute of the King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST) using remote sensing technology. Despite the progress made, there are several challenges. Key among them is that the various national environment strategies, provide an integrated and objective base for ensuring environmental sustainability, however, sectoral, spatial and time factors relevant to these

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strategies represent a challenge that impedes their implementation and requires additional administrative and technical capacities, as well as adequate coordination among various government and private agencies. During the Eighth (2005-2009) and Ninth Plans (2010-2014), numerous positive developments occurred related to the environment and its protection. The Tenth Plan (2015-2019) aims to further highlight the strategic role of environmental management, through encouraging various sectors to participate effectively in environmental activities, and focus on developing their institutional and technical capacities, while focusing attention on the enforcement of the General Environmental Law and Rules for implementation. In addressing such issues, it will be critical to further underscore the importance of community support in implementing national action programmes and to enhance the coordination between the government and the private sector in environmental action. Root Causes The common root causes for the above challenges, which are interlinked, can be traced to:  Need for more sustainable and efficient resource use and elimination of practices that harm

the environment;  Continued high dependence on petroleum as the economic base;  Inequities in socioeconomic indicators, by region, rural-urban divide and gender;  Structural imbalances in the labor market;  Need for a strengthened human rights culture and expanded civil society participation; and  Socio-cultural traditions that may result in constraints to opportunities based on gender.

2.4 Equitable, Accountable, Effective, and Efficient Public Sector 2.4.1 Situation Analysis and the Tenth National Development Plan Priorities Resolution 57/277 of the General Assembly on Public Administration and Development focused on the importance of efficiency in public administration, which states, “an efficient, accountable, effective and transparent public administration, at both the national and international levels, has a key role to play in the implementation of internationally agreed goals, including the MDGs.”367 Thus, the Resolution highlighted the need “to strengthen public sector administrative and managerial capacity-building, in particular in developing countries and countries in economic transition.”368 As an approach that is informed by recent thinking in the realm of public management, taking appropriate account of the political and cultural context is self-evident. Public administration refers to:

 The aggregate machinery (policies, rules, procedures, systems, organizational structures, personnel, etc.) funded by the state budget and in charge of the management and direction

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of the affairs of the executive government, and its interaction with other stakeholders in the state, society and the external environment;

 The management and implementation of the whole set of government activities dealing with the implementation of laws, regulations and decisions of the government and the management related to the provision of public services.

Efforts in this regard can focus on promoting a professional civil service, functional reviews, training of civil servants, Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) to enhance public services including e-governance, increasing the role of local authorities and improving financial management systems, among others. These can address few of the challenges in public administration development including securing cooperation among stakeholders; and ensuring continuous support. Saudi Arabia has achieved progress in many areas of public administration’s efficiency, through administrative and institutional reforms including holding in 2005 the first municipal elections, and moving to formalize the succession process for the monarchy, among other developments. The late King Abdullah supported significant trends toward reform, including making major personnel changes in Government in 2009, and initiating earlier national dialogues on key national issues. At the same time, the late King made the first appointment of a woman to a ministerial post as Deputy Minister of Education, thereby enforcing the representation of women in key decision-making positions. Significantly, the government has been committed to building a conducive institutional and organizational environment. This is evident in previous development plans and the Tenth Development Plan (2015-2019). Improvement of the overall performance of the Government and the quality of its services is a key focus in the Tenth Plan. It highlights the need for reviews of administrative structures of government agencies and institutions, enhancing performance and efficiency through Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), and modern technologies. Overall, the Tenth Plan Organizational and Administrative Development objectives focus on enhancing institutional reform including improving implementations’ efficiency and services’ provisioning, accountability and transparency; the role of civil society; and deepening economic integration with the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and Arab countries (please see Annex 14: Tenth Development Plan Organization and Administrative Development Objectives). In recent years, the country has become increasingly open to addressing specific socio-political issues. Several measures and decisions were taken to enhance public administration’s performance and efficiency, and to promote a regulatory environment in a way that ensures motivating investments and enhancing the economic and social efficiency of development processes. These include, for example:

 Addressing publicly issues of poverty in the country and establishing mechanisms to formulate and implement strategic policies and programmes to reduce and/or prevent poverty, including the legislating of the formation of labor committees as proxies for labor unions;

 Establishing two national bodies for human rights, one governmental and the other non- governmental;

 Providing more space for the media;

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 Promoting a national dialogue process to allow different groups and interests to discuss concerns publicly and formulate recommendations to be submitted to the King; and

 Introducing new reforms in the judicial system and institutionalizing a hierarchy in the court system by establishing a higher court.

To reflect this commitment, new agencies have been established to develop public services and enhance their quality, including the Public Authority for Housing; the National Population Committee; the Environment Council; the Saudi Export Development Authority; the Agency for Consumer Affairs, and launching the National Strategy to Protect Integrity and Combat Corruption which is translated through the internal audit units that have been established in each agency and public institution. At the sub-national level, rural councils were abolished and transformed into municipalities and a significant restructuring or clarification of functions of other Government units also occurred, including in the Ministry of Labor, Ministry of Hajj, and the Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources. Lastly, there has been progress in sectoral and specialized databases in both the public and private sectors, including through the e-government transactions project. Population, economic and social statistics have been expanded and diversified, while efforts have been made to ensure that statistical surveys are carried out regularly, although issues of coherence and coordination remain. Further strengthening of data will give rise to opportunities for more evidence-based policymaking. Progress in other areas of public administration requires additional strengthening, including enhancing the role of civil society, as noted in the Tenth Plan objectives. While transparency is increasing and adherence to the rule of law has improved, room exists for greater efficiency and openness in government structures. Saudi Arabia holds a rank of 55 out of 144 countries in Transparency International’s annual Corruption Perceptions Index of 2014 with an index of 6.52 percent (with 0 deemed “highly corrupt” and 10 “highly clean.”)369 Other measures for improved services include:

 Formulating a comprehensive strategy for institutional and administrative development;  Improving urban planning;  Establishing processes to circumvent the overlapping of functions between agencies;  Addressing the inadequate compatibility between the size of administrative units and the

aim of having fewer, better-performing units;  Formulating organizational manuals to define procedures, responsibilities and

competencies in agencies;  Reducing the high operating costs;  Accelerating the e-government transactions programme (YASSER)370 and expanding its

scope to all government agencies;  Promoting and embedding a culture of performance excellence; and  Enhancing the complementarity with the private sector, and privatizing relevant

government activities, while expanding global partnerships, including through South- South cooperation that offers considerable opportunities.

One of the significant areas for efficient public administration is the provision of data to enable evidence-based decision-making processes. There is a challenge of data collection, analysis, data

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disaggregation and sources of data. Key challenges identified by the Central Department of Statistics and Information (CDSI) include mechanisms to connect with data producers; inadequate capacities in line ministries’ units; the need to develop systems and performance measurement; the challenge of coordination especially among line ministries and data producers; the need to properly mainstream the data collection; and the discrepancies and inconsistencies in the data collected due to the various agencies collecting data. The National Statistical Development Strategy (NSDS) of the National Statistical System (NSS) identified the implementation challenges for the period 2015-2020,371 and focused on both the demand for statistical data and the supply in addition to issues of the governance of data; introduction of new technologies; developing capacities of governmental statistical units in line ministries; and advocacy and communication. The Strategy and its Plan of Action depicts one main outcome focusing on improving the production and provision of high quality, up-to-date, and accessible statistics. Five key outputs were identified as needed including: strengthening the Department and national statistical systems; promoting awareness on the use and value of statistics; developing, managing and coordinating the NSS effectively; producing and disseminating high quality data and statistics; and delivering successful population and housing census for 2020. Despite progress, a number of challenges remain, including efficiency and effectiveness of the public sector, the provision of basic services for all the scattered population centers, improve the quality of the data, especially the detailed (sub-national levels, according to age groups and sex), improving governance and public administration, social protection, strengthening the institutional coordination. In addition, the consultative workshop with national counterparts in November revealed the following challenges:

Challenge Root Causes

Potential UNCT Interventions in support of National Priorities

Corruption  Weak transparency in the application of laws and regulations;

 Weak accountability mechanisms; and  The overlap between the regulatory

bodies and institutions.

 Benchmarking adapted to

national realities;  Provision of best global

practices in the efficient use of resources and public finance;

 Contribution to the development of rigorous performance standards and aligning them with international indicators;

Quality of Education

 Inadequate highly qualified professionals; Poor education outcomes;

 Inadequate educational outputs;  Inadequate matching between

educational outcomes and labor market needs;

 Weak oversight and accountability mechanisms; and

 Weak measurement mechanisms.

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The efficiency and effectiveness of the public sector.

 Outdated Civil Service Systems;  Poor institutional performance

measurement mechanisms;  Overlapping functions of agencies and

lack of coordination; and The growing gap in rewards between the public and private sector.

 Specialized policy advice; and

 The development of governance (rules and regulations), and activating the role of government agencies

The UNCT selected this as a priority area since it is deemed as a good opportunity for the UN to focus on this since it is becoming a priority for the leadership with its emphasis on public administration reform evident by the establishment of the two Councils and their urging ministers to deliver. Additionally, the public is being very active in the social media calling for improved government and services. The other side of the coin is that the UN has the expertise to support change management and offer its support to the government. This focus addresses both the right holders and duty barriers by strengthening institutional mechanisms and highlighting issues of urban planning; capacity development; and coordinating Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) and humanitarian responses.

2.4. 2 Regional Equity and Decentralization of Services Decentralization of services remains critical to democracy and grassroots development in Saudi Arabia. Moreover, while it does not necessarily ensure higher participation, improved responsiveness of the Government at all levels to public demands can improve living standards while enhancing efficiency and quality of public services. Devolution of power – which broadens decentralization from a focus on administrative and financial issues to embrace principles such as participation, empowerment and equity – can have subsequent major effects not only on improved living standards, but also on planning, accountability, efficiency, and effectiveness of governance. Thus, decentralization and devolution is one of key priority areas for intervention. The rapid advancement by the Kingdom in the past three decades has led to the emergence of integrated population settlements that provide opportunities for not only a productive work and life, but also serve as centers of attraction that spur migration from rural and remote areas. This has resulted in reducing the growth potential of rural areas and increasing the socioeconomic pressures on urban areas, particularly in the provision of basic services. Continued high population growth is expected only to exacerbate this trend, even as a concomitant need exists to achieve a relative equitable regional development balance. The discrepancy in development outcomes at the regional level is bound to occur despite the Government’s adoption in 2008 of a package of investment incentives for the less developed regions.372

The Ministry for Municipal and Rural Affairs established in 1975 as the agency responsible for the administration of municipalities in all aspects, from planning, to development and maintenance of infrastructure, and to applying health standards for municipal cleaning, among others. Several measures were introduced to enhance the efficiency of municipalities including restructuring in 2003, introduction of elections to the municipal councils, the amalgamation of smaller municipalities into larger ones, and linking rural assemblies to municipalities.373 In preparation for the elections, the government increased the voting centers by 511 centers, thus

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making the total 1,263 centers (of which 424 are allocated to women). Additionally, it lowered the voting age from 21 years old to 18 to increase the number of voters. 374 Change has been seen in the last four years with new universities, improvement in infrastructure, sending students from these areas on scholarships abroad, and improving health care systems by setting up hospital facilities in these areas and privatization of the health sector. With half the members of municipal councils elected in 2005, community participation in municipal efforts has been cited by the Government as a key achievement toward wider democratization. In addition, secretariats (Amanat) were formed in every region, to which local municipalities report, and the implementation of a strategy for the privatizing municipal activities and services has begun. All this is intended to contribute to more regionally balanced development opportunities and improved municipal services. Moreover, efforts made under the country's successive development plans have succeeded, largely, in making tangible progress in reducing regional disparities. Improvement in this area is expected to continue during the Tenth Plan period which aim at developing infrastructure, provisioning of public services, and making available other necessary public facilities, along with a drive to build a production base that primarily draws on specific regions’ assets in particular development resources and stimulate investments to move to under developed regions. Several challenges continue to exist however including the persistence of centralization although there has been marked is improvement in decentralization; inadequate capacities for the efficient delivery of services, and the inflation in personnel with an estimated over 2000 in the Majales and about 52,000 staff. Additionally, there are variances in terms of development in remote areas. A further key challenge can be found in the underdeveloped participation of civil society as a whole in decision-making. Successful engagement on governance issues in the areas of education and primary health care – for example, through mechanisms for parent feedback and influence on the running of schools – may show the possibility for incorporating governance issues into sectoral dialogue. All this must be further encouraged. The country’s centralized governance has constrained it from developing a more appropriate and responsive system of urban planning, with a uniform urban landscape among many Saudi cities.375 Within the framework of promoting administrative decentralization, demand for municipal services is expected to increase. This calls for steadfastness in developing the human and financial resources of municipal agencies, as well as speeding up the implementation of adequate alternatives for funding various programmes, such as expanding the private sector’s participation in providing services. Meeting this challenge will require enhanced municipal investments and programmes; commercial use of assets owned by the Amanat and municipalities; continuous evaluation of municipal service fees; and increasing the efficiency of services while reducing costs, without affecting quality and availability. The Tenth Plan aims to address these challenges by expanding health, education, housing and other public services, especially in the least developed regions of the Kingdom, while further encouraging private investments in such areas to enhance care and opportunities for low-income groups. It commits to developing tools of coordination between sectoral plans and provincial requirements with a view to achieving a balanced regional development.

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2.4.3 Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) Sustainable development in its economic, environmental and social dimensions relies on the solid management of disaster risks, among other factors. Disasters’ ramifications from the destruction of infrastructure, to damages to the eco-systems, and weakening institutions, among others call for improved systems to predict and manage disasters.376 The government has indicated its commitment to responding appropriately to DRR.377 It organized a regional meeting bringing together representatives of 15 countries of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region to discuss the findings and recommendations of a report on natural disasters in MENA, prepared by the World Bank in partnership with the United Nations.378 The report focused on the need to shift from disaster response to proactive risk management, and underscored the importance of establishing strategic frameworks and integrating disaster risk reduction into sustainable development policies and plans. In this regard, the Meteorological and Environmental Protection Agency has been active in implementing the Resolutions of the General Assembly concerning the International Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction and the Resolutions concerning international cooperation to reduce the impact of El Nino phenomenon. A permanent Committee was established encompassing the Presidency for Meteorology and Environment, the Civil Defense and the Ministry of Information to study natural disasters that take place and establish programs, regulations, and procedures that limit the impact of these disasters. Consequently, several interventions took place including establishing more meteorological stations for surface observation and for observation; establishing a network of eight weather radars; introducing digital programs for weather forecasts; issuing televised warnings and weather advisories; and conducting research and studies, among others.379 The United Nations Plan of Action on Disaster Risk Reduction for Resilience calls on the United Nations system to “make disaster risk reduction a priority”.380 The UNCT can play a crucial role in disaster preparedness through its recommendations, treaties and best practices. Indeed, the UNCT can promote the implementation of international standards and tools such as the “Crisis Management in Regulatory Systems” that strengthens regulatory frameworks to manage crisis and emergencies.381 In this regard, it can collaborate with the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNISDR) for standardized guidelines and coping mechanisms/processes. Floods, droughts and windstorms are the most frequently occurring natural disaster events. Unpredictable events such as earthquakes will also continue to hit cities hard. Recognizing the need to address DRR, Saudi Arabia joined other Arab countries in developing The Arab Strategy for Disaster Risk Reduction 2020. The Strategy is based on the Hyogo Framework for Action’s global priorities for disaster risk reduction and focuses on enhancing DRR capacities in prevention, assessments and response.382 Through the Housing and Land Management Programme, disaster risk prevention and mitigation in cities can be addressed through integrating and mainstreaming DRR into relevant policies and building standards; environmental assessments of plans,383 work together to prevent, prepare for and respond to industrial accidents; and finally, the UNCT can support the government through advocacy and awareness raising. Effective DRR requires timely response

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and public awareness of potential risks and action required for mitigation and response. Other important areas that need strengthening include:

 National level coordination especially in terms of the division of responsibilities;  Monitoring and baselines through reliable and standardized data collection for evidence-

based decision making in addition to the involvement of local authorities through the use of the Local Government Self-Assessment Tool (LGSAT); and

 Implementation of crosscutting issues: gender mainstreaming/gender disaggregated data, capacity development and adopting a participatory approach to DRR.

2.5 Cross-Cutting Issues

2.5.1 Human Rights and Justice The Saudi legal system has been applied throughout the Kingdom in strict accordance with Shari’a law, the Qu’ran, and the authenticated traditions of the Prophet Muhammad’s ruling and practices. Human rights issues have been addressed in the Basic Law of Governance. Article 26, which stipulates that: “The State shall protect human rights in accordance with the Islamic Shari’a”.384 The Law also covers gender equality before the law. Article 47 stipulates that: “The right of litigation shall be guaranteed equally for both citizens and residents in the Kingdom. The law shall set forth the procedures required thereof.”385 The Law likewise guarantees that litigation before all courts and judicial bodies shall be free of charge and upholds the principle of equality of rights as stipulated under Articles 26, 27, and 28 of the Law.386These Articles guarantee that any citizen shall have the right to seek redress in the event of violation of the Principles contained in these articles by a number of means. Redress mechanism include the court of the King and of the Crown Prince; regional governors, the Board of Grievances, Shari’a courts (including the Supreme Judicial Board; the Court of Cassation; the general courts; and the Courts of Summary Justice); labor tribunals and the settlement of labor disputes;387 and the Public Investigation and Prosecution Department.388 Moreover, the protection of human rights is being given increasing importance in the Kingdom, including prominence in the Tenth and the Ninth Plan’s overall objectives. Indeed the first objective of the Tenth plan calls for guaranteeing human rights.389 Additionally, Saudi Arabia is addressing a number of human rights issues, particularly with regard to women (in the next section), religious minorities, children, migrant workers, and those in the criminal justice system, through the establishment of the Saudi Arabia Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) which acts as a body comparable to a National Human Rights Institution (NHRI) and its president has the status of a Government Minister,390 and a National Society for Human Rights.391 Additionally, several positive steps have been taken to advance human rights and access to justice, including the engagement in a positive manner with UN human rights mechanisms and organizations such as the Office of the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) as well as international NGOs (INGOs) who can access the country; and appointing Dr. Thuraya Obaid as one of the 30 appointed females to the Shura Council and her election as Chair of the Human Rights Committee.

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In 2009, Saudi Arabia underwent the Universal Periodic Review (UPR),392 a new United Nations mechanism to regularly measure human rights practices in all countries.393 During the UPR, the Kingdom accepted recommendations to consider ratifying international rights treaties to which it was not yet a party to, including:

 The International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR);  The International Convention for the Protection of All Persons From Enforced

Disappearances (ICPPED); and  The International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and

Members of Their Families (ICRMW).

Moreover, building on its membership in the UN Human Rights Council 2011-12 term, several important steps have been taken,394 including working to end the individual sponsorship and passport control systems for migrant workers. New legislation to combat human trafficking has also been issued in recent years with a need for effective implementation capacities. As such, it has ratified several core international human rights instruments,395 including:

 The Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC);  The Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or

Punishment (CAT);  The Convention on the Rights of Persons With Disabilities (CRPD), and  The Convention on Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW).

T The kingdom accepted many of the UPR’s recommendations and parts of recommendations and indicated willingness to consider others in due time.396 Indeed, e significantly, in its responses to the UPR of 2013, it accepted 187 recommendations including:

 Accession to other international human rights instruments;  To continue the consideration of ratification of the main international instruments on human

rights, notably the ICESCR and ICCPR;  To continue to strengthen domestic legislation to promote and protect the rights of women,

children, domestic workers and migrant workers;397 To “strengthen the criminal procedural code and the code of practice of lawyers, and ensure that they are in line with international standards;”

 To “consider the elaboration of specific legislative guidelines for codification of discretionary penalties and dissemination of such guidelines among all judges, lawyers and prosecutors concerned;”

 To implement legal guarantees to ensure the independence of the judiciary  To abolish all legislation, measures and practices that discriminate against women,” in line

with its obligations under CEDAW; and  To amend the Code of Criminal Practice to ensure that only individuals older than 18 are tried

as adults, in line with its obligations under the CRC.

Additionally, the government in the 2009 UPR submission addressed the issue of human trafficking highlighting the Trafficking in Persons (Offences) Act issued in 2009 to combat

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trafficking in persons and outlines the penalties in these cases in addition to establishing the Standing Committee on Trafficking in Persons.398 With regard to children’s rights, UN agencies are supporting the government to move from the focus on survival and development to sustainability of gains, improvement of services and, especially, protection issues with regard to juvenile justice and child abuse, violence and neglect, including for non-national children. OHCHR has recently established presence in the country supporting the SAHRC. This is a particularly critical due to the absence of legal protective frameworks as noted “very few laws or regulations explicitly address child offenders. As a result, law enforcement officials, judges, and prosecutors have very broad discretion to determine issues such as when to arrest children, how long to detain them, and what punishments to impose on those deemed to have broken the law. These gaps in legislation and regulation leave children vulnerable to arbitrary arrest and detention, unfair trial, and criminal penalties that violate their fundamental rights.”399 In the recent UPR review of 21 October 2013,400 UN agencies made recommendations to improve human rights conditions in the country, including expanding press and media freedoms as advocated in international standards.401 Additional recommendations made to Saudi Arabia included for example, ratifying other human rights instruments to which it is not yet a party to; acceding to ICCPR, consider ratifying the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (OP-CAT);402 ratify the International Labor Organization (ILO) Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organize Convention;403 ILO Right to Organize and Collective Bargaining Convention;404 ILO Minimum Age Convention;405 and to withdraw its reservations to CEDAW, CRC and CERD, among others.406 These effect the rights of migrant workers, particularly domestic migrant workers, which remain of special concern despite some improvements in the protection of these workers. Increasing compatibility between national laws and procedures and international human rights law has become a priority. In this regard it is worth mentioning that to-date the kingdom did not accede to the 1951 Convention relating to the Status of Refugees and its 1967 Protocol,407 and to the 1954 Convention relating to the Status of Stateless Persons, and the 1961 Convention on the Reduction of Statelessness as well as taking steps to enact national legislations guiding prevention and reduction of statelessness or the protection of stateless persons which has been a recommendation by UNHCR as part of the UPR of 2013.408 Other areas that require attention include:

 Ratification is still missing on the two covenants, enforced disappearance, migrant workers and all treaty-based complaint procedures;

 Saudi Arabia is late in submitting reports to the Treaty Bodies (TBs) and there is inadequate follow up on the implementation of obligations/recommendations from TB or UPR (2009 -2014) despite accepting 187 recommendations out of 225;409

 Saudi Arabia Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) is still considered a Government body not in line with the Paris Principles;410 and

 The National Human Rights Society (NHRS) was created by a royal decision, other attempts to establish independent CSOs failed in the absence of a law.

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Additional challenges include institutionalizing a culture of human rights, gender equality and the empowerment of women, expanding the participation of stakeholders, and the fight against corruption.

2.5.2 Women’s Empowerment 2.5.2 (A) Situation Analysis and the Tenth National Development Plan Priorities Women make up approximately half of the Saudi population,411 (13,504,050 million of the total 30,770,375 million; of which 3,200,507 million non-Saudis).412 The ratio of female migrants to male migrants on the other hand is approximately 1:2, (3,200,507: 6,867,332).413 About one third are below the age of 14 (3,661,194), and 2,463,216 are between the ages of 15-24 years old. 414 Figure 7 highlights the Saudi Arabia Population Pyramid – 2014: 415

Figure 7: Saudi Arabia Population Pyramid – 2014. Source: Central Intelligence Agency, World Fact

Book.416

In recent years, the attention given by Saudi Arabia to the social, economic and cultural development of women and the family is a priority embodied in the Basic Law of Governance and the strategic goals of the successive development plans. Article 8 of the Basic Law stresses equality without discrimination based on gender. It stipulates, “The system of governance in the kingdom of Saudi Arabia is based on justice, consultation "Shura" and equality according to the Islamic Shari’a (Islamic Law).”417 Article 13 of the Basic Law also provides for the government’s responsibility in “educating citizens without discrimination and helping them acquire the knowledge and skills to become useful members of the society.”418 Several measures and policies have been issued to enhance women’s economic participation.419 As noted in the Ninth Development Plan, “the status of women in education, health and economic development was enhanced, and the standard of living of families improved steadily. There was also a vibrant dialogue in the media on the effective role of women and the family, emphasizing its developmental viability in this respect.”420 The late King Abdullah was instrumental in obtaining more rights for women. Indeed, women are now able to participate in civic life than before, as high-profile women were appointed not

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only to Ministerial posts, but also to university deanships and directorships in quasi- Governmental civil society organizations. He also introduced cautious economic and social reforms. In January 2013, the King issued a historic Decree allowing women to be members of the kingdom’s “previously all-male Shura Council for the first time,”421 and amended two articles in the Council’s statute introducing a 20 percent quota for women in the country’s 150-member Council, and appointing 30 women to join the consultative assembly.422 This move is important in giving women the opportunity to represent the public, and to be part of decision-making processes. As the late king stated "The development we are working at must be gradual."423 In this regard, the UNCT can have very positive contributions in two main aspects: 1) building women’s civic education capacity to be able to enjoy and practice their recently attained voting rights, and 2) building women’s candidature capacities to be able to perform their tri-role in elected bodies. These two aspects are needed to attend to the Unicameral Decree issued by late King Abdullah (Women’s right to vote and run for elections).

Another break through under the late King was the decision to grant women the right to vote and run as candidates in local elections,424 noting "Because we refuse to marginalize women in society in all roles that comply with sharia, we have decided, after deliberation with our senior ‘ulama [clerics] and others ... to involve women in the Shura Council as members, starting from the next term." 425 The elections will mark also an 83 percent of the voting centers allocated to women.426 One report noted that over 80 women might run in the Eastern Province city council elections with few declaring their potential candidacy for the municipal committees.427 Another positive step for women’s empowerment has been the issuance of identity cards to women for the first time. The Council of Ministers issued in March 2013 a new law making independent national identity cards mandatory for Saudi women within a period of seven years. Saudi males 15 years old and older should also obtain separate identity cards.428 The identity cards are vital for women, especially those in businesses and who serve as Shura Council members and to access vital services. Prior to the issuance of the cards, women had to bring at least one family member to identify her. The cards will enable women to carry out all their activities with ease. Previously Saudi women were listed as dependents on their father or husband's card and were not allowed to travel without being accompanied by a male legal guardian or with written permission from a male relative.429 Numerous other progressive steps were taken as well including the expansion of the Scholarship Programmes, which started in 2005 to send women on scholarships abroad to pursue their studies and thus enhance their employment opportunities.430 The scholarship provides them with a monthly stipend and a stipend for a male companion.

Clearly, the directions of the Tenth Plan (2016-2019) reflect the attention given by the Kingdom and the resources it allocates to promote the status of women and enhance their participation in economic and social development, including education, health, social care and employment with specific targets to build on the progress made. In particular, the plan calls for a three-pronged approach focusing on social, economic and administrative empowerment. On social empowerment, it will focus on enhancing the role of civil society institutions and increasing the participation of women in development processes including enhancing their participation in decision-making bodies at national and international levels and establishing female cooperative societies. On the other hand, in economic empowerment the emphasis will be placed on

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developing the supportive services and facilities to enhance women’s economic participation and create job opportunities and options for women including capacity development to match labor market needs. Both the social and economic empowerment endeavors will be buttressed by developing regulations on capacity development and skills enhancement for women, availing opportunities for managerial positions and providing services such as nurseries to support working mothers (please see Annex 15: Tenth Development Plan Thirteenth’s Objective - Empowering Women and Increasing their Contribution to Various Fields of Development). In this regard, it is important to highlight that several initiatives have been launched in recent years, notably enhancing female employment in the retail sector and an initiative supporting individuals 'working from home'. These have led to an increase in female participation of Saudi nationals from 17.8 percent in 2008 to 20.1 percent in 2013.431 Despite these progressive steps, several challenges remain. For instance, there is the need to enhance women’s role in decision-making bodies and representation in public offices to reach the 30 percent threshold recommended by the Beijing protocol.432 Moreover, their employment remains sector-specific confined mostly to the single-sex occupations, such as the bureaucracy or in health care,433 which calls for developing their capacities and broadening their opportunities. International indicators point to the progress that needs to be achieved by Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia Gender Development Index (GDI) ranking stood at 112 in 2013 (out of 187 countries ranked with #1 as the best).434 For example, there is a big discrepancy in the estimated gross national income per capita (2011 PPP$) with 16,197 for females as opposed to 78,689 for males,435 and the Human Development Index (HDI) ranking for 2013 was 0.773 for females as opposed to 0.861 for males.436 Furthermore, in its Gender Inequality Index, it ranked 56 out of 187 countries with a value of 0.321,437 and similarly in terms of labor force participation rates it registered 18.2 percent for females (% ages 15 and older in 2012) versus 75.5 percent for males. 438 Table 3: Gender Development Index and the Gender Inequality Index Source: UNDP, Human Development Report 2013, p. 176 and 172.

Gender Development Index (GDI) 439

Gender Development Index (GDI)

Human Development Index (HDI)

Life expectancy at birth

Mean years of schooling

Estimated gross national income per capita

Value Years Years (2011 PPP$)

Ratio of female to male HDI

Rank female male female male Female Male Female Male

2013 2013 2013 2013 2013 2013 2002- 2012

2002- 2012

2013 2013

0.897 112 0.773 0.861 77.6 73.9 8.0 9.2 16,197 78,689

Gender Inequality Index440

Gender Inequality Index

Share of seats in Parliament

Population with at least some secondary education (% ages 25 and older)

Labor force participation rate (% ages 15 and older)

Value Rank % held by women Female male Female Male

2013 2013 2013 2005-2012 2005-2012 2012 2012

0.321 56 19.9 60.5 70.3 18.2 75.5

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Important to note that women activists have been urging for reform to ensure women’s empowerment.441 The main issues they have raised include:

 Acknowledging the differences in religious interpretations which may facilitate the implementation of CEDAW articles -- such as those that affect women's empowerment and participation in public life;

 Resolving the issue of the guardianship of a male over the woman or a mahram (a relative who is not allowed to marry a woman such as a father, brother, son, uncle, nephew, grandfather, or father-in-law). Few of these calls for change have also been echoed by the Saudi National Society for Human Rights which notes that 'The denial for an adult woman to act on her behalf, in some times, except through a guardian or an agent, is harming her a lot, and is deepening the inferior look to women and to their legal and constitutional capacity.” The issue of guardianship according to many, constricts the ability of women to enjoy their access to services, all of which requires the permission of the guardian, such as enlisting in educational institutions, traveling, employment, accessing health facilities, etc.; and 442

 The enforced gender segregation, which affects women’s active engagement in the public sphere and limit their influence on political decision-making.

2.5.2 (B) Women’s Health The level of progress witnessed by the health sector in Saudi Arabia in recent decades has propelled its health services to a level often comparable with those in developed countries, even as some health indicators require further improvement. A network of primary care, as well as an integrated system of monitoring and combating communicable and infectious diseases, has contributed to improvements in maternal and child health in particular. In this regard, the National Integrated Comprehensive Health Care Services’ project is based on guarantying health care for all. The maternal mortality ratio (MMR, maternal deaths per 100 000 live births) 443 stood at 16 in 2013,444 decreasing from 41 in 1990,445 and registering a percentage change in MMR between 1990- 2013 of -61 percent.446 Moreover, births attended by skilled health personnel reached 97 percent during 2009-2013.447 At the same time, immunization of mothers against neonatal tetanus increased from 93 percent in 2000 to 98 percent in 2012.448 These figures reflect the fact that reproductive health services constitute a basic pillar of health policies in the Kingdom. The concerned health agencies provide integrated maternal healthcare services to mothers that improved healthcare indicators. It is also important to note that efforts have been made for integrating men in the reproductive health programs as participants in this process, along with the introduction of the concept of birth spacing to maintain mothers’ health and integrating the reproductive health strategy within the primary health care strategy. Overall, the average life expectancy at birth has improved in the last quarter-century increasing from 69 in 1990 to 76 in 2013 at the national level,449 and for females from 71 in 1990 to 78 in 2013 and for males from 67 to 74,450 Females as a percentage of males stood at 105 percent in 2012.451 Similarly, the crude birth rates increased from 46.4 in 1970, to 35.7 in 1990 to 19.9 in 2012,452 with the crude birth rates slightly higher for males (25.3 percent) than females (24.3 percent) in 2014.453

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However, the crude death rates decreased from 15 in 1970 to 3.3 in 2012. 454 It stood at 3.5 percent for the total population (Saudi and non-Saudi) in 2014 and was higher for males (4.27 percent) than females (3.53 percent) among Saudis and 2.98 percent males versus 2.01 percent for females among the non-Saudis.455 The 2007 Demographic Survey show that there is a difference between the singulate mean age at marriage (SMAM)456 of males and females. For males, it stood at 27.2 versus 24.6 for females, compared with 28.4 years for males 24.7 for females in 2000. The Survey also indicated that among Saudi women (15 years and over) 32.1 percent were unmarried versus 40.1 percent unmarried males; 60.2 percent married females versus 58.7 percent married males; 5.4 percent widowed females versus 0.4 percent widowed males; and 2.3 percent divorced females versus 0.8 percent males. Notably, proportions of the divorced were small, but had increased, albeit slightly, compared with 2004 when they were 1.6 percent for females and 0.6 percent for males. In addition, the data of marital status by age group show that 96 percent of Saudi women in the 15– 19 age group who had never married was high, which confirms a general trend towards later marriage.457 The demographic profile of the Saudi Population (15 years and over)458 indicates that the highest number of married women were in the 25 - 29 age group; the largest number of divorced women being in the 30 - 34 age category; and the highest number of widowed ladies was in the 65 - 69 age bracket (please see Annex 16: the Saudi Population -15 years and over – by sex, age groups and marital status).

2.5.2 (C) Gender-based Violence Several institutions have been established to advance women’s rights including a higher national committee specialized in women’s affairs and 13 social protection committees. The various actors involved in Ending Gender-based Violence include: the Women's Section of the Institute of Public Administration in Riyadh which was established in 1983 for the training of senior administrative leaders and employees of government agencies; the National Society for Human Rights established in 2004; the Ministry of Labor which issues documents aiming at regulating the conditions in a workplace which allow women rights and privileges;459 and the Ministry of Social Affairs which has a Directorate General for Social Protection responsible for cases of domestic violence and provides services for children under the age of eighteen as well. Another objective of the directorate is rapid intervention in cases of abuse and coordination with the relevant authorities (government and private) to serve victims of domestic violence. It carries out several programmes benefiting a total of 328,477 including: awareness education and programmes (105,713); assistance through the libraries(20,442); filling spare time (121,198); first aid courses (12,564), specialized training courses (68,560), and supporting a number of homes as shelters for women(163).460, With recent amendments to the law, now Saudi women who have been divorced by non-Saudi husbands can apply for “citizenship rights” for their children (which gives children from Saudi mother’s rights to work and live in Saudi Arabia),461 though they still cannot pass the Saudi “citizenship” to their children from non-Saudi husbands. In addition, one of the interesting aspects is allowing the participation of young Saudi women in the 2012 Olympics as the first female athletes to represent the Kingdom at the games.462

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Issues of reliable statistics regarding domestic abuse remains a challenge with most of the cases unreported. Similar to other countries, there are no reliable statistics regarding domestic abuse, thus most of the cases go unreported. In 2013, the Kingdom’s courts dealt with 454 cases of violence against women, with Makkah having the highest cases of 314, then the Eastern Province and Riyadh being the third. 463 The breakdown of the registered cases were 234 concerning Saudis and 220 cases for non-Saudis. Courts in Najran and Al Jouf did not report any cases. 464 Important to note that Saudi Arabia ratified CEDAW in 2000, with reservations stating that the Kingdom is not obligated to observe the terms of the Convention that contradict Islamic law.465 In its April 2008 comments to Saudi Arabia’s CEDAW Report, the CEDAW Committee included a number of recommendations to the Kingdom in line with its obligations under the Convention. The CEDAW concluding observations in 2008 called on the government to ensure that “… the national machinery for the advancement of women has the necessary visibility and decision- making, as well as coordination, powers to enable it effectively to fulfil its mandate in promoting gender equality. It requests the State party to provide in its next report a clearer and more detailed picture of the national machinery, both the central coordinating body and the sectorial units to be created, including its authority, functions, powers and resources. Taking into account that the Human Rights Commission has been tasked with the implementation of the Convention and other human rights treaties, it also recommends that the Commission be comprised of an equal number of female and male staff and board members as well as providing full and easy access to women to claim their rights.”466 Other recommendations included expressing concern with the country’s “distinctive understanding of the principle of equality, which implies similar rights of women and men as well as complementarities and harmony between women and men, rather than equal rights of women and men.” It likewise recommended that the Government end the practice of male guardianship over women, which it said, “contributes to the prevalence of a patriarchal ideology with stereotypes and the persistence of deep-rooted cultural norms, customs and traditions that discriminate against women and constitute serious obstacles to their enjoyment of their human rights.”467 The Committee also called on the Government to withdraw its reservation to the Convention.468 In the national report submitted by Saudi Arabia to the UPR in 2013 on human rights progress accomplished in the Kingdom during the period 2009–2013,469 the government highlighted the Decrees that enhanced the participation political and economic participation of women in public life including acquiring full membership to the Council and occupying at least 20 percent of the seats in addition to be able to run for municipal councils elections; to hold high public offices and the mediation sections in courts and NGOs to address family issues.470

In the UPR review of 2013,471 there were few concerns raised on issues of women’s rights and provided few recommendations on issues of gender discrimination that the Kingdom committed to review and address in the next submissions.472 Issues raised included criminalizing feminicide in compliance with CEDAW, introducing legislations to eliminate all forms of legal discrimination against women, and introducing laws “prohibiting all child, early and forced marriages, including the introduction of a legal minimum age of majority for marriage, and other measures to safeguard and enforce women’s rights relating to marriage, choices and free and full consent.”473

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Moreover, the CEDAW Committee highlighted issues of domestic violence noting “While noting that a domestic violence law is being drafted and social protection committees have been established recently, the Committee is concerned about the incidents of violence against women, the absence of specific laws relating to violence against women, and the lack of prosecution and punishment of perpetrators of violence against women, including domestic violence.”474 In response, a draft domestic violence law has been drafted.475 The law however comes short of full protection as since it “does not detail specific enforcement mechanisms to ensure prompt investigations of abuse allegations or prosecution of those who commit abuses.” 476 Important to note that Saudi Arabia accepted the UPR’s,477 recommendation to strengthen domestic legislation to promote and protect the rights of women, children, domestic workers and migrant workers. It also accepted to ensure that the victims of domestic abuse have immediate access to mechanisms of protection and redress,478 it did not accept to eliminate all forms of legal discrimination against women, nor to introduce laws prohibiting “all child, early and forced marriages, including the introduction of a legal minimum age of majority for marriage,” etc.479 Despite the gradual progress being made, other challenges include:

 Saudi Arabia’s ranking by international observers on socioeconomic and political rights remain low despite showing improvements since 2004;480

 The need for policies and programs that address women throughout the life cycle such as young women remain inadequate including the expansion of athletic opportunities for females within the framework of societal social values (physical education for girls is still prohibited in schools). Currently, youth policies and services are concentrated on sports and activities geared specifically toward young males;

 The need to address women’s economic empowerment especially in terms of opportunities;

 Issues of nationality and for women to pass their citizenship to their children of non-Saudi fathers; and

 The protection of domestic workers.481

2.5.2 (D) Women’s Achievements in Education During the past three decades, Saudi Arabia has made marked achievements in making education available for all, particularly women. Despite the relatively late start in the education of girls, the rates of enrolment for girls’ at all educational levels have increased sharply. Adult literacy rates for females (percentage of females ages 15 and above) reached 91 in 2013,482 as opposed to 94 percent adult literacy rate in 2013 (percentage of the people ages 15 and above),483 and the adult literacy rate for females as a percentage of males for 2008-2012 stood at 90.5 percent.484 On their other hand, the literacy rate for youth females (percentage of females ages 15-24) stood at 99 for 2013,485 similar to the rates for youth males,486 (please see, Annex 17: Female Population – 15 Years and Over – by Age Groups and Educational Status 2013). There is a slight difference in the mean years of schooling between males and females (2002-2012) which was 9.2 percent versus 8.0 percent for females. 487 However, education needs to improve for all since the percentage of the population with at least some secondary education which is an

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indication of illiteracy rates (percentage ages 25 and older) for 2005-2012 stood at 66.5 percent,488 with the rate for females during the years 2005-2012 standing at 60.5 percent and for males 70.3 percent. 489 The second challenge related to education is the educational specializations women enroll in which is mostly centered on education and humanities. Notable progress has been made through availing few specializations that were previously closed to women, such as engineering and law. However, certain engineering disciplines are still not available for women such as chemical engineering and mechanical engineering and the like. Additionally, in 2009, the late King Abdullah inaugurated the first university where male and female students share classes.490 Currently, women constitute 50 percent of university graduates and have significantly outperformed men in terms of Ph.D. degrees earned.491 Finally, there is the challenge of increasing women’s participation in decision-making positions within higher education posts. Only one woman has been appointed as Assistant General Manager of Educational Affairs to each area manager.492 In February 2009, Ms. Nora Al-Fayez was appointed as the first female Vice Education Minister for girls’ education. 493 Moreover, obtaining scholarships represents a challenge for women. The requirement of the Ministry of Higher Education is for every female student to be accompanied by a guardian/mahram or a male relative when traveling outside the country. She also needs to have a male’s consent to be granted a scholarship to study abroad. 494

2.5.2 (E) Economic Empowerment Entry of women into the labor market was slow in the early stages of development. As noted earlier, the participation rate for females (percentage of female population ages 15+) constituted 20 percent in 2013,495 and national figures for 2014 indicate that Saudi females constituted 16.4 percent while Saudi males in the labor force constituted 83.6 percent,496 as shown in Figure 2 (which was illustrated previously) on the Distribution of Saudis in the labor force -15 years and above- by Sex.497 As shown in Figure 3 previously, latest statistics on the distribution of Saudis versus non-Saudis in the labor force (15 years and above) was 46.90 percent of non-Saudi males as opposed to 37.30 percent of Saudi males and 20.20 percent of Saudi females versus 5.5 percent of non-Saudi females.498

On the other hand, unemployment total (percentage of total labor force) stood at 21.3 percent for females (percentage of

female labor force),499 and unemployment among the Saudis stands at 60.30 percent for females. In addition, youth labor force participation rate for ages 15-24 stood at 9.80 percent as of 2013 for females of the total,500 and

Males 84%

Femal es

16%

Figure 2: Distribution of Saudis in the Labor Force (15 Years and Above) by Sex. Source:

Central Department of Statistics and Information, Labor Force Survey, 2014, Round

two, p. 16.

37.30 %

20.20 %

46.90 %

5.50% Saudi Males

Saudi Females

Non-Saudi Males

Figure 3: Distribution of Saudis and Non-Saudis in the Labor Force (15 years and above) by Sex.

Source: Central Department of Statistics and Information, Labor Force Survey, 2014, Round two, p. 16.

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unemployment among female youth ages 15-24 stood at 21.1 percent for 2013, 501 of whom 55.3 percent are females,502 and 21.1 percent are males.503

Women’s entry into the labor market is delayed standing at 42.6 percent in the age group 25-34 years old and data indicates the need to enhance women’s employment rates since it has shown a slow progress over time as Table 4 on labor force participation rates (2008-2012 by Sex) illustrates: 504

Table 4: Labor Force Participation Rates 2008-2012, by Sex. Source: World Bank. World Development Indicators, Saudi Arabia,

Washington, D.C. 2014.

Another aspect of women’s participation in the labor force is that the level of educational attainment influences it. It is worth noting that women without their secondary graduation diploma have little chance of being employed with fewer than 3 percent having a job. In sharp contrast, the vast majority of employed women are educated with more than 97 percent of employed women holding a diploma.505 Most working women (81.8 percent) are highly educated and heavily concentrated in urban areas. On the other hand, 78.3 percent of unemployed women have a bachelor’s degree, compared with 14.9 percent of unemployed men, indicating a serious mismatch between current higher education for women and labor market realities.506 Because of the enforced separation between men and women in the public sphere, the opportunities for women’s employment remains limited to the single-sex bureaucracy or health care. However, recent policy changes are beginning to show some progress in this regard.507 Yet, this is not without challenges. The difficulty of using public transportation or driving represents a challenge for mobility.508 Similarly, their participation in the private sector remains limited to 6.2 percent of all employed and predominantly in the service sector. 509 Thus, progress is slow but taking place with an estimated 20,000 companies owned by business women and women’s investments amounting to 21 percent of the total volume of private sector investments,510 with about 85,197 women-owned registered commercial enterprises in 2012, 511 (please see Annex 18: Women-owned Commercially Registered Enterprises by Type of Activity up to 2012).512 One remarkable example of women’s engagement in the private sector is Lubna Olayan as CEO of the Olayan Financing who was the first woman elected to a board position in the Kingdom, in

2008 2009 2010 2011 2012

Female 18.6 18.3 18.6 18.9 19.1

Male 76.8 76.8 77.1 77.3 77.3

0.0

10.0

20.0

30.0

40.0

50.0

60.0

70.0

80.0

90.0

LFPR, by sex (% 2008-2012)

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addition to being a member of the International Business Council of the World Economic Forum.513 The private sector is also playing a big role in employing young females. The initiatives take a three-pronged approach: direct employment programs especially in the retail sector and factories; developing employment methods (tele-work, part time or work from home); and sustaining women employment through support services, such as awareness, transportation and nurseries (please see Annex 19: Private Sector Approach to Female Employment).514 The results of these initiatives can be observed in an upward in female employment trends. According to the report by the Human Resources Development Fund as shown in figure (8), the number of Saudi females employed in the private sector increased significantly after implementing women empowerment initiatives, particularly from 2011 to 2012.515 Yet this is not without challenges. According to the Civil Affairs Ministry, there are 1.2 million Saudis working in the public sector with women accounting for 38.3 percent. For social and cultural factors, Saudi women prefer to work in the education sector as teachers and administrators (estimated at 87.4% of the Saudi women workforce).516 Moreover, the success in integrating women to work in the various sectors now open to women has been very slow and gradual since it is dependent on societal changes and acceptance. The UNCT can have an effective role in exploring options for integrating women in the labor market, gender mainstreaming of policies and practices; capacity development for women on non-financial business services, and strengthening gender-sensitive legislations. The Kingdom has also taken steps to increase female employment levels. In an effort to increase and diversify work opportunities for women, in 2004 the Council of Ministers endorsed a package of policies and measures designed to enhance women’s participation in economic activities including setting up an integrated national plan for the Saudi female force to determine demand, offer skills development, and improving working conditions such as prolonged maternity leaves and setting up coordination committees to encourage the private sector to employ women and support their participation including through tele-work (Annex 20: Summary of Policies and Measures Adopted by the Council of Ministers in 2004 to Enhance the Economic Activity of Women). Additional positive steps have been taken in recent years as well to increase women’s employment. In 2011, the late King Abdullah banned men from working in lingerie and cosmetics stores and ordered the jobs to be made available to women. This has opened new avenues for Saudi women to start working in other retail jobs, particularly those serving primarily female customers.517 Furthermore, entities like GloWork, founded in 2011, matched women with jobs by

Figure 8: Female Employment in the Private Sector for 2012. Source: Human Resources Development Fund - Youth, Female Employment initiatives in the Private Sector.

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“creating opportunities in sectors previously inaccessible to females ... [having] put over 3,000 women in the workplace, and found work-from-home jobs for 500 women”.518 Moreover, the Ministry of Labor undertook several measures starting in 2012 to broaden the scope of women’s employment in different fields. A decree availed opportunities for women to work in clothing, accessories, supermarkets, restaurants, etc., as long as social and cultural norms are respected.519 Moreover, the new Saudi Labor Code (amended in 2005) no longer included a provision explicitly requiring sex segregation in the workplace this is in addition to the fact that the Saudi Council of Ministers adopted a resolution in 2010 requiring all Government agencies that provided services related to women to establish women’s sections, within one year. However, as pointed out by International Labor Organization (ILO) Committee of Experts on the Application of Conventions and Recommendations was the “need for awareness raising that the law no longer prohibited women and men to work together and to improve the access of women to all professions.”520 The same issue of enforcement of laws and strengthening relevant monitoring mechanisms also applies to the elimination of trafficking, especially on prosecuting those guilty of trafficking in accordance with the Council of Ministers of Order No. 244 of 2009 prohibiting trafficking in persons. 521 Root Causes The common root causes for the above challenges, which are interlinked, can be traced to:  Socio-cultural traditions that may result in constraints to opportunities based on gender;  Need for a strengthened human rights culture and expanded civil society participation;  Structural imbalances in the labor market;  Continued high dependence on petroleum as the economic base; and  Inequities in socioeconomic indicators, by region, rural-urban divide and gender.

2.5.3 Youth 2.5.3 (A) Situation Analysis and the Tenth National Development Plan Priorities Saudi Arabia is a young society where in 9,697.6 were under the age of 18 in 2012.522 They also represented about 35 percent of the working age population.523 Saudi Arabia classifies its “youth” as its population segment aged between 15-24 years. It further divides this segment into two sub- segments: 15-19 years and 20-24 years. The 2009 government census estimates the youth to be about 3.9 million, which represents about 21 percent of the total Saudi population and about 35 percent of the working age population. The median age is 19 years - implying that half of the youth are under 19 years of age.524 The census also indicated that the youth population is equally divided between the two genders - a change from 2007 where young women exceeded young men by approximately forty thousand.525

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The Figure 9 below illustrates the size and pattern of the youth bulge for Saudi Arabia. The resident population of the Kingdom stood at 26.2 million in 2011 indicating that more than have of the population is under the age of 25 and distributed as follows:526

Figure 9: Population Profile and Age-Sex Distribution. Source: Assaad R, Parlapiano A, Stanton L. Youth Movement,

Washington, D.C. 2011. 527

The Government census in 2004 divided places of residence under major cities, small towns, villages and the desert. According to this census, more than 60 percent of the youth population live in major cities, with almost 40 percent living in small cities and villages, as shown in Figure 10 below on the Distribution of Youth by Place of Residence as a Percentage (2004):528

Figure 10: the Distribution of Youth by Place of Residence as a Percentage (2004). Source: Ministry of Economy and Planning, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The Ninth Development Plan (2010–2014); Central

Department of Statistics and Information, General Census of Population and Households, 2004.

There is a high enrollment of youth in all educational levels including tertiary education, with the ratio for the 15–19 years old age group amounting to approximately 86 percent with 89.8 percent of young men and 81.3 percent of young women.529 On the other hand, the ratio of dropout rates decreased to almost half for the 20–24 years old age group, and the differences between genders narrowed significantly with 41.3 percent of young men and 39.2 percent of young women. Of the 20–24 years old age group, the proportion of young males in the labor market is 57.2 percent, with

Small Cities 17%

Villages 20%

Desert 1%

Large Cities 62%

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their ranks increasing by dropouts from the education system. Forty six percent of young women in the same age group are devoted to domestic work, with only 14.5 percent engaged in the labor market.530 Table 5: Youth and the Labor Market Source: Distribution of Youth in and out of the Workforce as a Percentage (2004). Ministry of Economy and Planning, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The Ninth Development Plan (2010–2014); Central Department of Statistics and Information, General Census of Population and Households, 2004.

Age Group In workforce Out of Workforce

Student Full-Time Domestic Work

Other

Male Female Male Female Male Female Male Female

15-19 9.5 3.1 89.8 81.3 0 15.2 0.7 0.4

20-24 57.2 14.5 41.3 39.2 0 46.0 1.5 0.3

15-24 30.7 8.3 68.2 62.1 0 29.2 1.1 0.4

Similarly, based on the population census of 2010, the distribution of employed versus unemployed Saudi youth indicates that 0.50 percent of males; and 0.19 percent females in the age group 15-19 are employed, and 7.18 percent males and 5.81 percent females in the age group 20- 24 are employed,.531 On the other hand, the unemployment rates stood at 6.7 percent for males and 0.9 for females in the age group 15-19 as opposed to 45.9 percent males and 30.5 percent females in the age group 20-24 (please see Annex 21: Youth Employment/Unemployment).532 The Long Term Strategy for Saudi Arabia highlights the young-age structure of the Saudi population. Bearing this in mind, the Saudi government has taken a number of proactive steps towards its development as an important global player, and has increased its focus on its youth, the issues they face, and what can be done for their physical, cognitive and entrepreneurial development. This is evident in the role the youth played in the development of the Ninth and Tenth Development Plans. The recently issued Tenth Development Plan (2015-2019) has outlined an entire objective dedicated to the entrepreneurial, cognitive and physical capacity development for the youth. This not only covers sufficient planning strategies to target the youth’s needs more effectively, but also involves developing their scientific and technical capabilities, including forging strategic partnerships with the business sector for training programs in addition to focusing on developing the youth’s physical capacities through sports.533 Saudi Arabia recognized that the youth are key players in its development and has thus formulated its first National Youth Strategy in cooperation with the UNCT in 2010. The strategy serves as a wide umbrella for all programmes, activities and events related to youth.534 The strategy emphasizes achieving justice, creating a balance between the genders, and seeking to better understand what young men and women want. Moreover, the strategy aims at enabling youth socially and economically to help them achieve their aspirations. There are eight themes highlighted in the Strategy for youth development:

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Education and Training Strengthening social ties between educational institutions and students; improving the quality of education; and ensuring that educational institutions teach skills required by the labor market.

Labor Addressing youth unemployment; teaching employable skills relevant to the job market; working on the prevailing work culture and ethics; and fostering entrepreneurship.

Health Reinforcing knowledge and abilities in personal and social health including nutrition and lifestyle, psychological health, traffic accidents, reproductive health, drug and smoking abuses, and environmental behaviors.

Culture and Media To find ways for the youth to participate in the drafting of the national media strategy through new media, arts, and other channels.

Communication and Information Technology Enabling youth to benefit from information technology by making it a complementary part of their daily lives. The main elements to this would be bridging the information technology gap; establishing a geographical balance in the spread of internet services; and qualifying and building skills for specialized youth, among others.

Leisure and Use of Free Time To provide outlets for the youth to spend their leisure time through sports and leisure facilities, tourism and competitive sport.

Citizenship and Participation Increasing youth participation in the formation of public opinion as well as in decision-making by increasing their civic participation and volunteering among others.

Family Improving needed skills by the youth to form and raise a family of their own in an efficient manner. Issues reviewed under this include marriages, divorce, domestic violence and other specialized needs.

Another area of focus in the Youth Strategy is to enhance the development of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) managed by youth. The current enterprises’ situation is that it is in the control of a handful of big business groups which rendered the SMEs sector marginal. Now there is a focus to allow the educated young Saudis to set up SMEs financed by the government to addresses challenges in the labor market and utilize youth’s capacities. Innovative programs have been developed to tackle youth unemployment. These programs include the Colleges of Excellence, whose goals is to establish 50 technical training institutes, over the next ten years to provide on the job training, which promotes private sector employment as well as skills development. The government also launched a career education program that aim to provide a lifelong service. In addition, Project Parallel offers online courses that teach and promote general employability and skills. Moreover, the government launched unemployment assistance to support unemployed youth. Hafiz 1 was set up to help jobless Saudi’s between the age of 20 and 35 through providing them with financial assistance of SR 2,000 as paid training for one year to demonstrate willingness to seek employment.535 The successive development plans’ goals have been linked with education outcomes to meet labor market needs. As such, the government has been investing heavily in education and

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development. In 2008, it allocated 19.3 percent of its expenditure and 5.6 percent of the GDP towards education.536 Additionally, multiple studies indicate that a majority of Saudi men and women are implicitly rejecting the conventional approach to learning which “favors rote memorization and seeks to perpetuate the official demand for religious, social and political obedience”.537 Through various programs, the government is addressing the matching of educational outcomes, skills and employment opportunities. One program for example is the Saudi Skill Standards that focuses on regulating technical and vocational education to match labor market needs. This is in addition to the Ministry of Labor’s Career Education and Project Parallel which aim to focus on job vacancies and career fairs as well as employment readiness skills (online pretests, e-learning modules and e-coaching during work experience and on-the-job training). Similarly, the on the job training and Joint Training programs focus on hands-on paid internships, 538 and job placements programs. 539 The Strategy also focused on curricula development and in 2012, the English Language Development Project was launched to improve English language skills. Additional programs include the King Abdullah Scholarship Program (KASP) focusing on science on technology in educational at all levels. When the program started in 2005 there were 2,100 scholarships and by 2013, this figure reached 194,000 students worldwide specializing in various fields.540 The Government dedicated SR 22 billion for the over 207,000 Saudi students studying abroad with their families.541 Additionally, numerous institutions address youth challenges and offer opportunities for youth development. Examples of these include the support services and programs offered by the General Presidency for Youth’s Welfare covering sports, cultural and social activities; the programs in support of educational qualifications and programs offered by the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Higher Education; the training offered by the Technical and Vocational Training Corporation; the activities sponsored by the Ministry of Social Affairs and the Ministry of Culture and Information, other line ministries and the private sector (Please see Annex 22: Programmes Targeting Youth). From the above it is clear that Saudi Arabia has made notable progress towards its youth development. However, much progress remains to be made to empower youth both nationally and internationally and tackle the issues youth are facing. 542 Some of the key issues faced by Saudi youth include unemployment, education and health challenges, and the financial constraints to establish families, among others. The main issue for young people is not merely to escape unemployment. Finding an appropriate job is an important cornerstone of the life cycle of young men and women. Indeed, this issue preoccupies all young people who seek a job that provides a suitable income, have a recognized social value, and agrees with their personal inclinations. One of the challenges faced is the preference of young people for public sector employment due to the assumption that it provides better benefits of secured pension, work conditions and is less demanding/competitive than the private sector. 543 A survey carried out by the Boston Consulting Group found only about one in four Saudis citing career opportunities among their top three concerns. Regional differences were significant for this topic as well with 43 percent of the

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respondents from the north who including career opportunities as a top-concern, compared to only 23 percent from the center. 544 Reflecting this regional disparity, one focus-group participant emphasized the limited opportunities for jobs in public-sector departments outside the center, where Riyadh is located: “All the departments are gathered in Riyadh, so everyone has to go there. There are no opportunities in other areas.” Another participant described the frustration in seeking employment, “Every day, I have to search for a job and fill out applications, but it’s hopeless.”545 Additionally, the study interviewed 1000 Saudi’s aged 16-29 years old. The sample was weighted to represent Saudi youth demographics in terms of gender, age, social grade, region and rural or urban location. The challenges identified included the high cost of living (over 60 percent of respondents) and regional disparities. Respondents from the east and the south were more likely to cite regional inequality as a top concern versus respondents’ from the center. The discrepancy between salaries and the cost of living may limit youth’s ability to start their own families, as one participant noted, “Currently, salaries are very low, and the cost of living is very high. If a young man earns 3,000 or 4,000 riyals per month, how can he afford the cost of living when he might be spending around 200 or 300 riyals per day?”546 Finally, the inadequate supply of affordable housing is a major constraint with 55 percent of respondents highlighting this. This is an especially significant concern in the east of the Kingdom, where nearly three-quarters of respondents included it in the top three concerns with only about one in five respondents in the north citing it as a major issue.547 The 2007 census data on marriage rates points to a trend towards delaying marriage, with the average age rising from 25.3 years for men and 20 years for young women in 1979 to 27.2 years for males and 24.6 years for females in 2007.548 Large dowries and the high costs of marriage ceremonies, acquiring reasonable housing, equipping and furnishing the marital home are factors that contribute towards the reluctance of many young people to get married or delay marriage for years, or marrying non-Saudi women, which in turn contributes to increasing the rate of women who have never been married. The majority of the youth in this age group are unmarried with 93.9 and 78.6 percent for males and females respectively in the 15-24 age group. This is in contrast to the 20-24 age group who are mostly married with 87.7 percent of males as opposed to 59.9 percent for females. On the other hand, the proportion of married females is higher than males in all age groups. For example 39.3 percent for females as opposed to 12.2 percent for males in the 20-24 age group were married (Please see Annex 23: Distribution of Youth by Marital Status as a percentage for 2007):549 According to the Ninth Development Plan (2010-2014), the increasing cost of marriage and the difficulty of securing adequate housing requires a systematic approach to address the societal problems faced by youth. Adopting measures for facilitating marriage; among other measures will lessen the burden on young people.550 Important to highlight that young women have specific circumstances and needs, requiring particular attention in youth policies. Such consideration ought to be integrated into the general youth policy. This is especially the case since a large number of recreational policies and services

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for youth focus on typically male-related sports, which is compounded by social values that may restrict women’s participation.

2.5.3 (B) Youth and Education Saudi youth literacy rates stand at 94 percent, making it 10 percent higher than the global average. Saudi youth are actively partaking in all education levels, with lower levels of illiteracy in the 15- 24 age group, as evident in the Table 6 below on the distribution of Youth by Education Levels (2013):551

Table 6: The Distribution of Youth by Education Levels. Source: Central Department of Statistics and Information. Statistical Yearbook, 49th Issue, 2013.

Population (15 Years and Over) by Age Groups and Educational Status (2013)

Age Group

Illiterate Read & Write

Primary Level

Intermediate Level

Secondary Equivalent

Pre-Univ. Diploma

MA

Ph. D.

Total

15-19 14,850 32,223 424,529 1,493,078 547,998 0 0 0 2,512,678

20-24 23,228 57,906 114,654 270,002 1,571,391 240,348 539 0 2,380,206

Around half of primary and secondary school students do not meet the required levels of basic learning achievement standards. Moreover most two-thirds of college students earn degrees in fields that do not offer direct paths to employment e.g. agriculture sciences, educational services, humanities (e.g., art and history), which do not provide skills valued by private sector employees.552 Furthermore, women who constitute 59 percent of the national student body do not have access to certain classes and disciplines, specifically in areas of sciences such as engineering and veterinary medicine. This is further supported by unemployment figures where youth unemployment stands at around 40 percent whereas the total adult unemployment is around 8 percent. This could indicate a difficult education to employment transition.553 While there have been major improvements in education, many observers have noted a mismatch between the education received by young Saudis and the skills demanded by the ever growing economy. A recent survey of around 4,500 university students from Riyadh, Al Qassem, Dammam, and Jeddah revealed that the ‘mismatch between the Saudi job market and education’ is one of the biggest anxieties faced by students. Only 48 percent of women and 57 percent of men indicated that they are confident about finding jobs after they graduate.554 In another survey of youth’s opinion on the effectiveness of the education system, respondents indicated that it is effective for teaching them about Islam and basic academic subjects (mathematics, reading and writing), however, they were not satisfied with “soft skills” such as analytical thinking, problem solving, effective communications, all of which are needed for the job market.555 The below figure 11 indicates Youth’s Perceptions of Education and Work Skills:556

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Figure 11: Youth’s Perceptions of Education and Work Skills. Source: Hildebrandt J, El Abbouri M and Alibraheem M. (2014). What Matters Most to Saudi Arabia's Youth?

As a direct result of this insecurity for employment prospects in the private sector, both women and men prefer to work in the public sector. The public sector employs around 80 percent of all working Saudis with little room for new jobs to be created. Between 2004 and 2009, “less than a quarter of new private sector jobs were taken by Saudi nationals, according to government statistics.”557

2.5.3. (C) Youth and Health Health challenges faced by young people are largely due to lifestyle, notably:

 Nutrition and lifestyle: The community in general, and youth in particular, have adopted unhealthy nutrition and lifestyles. Young people consume over average fast food and soft drinks, while having a sedentary lifestyle devoid of physical and muscular effort. This results in numerous health problems, such as obesity, diabetes, incidence of early cardiovascular disease, among others;

 Traffic Accidents: According to official statistics, during the Eighth Development Plan (2009-2013), the average number of deaths caused by traffic accidents amounted to about 6000 annually, while the average number of injuries amounted to 35.5 thousand cases a year. Casualties are heavily concentrated among young males, with traffic accidents being the primary cause of death among young people and the most important source of disability. This requires immediate action that is not limited to regulating traffic and imposing harsher penalties on violators of regulations, but extends to organizing relentless national awareness campaign.

 Reproductive Health: Youth is a biological transition and maturation phase resulting in specific health problems and needs that cannot be overlooked. Adolescents and young people need sources of reliable and comprehensive knowledge about general health (nutrition, exercise, personal hygiene and reproduction). The family, schools, and agencies of the Ministry of Health need to enhance their advocacy efforts by providing appropriate information and advice for young men and women in a manner consistent with Islamic culture and traditions. This would achieve two interrelated goals. The first

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relates to preventive health and the second is social- cultural. This awareness campaigns deal directly in a healthy manner with the needs and problems of young people. It protects the youth from searching for information from unreliable sources, with all the attendant health and unacceptable social behavior risks.

 Drug Abuse: Youth is the group most targeted by drug producers and dealers resulting in the abuse of drugs. Drug abuse is due to a combination of reasons such as access to drugs, ample purchasing power, peer pressure, family breakdown and a lack of constructive means of spending free time. These factors generate social and psychological pressures, primarily on the youth who resort to drugs as a form of escape. Drug abuse, though limited, is a cause for concern, lest it spreads, particularly since it reflects individual and social crises that require prevention, awareness and treatment.558

 Leisure Time: Another issue is leisure time, which the Ninth Development Plan (2010- 20140 define as the time a person may occupy themselves with whatever they desire outside work or study commitments which is not adequately available. Several studies suggest that young people have around 4-12 hours of free time a day but this is often not utilized fruitfully; a situation that carries with it an educational and social risk as it generates anxiety among the youth. Efforts are being made to provide appropriate recreational facilities.559

 Social changes and the family: Family is a key element of society and social dynamics and is affected by social developments and changes. According to the Tenth Development Plan (2015-2019), the Saudi government aims to keep pace with social dynamics, and contributes the economic and social development of the family and its multifaceted roles, so it provides a psychological, educational and social environment in which young men and women can build a strong, balanced personalities. However this can only be achieved on the basis of acceptance by families and policy makers with flexible family relationships, geared towards achieving the common goals of parents, children and the community alike.560

 Crime and Violence: Along with economic issues, many young Saudi’s are concerned about crime and violence. Nationwide 54 percent of respondents include crime-related issues among their top three concerns. As Hildebrandt, El Abbouri and Alibraheem studety indicated, crime appears to be of greater concern in the north and south, where 66 percent and 70 percent respectively, cited it among their top concerns. In contrast, only 37 percent from the center did so. Additionally, a regional breakdown of responses by crime-related topics indicated that nearly six in ten respondents from the north expressed concerns about crime in general, violent crime, or theft. Road safety is also a concern for nearly half of the respondents from the north. For respondents in the east, south and west the main concerns were war, terrorism and riots.561

2.5.3 (D) Social Media as a Medium of Expression Saudis are among the largest users of internet in the Arab world with about 46 percent of the total population using the internet and the total number of internet users exceeding 13 million. Social Network Sites (SNS) are among the most popular sites on the Saudi internet. Millions of Saudi’s visit YouTube on a regular basis for news that may not be covered by traditional media. Additionally, Saudis are the second biggest adopters of Facebook.562 Saudi Arabia also has over 2.4 million active Twitter users, the highest number in the region and the Kingdom accounts for 40 percent of all active Twitter users in the Arab world.

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According to the sixth Arab Social Media Report launched by the Governance and Innovation Program at the Mohammed bin Rashid School of Government in 2014 social media facilitates better accessibility to government and public sector officials.563 People of all ages are active in political online communities to address messages to government officials, 564 and as means of expression. 565 Indeed, in 2009 a study carried out by Yeslam Al-Saggaf in Charles Sturt University, Australia which focused on utilizing social media for political participation using Jeddah’s 2009 floods as an example indicated that following the floods, thousands of internet users documented what was happening as events unfolded. With social media (Facebook, online political communities and even Al-Arabiya site), they called for action, coordination of efforts, and punishment to those responsible for what they perceived as inadequate government’s response to the natural disaster.566

2.5.4 Overseas Development Assistance (ODA) and South-South Cooperation One of the important global development has been the “rise of the South” in international

development.567 Particular attention must be given to Saudi Arabia’s progress on MDG8,

developing a global partnership for development. As a Net Contributor Country (NCC), Saudi

Arabia is now “the third-largest developing-country contributor to global development efforts

after China and India, providing at least US$1 billion a year.”568 More than 0.7 percent of its GNI

is in development cooperation flows. In 2013, Saudi Arabia’s ODA-like concessional flows were

equal to 0.18% of gross national income (GNI). 569 The above figures highlight the increase in the

disbursements for ODA (in US$ million). Currently, Saudi Arabia’s ODA stood at USD$ 5.7

billion (2013) with USD$ 754 million in humanitarian assistance and USD$161 million in

contributions to UN Peacekeeping.570 Moreover, Saudi Arabia has been the single largest aid

donor in the world since 1973 as measured by the ODA/GNI ratio.571

The total aid provided by Saudi Arabia to developing countries has been estimated at USD$110.61 billion between 1973 and 2012. Various channels are used by the Kingdom to deliver its foreign aid including soft loans, grants, relief aid, and debt relief (about USD$6 billion of poor-countries' debts have been forgiven).572 More than 95 developing countries in Asia, Africa and other regions of the world have benefited from this aid. It cover unrepayable and unconditioned assistance provided by the Saudi Fund for Development.573 Moreover, it is the largest contributor to the Islamic Development Bank (IDB) and a major contributor to OPEC Fund for International Development. 574 . This is in addition to supporting regional and international development institutions including its role in founding the World Bank and IMF and membership in the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA), which is a member of the World Bank Group that invests in developing countries, and finally its contributions to the Arab Fund for Economic and Social Development, among others. In 2009 Saudi Arabia also rose to become the world’s largest provider of humanitarian assistance per unit of Gross Domestic Product (GDP), providing critical assistance to the United Nations and other organizations for crisis and disaster relief, clean energy and other thematic areas.575 From 1973 to 2009 humanitarian relief, “soft” loans and grants to scores of developing countries in Africa, Asia and other regions is estimated to have totaled more than US$100 billion.576

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Moreover, in 2013, Saudi Arabia provided US$109 million for humanitarian emergencies, making it the 20th largest government donor of official humanitarian assistance.577 As part of this engagement on humanitarian issues, the government announced the creation of the King Salman Center for Relief and Humanitarian Works,578 with the objective of the Center of streamlining the Kingdom’s donations to “distressed people across the world”579 through the “creation of a centralized entity to overcome the lack of coordination, overlap, and inadequate information sharing that exists in humanitarian aid provisioning through this unified coordinating body.”580 Additionally, it is also to make visible KSA’s generous contributions globally to humanitarian assistance and the difference it has been making which has for the most part either been unnoticed or was channeled through third parties. The establishment of the Center has also created opportunities for enhanced UNCT engagement on humanitarian issues in KSA and regionally. As noted by Dr. Abdullah Al-Rabeeah, the general supervisor of the center, one of the key Center’s programmes is to disburse the donation of USD$274 million through the United Nations.581 It is proposed that more engagement will be needed with the Center to ensure that it succeeds and enabled to bring global best practices. More importantly, it was deemed important to coordinate what type of assistance is needed by the refugees and in many instances, it is more than food and includes better shelter and better coordination of relief effort. The Saudi Arabia Red Crescent Authority on the other hand, together with related government agencies provides emergency and humanitarian aid to countries affected by disasters and crises. Additionally, organized charity activities that include aid raised and offered under government supervision, through ad hoc committees, also operates in response to specific events. Therefore, the aid in general is provided through soft loans, grants, humanitarian relief and educational fellowships/scholarships to students to study in Saudi Universities. Similar to donor funding and most Southern contributors of aid, geopolitical interests are key in prioritizing neighboring countries’ in development assistance programs, whether based on historical or cultural affinities or interest in geopolitical stability. In this regard, of the four major Southern ODA sources (India, Venezuela, and China); Saudi Arabia was characterized as “the most candid in its official aid policy. The Saudi Fund’s declared objectives are: to provide development financing for other developing countries and to promote non-oil exports from Saudi Arabia.”582 It is also noteworthy that the Kingdom's private sector has also been active in international development including establishing the Arab Gulf Program for United Nations Development Organizations (AGFUND), to support developing countries. Additionally, the private sector provides financial support to several organizations including the Arab Monetary Fund, International Monetary Fund (IMF); the African Development Fund; OPEC Fund for International Development; the Islamic Solidarity Fund for Development; the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), among others (Please see Annex 24: Saudi Arabia's Contributions to Arab, Regional and International Development Institutions up to the end of 2012.)583

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Much of this aid is provided however through the official Saudi Fund for Development (SFD) which gives mainly project‐type assistance (but without technical co‐operation), with programme aid historically representing 4 percent of the total. Direct bilateral support includes some budget support and debt relief.584 The Fund acts as the major channel for economic and social development aid through lending to developing countries, exports promotion and financial assistance. The Kingdom also provides aid through specialized government agencies, such as medical aid by the Ministry of Health, food aid by the Ministry of Agriculture, and university fellowships by the Ministry of Higher Education.585 Bilateral and multilateral economic and social aid provided by the Kingdom in 2012, 586 covered for example 24 bilateral loan agreements to finance the implementation of 24 projects in 17 developing countries. Of the projects 19 are in 13 African countries, and four are in 3 Asian countries. 587 The total value of such aid amounted to SR4111.75 million. It is noteworthy that SFD contributes in financing projects in 80 countries. Beyond financial assistance, Saudi Arabia is increasingly engaged in technical cooperation, seeking to share knowledge related to its development successes. This accord well with the special focus being given to the role of South-South cooperation in the achievement of the SDGs and offers significant and unique scope for United Nations support. The Saudi Fund’s declared objectives are: to provide development financing for other developing countries and to promote non-oil exports from Saudi Arabia. Due to cultural and historical affinities and as a way of promoting local stability and security while enhancing a donor country’s stature and influence within the region, almost half of Saudi Arabia’s foreign aid goes to other Arab countries.588

Assistance provided by the Kingdom in 2012,589 covered support to Yemen for rehabilitation and infrastructure; support to Palestine and Gaza including health supplies; support to Tunisia, Comoro Island for food supplies, Djibouti, Myanmar, Ethiopia, Niger, Burkina Faso, Niger, Morocco, Mauritania, Lebanon, Pakistan, and Sudan, among others, all of which covered humanitarian assistance to address natural disasters such as floods and man-made disasters in addition to technical assistance for projects’ support and direct grants to governments (Please see Annex 25: Saudi Arabia Humanitarian Assistance).

III. The Way Forward: The United Nations Common Country Strategic Framework (UNCCSF) This section is premised on the nature and context of UNCT’s engagement in KSA as an NCC country. The UNCT support is anchored in national ownership and close cooperation with the relevant governmental and non-governmental counterparts, academia, media and the private sector, and hence priorities are determined through joint consultations. This section provides an assessment of areas of comparative advantage for the UNCT and provides suggestion for what the UNCT can explore in its advocacy with national counterparts.

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3.1 The UN Comparative Advantage in Strengthening a Human Rights- Based Approach to Development While Saudi Arabia has achieved high human development status, it still faces numerous challenges with regard to the long-term sustainability of development results. The country is at a crossroads, given that long-term development depends on addressing the remaining economic, social, demographic and environmental pressures. As a result, despite Saudi Arabia’s financially developed status, there remains high demand for international advisory support, including through the United Nations, to assist the government in achieving its vision for sustainable human development and consolidate the progress it has made so far. This CCA provided a human rights-based analysis, which revealed capacity gaps in legislation, institutions, policies and voice including capacities needed for duty bearers,590and rights’ holders to exercise their obligations,591 through several mechanisms from advocacy to systems, processes, and harmonizing international human rights standards with national instruments. Equally important will be measures that enable civil society to make meaningful contributions to policy formulation and implementation, as well as in monitoring the performance of public complementary to reforms in the areas of transparency and accountability.

3.2 Capacity is Development Capacity development operates at three levels: the enabling environment, organizational and individual level. It is broader than the concept of training and encompass a holistic approach focusing on systems, behavioral change, incentives mechanisms and processes, among others.592 For example, in enhancing public administration efficiency, a multipronged approach can be applied where civil service reform in human resources’ management capacities, policy-making processes, and e-government can all be harnessed for a responsive efficient public administration.593 Therefore, based on this identification of challenges, capacity development is needed at various levels, and in different sectors, namely:

 Institutional and human development capacities to address the growing challenges of sustainable and inclusive growth that remain low relative to other high-income countries. For example, a serious mismatch exists between youth skills and emerging employment opportunities, especially among females;

 The need to strengthen the systemic and organizational capacities of the newly established youth-related foundations and NGOs to achieve national goals;

 Enhancing the capacities of local government through improved monitoring, effectiveness, and efficient service delivery;

 Enhancing the technical and institutional capacities of humanitarian organizations. This is particularly relevant since the Kingdom has increased its attention to addressing various global development priorities. This includes important large financial support to the UN’s humanitarian efforts in crisis contexts, such as Haiti, Pakistan and Somalia in recent years. In particular, South-South cooperation can offer considerable benefits;

 Capacity development for CSOs active in development and humanitarian assistance;

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 Capacities to improve national competitive skills through technological progress and volunteerism, including through enhanced ICT capacities;

 Capacities for the sustainable use of energy and water resource management;  Capacities for the crosscutting issues of gender, human rights, environmental protection,

among others, which can all be potential entry points for the UNCT’s engagement; and  Capacities to support the government’s administrative reforms including measures to

improve the efficiency of public services and the professionalism of civil servants, not least through the adoption of results-based management and modern ICT methods, all of which are embodied in the objectives of the Tenth National Development Plan, sectors’ strategies as well as the mandates of the various commissions and Councils established.

3.3 Knowledge-based Equitable and Sustainable Economic Development The policy and programmatic interventions of the UN in Saudi Arabia in addition to their ability to tap into global knowledge can address issues of inclusive growth, vulnerability, institutional and individual capacities, among a range of thematic areas. For example, the UNCT can assist with initiatives for enhanced private sector engagement especially focusing on SMEs development, labor policy reform, women’s employment, tourism and cooperation with other Gulf countries. Further, the UNCT can support capacities in both the Government and private sector for participation in the WTO post-accession process, including improving national reporting to the WTO and improving Government capacities for Doha Round negotiations. Other possibilities include helping the government to explore ways to integrate the human development aspects of trade into local policies and actions. It also can propose policy options for the post-accession process by assisting in further strengthening of national capacities in trade promotion, increased domestic and foreign investments, strengthened competitiveness, new investment options, including in science and technology, and the knowledge economy. The UNCT also offers comparative advantages in such initiatives as “green jobs,” a decent work agenda, and support to the implementation of the new National Youth Strategy to positively affect the largest possible number of young people through value-added investments, education, jobs and livelihoods. It can contribute by building capacities of women and youth for more effective participation in national development through training of trainers, workshops and programmes benefiting all sectors of society, including rural women. Knowledge-based development to enhance diversification and employment generation is recognized as a vehicle for securing the stability and dynamism of the economy. Therefore, it is important to explore ways and means of modernizing and diversifying economic structures through fostering research and development, innovations, and strengthening its impact on various sectors of life.594 This can cover broad areas from education, to human resources development, to governance and innovations in business sector development including incubators and science parks. 595

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3.4 Effective and Equitable Delivery of Social Services for Improved Quality of Life With regard to poverty and social protection, the UNCT can explore support for enhancing the capacities of CSOs in service delivery, among others. This can be in linking education outcomes with labor market needs for example, or in improving the capacities of local administration to improve the quality and relevance of service delivery. Specific support can be in curricula reviews at all levels including for technical and vocational training, teachers’ skills development, and building of capacities for development of national inventories of intangible heritage. In health, the UNCT is well placed to assist in organizational development of the Ministry of Health at central and regional levels, addressing issues such as hospital autonomy, regulation capacities, and quality assurance. It can work with the Ministry to strengthen its capacities for health surveys/statistics and relevant data analysis including documentation, verification, and analysis. Comprehensive health surveys can provide an excellent guiding tool for government health policies; and strengthen capacities for evidence-based decision-making, using analytical tools and development of a health system observatory. In addition, the UNCT can assist in developing capacities in health economics, national health accounts and analysis, and review of national health financing options. Further, it can support the enhancement of national human resources for the management and delivery of health services. Likewise, the UNCT can support the development of primary health care, of cross- sectoral collaboration in health and enhanced involvement of the private sector, and in programmes for preventing and treating communicable and non-communicable diseases. To strengthen strategic objectives that aim to increase food production and stabilize food security, the UNCT can assist with the development of rural areas, boosting productivity, production and marketing efficiency, and diversification of production. It can also help to upgrade the technical and quality food standards to international levels. As the economy diversifies, the UNCT can support national partners in providing incentives for cultural creators, artists and industries capable of stimulating domestic production, distribution and consumption, using sustainable approaches, while linking those to international markets. The UNCT, through its specialized agencies and accumulated wealth of knowledge offers particular advantages in support to adolescents’ empowerment, emphasizing policy and media attention, healthy life skills (HIV/AIDS, substance abuse, and injury prevention), civic engagement options, and holistic approaches to reproductive health with a focus on nationally owned responses. Similarly, in housing, the UNCT can enhance knowledge sharing and exposure to affordable housing schemes in countries with similar conditions; provide available tools for housing profiling, planning and participatory area upgrading; and assist in creating a regional platform for knowledge exchange on affordable housing.

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3.4 Strengthening Education While supporting national efforts to attain the SDGs goals and targets, the UN can support the government to implement the Framework for Education 2030; raise substantially the quality of education, including a rights dimension; support to the introduction of innovative teaching methods; and encourage life-skills-based education, in order to engender a new generation possessing the skills (such as computer literacy) and creativity needed to be successful in the competitive world marketplace. As follow up to the World Education Forum (WEF), Incheon, Republic of Korea in May 2015, the Ministry of Education committed to establishing priorities for Education 2030, based on the key findings of the National Education for All (EFA) Review of Saudi Arabia (2014). These include formulating measurable, actionable targets to build the Education 2030 agenda. First, it will review the new Framework for Action presented at the WEF to ascertain relevance and application of the global education goals and associated seven targets and three means of implementation within the national and sub-national context of KSA. KSA will participate in regional and national level discussions on the Framework for Action, modality of implementation, coordination, partnerships, and financing requirements with specific focus on KSA national context. Second, Ministry of Education KSA will review the proposed thematic indicators for education, and initiate preparations at national level to define and contextualize the indicators, including measures for adapting existing or setting up of new monitoring mechanisms as necessary at country level and to share experiences and lessons learned. Ministry of Education KSA officials will provide feedback on relevance, methodology and data collection challenges amongst other issues. KSA will review the indicators to identify the gaps and challenges to ensure that the proposed indicators are nationally relevant. The Ministry of Education officials will identify the relevant data currently available at the national level as well as the key measurement challenges that must be addressed to measure the full intent of the proposed Education 2030 agenda. KSA will review the proposed targets and thematic indicators for Education as the starting point and align with national monitoring systems, which can be expanded and further strengthened to respond to the emerging needs to systematically track national Education 2030 agenda. Next steps in education include: (i) Review of the Framework for Action to propose targets and implementation strategies relevant for KSA; (ii) Review of the proposed Thematic Indicators and monitoring mechanisms for Education for KSA; (iii) Application of the proposed education targets in a way that is consistent with national priorities and context in KSA by nationally defined benchmarks and time lines for achieving the targets. (iv) Preparations for national definition and contextualization of thematic education indicators towards a National M&E framework and M&E plan relevant to KSA, which is firmly anchored on the national Education 2030 priorities of KSA; (v) By doing so, contribute to strengthening the relevant national capacity in KSA to review and revise as needed their national M&E framework and M&E plan to support the monitoring of national Education 2030 agenda; (vi) Regional Level meeting in Riyadh, KSA with key education stakeholders, population experts and decision makers in the GCC States and Yemen for open dialogue with the United Nations Population Division (UNPD) and UNESCO Doha Office to ensure the production of sound population estimates using national data for educational planning.

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Several agencies are active in promoting and strengthening education in KSA including UNICEF, UNDP, UNESCO and others. For example, UNESCO as lead UN agency to coordinate the fulfilment of education related sustainable development goals is currently engaged in several inter-related processes aimed at providing technical assistance to Member States to formulate and shape the future education development agenda at national level. Within the context of the GCC States, despite the progress made over the past decades in developing educational systems, results in quality of learning outcomes are low when compared to other countries at similar income levels. UNESCO policy research provides a critical analysis of the Performance of Education Systems in the GCC, and provides recommendations for improving the quality of learning outcomes to enable evidence-based decision-making. Improving statistical data will inform the policy dialogue on incorporating a rights-based approach to population, gender, refugees, and children’s issues in plans at all levels. At the same time, it will reinforce the efforts to analyze the effects of economic reforms on the social fabric, with particular reference to vulnerable segments of the population. Moreover, behavioral change and rights-based approaches will be promoted through alliances with a range of governmental and nongovernmental organizations to combat HIV/AIDS and other communicable diseases.

3.6 Promoting Public-Private Partnerships to Address Employment Generation One important mechanisms to enhance diversification and the role of the private sector is through Public-Private partnerships (PPPs), 596 especially in infrastructure (water, sewage, electricity, etc.) and public services’ provisioning (schools, hospitals, etc.) 597 The UNCT through its access to global knowledge and best practices can support the identification and implementation of these partnerships and knowledge exchange (i.e. with support from the International PPP Specialist Centers). PPPs was one of the areas identified in the Tenth Development Plan and the UN can help in piloting such endeavors.

3.7 Sustainable Natural and Cultural Resources Management, Use, and Preservation Based on analysis provided in this document, key capacity gaps with regard to the sustainable use of natural and cultural resources and environment that the United Nations can help to address have been identified as: (1) climate change and energy policy capacities; (2) the need for strengthened implementation of policy frameworks in specific areas and in line with obligations under signed international agreements; (3) coordination issues among institutional and systemic frameworks; (4) human resources’ capacities and capacity building for improved enforcement of related regulations; (5) innovative approaches to address water scarcity; and (6) awareness of environmental issues and risks/impact. In particular, the UNCT’s crosscutting expertise and programming in socioeconomic development, poverty reduction, good governance and capacity development gives it a solid standing for addressing climate change and clean energy not just from a technical perspective, but from a more broad-based development perspective. This can assist in mainstreaming these

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issues into development planning, including urban planning, and public administration at national and local levels. In the energy sector, support can be provided for solar and wind power mapping across the desert, design of new policies, strategies and action plans; and public-private partnerships for pilot initiatives. Likewise, support can also further enhance demand-side management and further increase efficiency, through initiatives on replication to new industries and geographic areas and upscaling in the areas of financial mechanisms, technology transfer, and development policy and regulatory assistance including developing and updating related standards and strengthen monitoring and enforcement of related environmental regulations. Additionally, as the economy diversifies, the UNCT can accelerate the contribution of atomic energy for peace, health and prosperity throughout the Kingdom. It can assist with custom- designed Saudi national projects in use of isotopic techniques for water resources management and radiological monitoring of the marine environment, as well as radiation oncology, dosimetry and control of radiation doses in pediatric interventional radiology. In the rural development sector, the UNCT can bring forth its unique position as a leader in poverty reduction and socioeconomic development. Within the framework of the MDGs and the Tenth Plan, the UNCT is positioned to mainstream issues of clean energy and climate change into rural development policies and activities, again with large scope for solar and wind power generation. Other key sectors where the UNCT is active include the transport and tourism sectors, leading to the integration of sustainable tourism concepts, including ways to mainstream carbon- offset systems into the travel and hotel industry as well as utilization of cultural heritage and resources. The UNCT’s vast experience in promoting environmental financing options and international best practices can be of great benefit to build public-private partnerships to link Saudi Arabia to the global carbon market. This can serve as a source of investment for Saudi Arabia’s own initiatives and to seize an unprecedented opportunity to engage the Kingdom further as a provider of assistance to global climate initiatives under a post-Kyoto Protocol arrangement. Scope exists to replicate Saudi Arabia’s role as an external donor, focused particularly on using South-South cooperation as a means of achieving sustainable energy access in LDCs. Strong UNCT partnerships with non-resident United Nations bodies such as the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change offer critical support to clean energy and climate change policy dialogues, research and high-level advocacy among both Government and business partners, along with connectivity to regional and global forums. The UNCT can specifically support with the design of Saudi Arabia’s next National Communication on Climate Change to the United Nations, including carrying out assessments of emission levels in the Kingdom and climate risks to water security. A potential for a national Human Development Report on the issue of sustainable development also can be explored and it can facilitate brining the UNCT’s diverse experiences to bear fruit, while also offering support to capacity development and planning for climate change mitigation and adaptation at both national and local levels through tripartite partnerships and knowledge exchange on best practices.

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In addition, the UNCT can help to strengthen national strategic objectives that aim to increase food production, stabilize food security, preserve natural and cultural resources and rationalize their usage to meet the needs of current and future generations. An emphasis on development of rural agricultural lands, increasing productivity, production and marketing efficiency and diversification of production can be complemented by upgrading technical and quality standards to international requirements and capacity building and development of human resources. On the policy front, the UNCT can ensure the availability of sound environmental information and analysis for decision making, while assisting the country with compliance with its obligations under ratified Multilateral Environmental Agreements, mainly the Montreal Protocol on Ozone Depleting Substances (ODS) through the development of a national regulatory framework for control of trade in and use of Ozone Depleting Substances (ODS), along with implementation of mechanisms to combat illegal trade. Conversion to appropriate, economically feasible non-ODS technologies in relevant consuming sectors will be emphasized including activities targeting the needs of the Refrigeration and Air conditioning sector (RAC) i.e. the adoption of national scheme for certification of RAC technicians, as will technical support for a National Strategy for Sustainable Consumption and Production. It likewise can provide support to ratification of pending MEAs such as Minimata Convention of Mercury. Equally significant is for the UNCT also to offer important support in protecting public health from the impacts of climate change, as well as in strengthening local government capacities for environmental policy and governance through Environmental Master Plan processes. Implementation of the National Water Strategy can be also supported through technical assistance and advice, employing new opportunities for public-private partnerships. At the same time, design of a new National Biodiversity Action Plan and a revised National Spatial Strategy, to improve land-use planning and integrate human development considerations into urban development plans, offer opportunities for further assistance with connection to obligations under the UN Convention on Biological Diversity and other biodiversity-related conventions and the UN Convention to Combat Desertification. The use of relevant and appropriate radiation and nuclear techniques to promote tangible socioeconomic impact can be encouraged, along with strengthening of legal and technical infrastructure to ensure appropriate national regulatory oversight of technology safety and security.

3.8 Equitable, Efficient, and Responsive Public Sector. Democratic values are enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations, as well as in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Building on its mandate and capacity, the UNCT as a whole has several specific comparative advantages in supporting Saudi Arabia in its efforts to build a more responsive, transparent government for all and to strengthen people’s participation. This includes a focus on the rights of vulnerable groups, including women; children, youth and, particularly, adolescents aged 10-17; rural dwellers; persons with disabilities; the elderly; refugees; migrant workers and stateless persons; and minority social and cultural groups.

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A critical point among the UNCT’s comparative advantages is that it can promote the consistent application of international standards. Second, it also is widely held to be politically neutral in its programming, giving rise to the further unique advantages of universality and legitimacy. Third, it can use its extensive experience from other countries to work with its national partners and establish programmes to address issues specific to Saudi Arabia. Critically, it also has long experience of mobilizing technical assistance and working to ensure that crosscutting issues are addressed involving women, children and the other vulnerable groups noted above. Moreover, the continuing challenges of ensuring effective performance, and the motivation of the Government to address such issues, additionally offer the UNCT an opportunity to support an innovative and collaborative agenda for governance in the country. The UNCT can help promote the thinking about strategic issues in public administration reform’s approaches with the objective of improving government performance and mechanisms to advance reform and in harnessing the collective intelligence and efforts of partners that have an interest in the field. Based on the analysis, key capacity gaps with regard to governance emerged which the United Nations can help to address including: (1) support to strengthen of civil society; (2) raising awareness of human rights principles and capacity development of national human rights’ institutions; and (3) enhancing public accountability systems, public sector reform and civil service capacities. The United Nations can bring exposure to global experiences; consultation support to develop and maintain quality services, particularly in certain institutions; and its ability to work with all actors and involve all concerned stakeholders, including the strengthening of public-private partnerships is a major benefit. The UNCT can support the Tenth Plan to address various aspects of human development challenges in Saudi Arabia. Support and policy advice can be offered for the design of national studies and reports that regularly inform the planning process and decision making, including National Human Development Reports and SDGs, along with specialized economic reports. Likewise, the United Nations has deep-rooted and valuable governance, rule of law and electoral expertise in numerous countries, which can complement its effective cooperation with the Government, particularly in terms of strengthening local administrations. Its impartiality makes it well-placed not only to extend technical assistance to municipal electoral management bodies, but also to build capacities of local leaders. The UNCT can draw on its experience of supporting South-South cooperation with countries that have recently gone through processes of decentralization, and public administration reform, thereby exposing Saudi Arabia to international best practices.

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3.9 Cross-Cutting Issues 3.9 (A) Human Rights Based on analysis, key capacity gaps with regard to quality social services that the United Nations can help to address have been identified as particularly focused on upstream policy advice in the areas of education, health, social protection and housing. The United Nations brings multifaceted strengths to the challenges of deepening quality social services in Saudi Arabia, including its convening power and neutrality; global experience and best practices from other countries; cost effectiveness; a diversified portfolio of experts; specialized Agencies; and seed money. Critically, its comparative advantages on such related issues as public administration reform and community empowerment offer crosscutting relevance to the social sectors as well. The UNCT can further strengthen Saudi Arabia’s external relations with Gulf States possibly by utilization of non-resident agencies through their GCC presence by fostering a solid strategic partnership with governments of the region and the private sector, either directly or through national State-sponsored non-Government organizations and associations, especially taking into consideration the regional nature of many of the UN agencies working in Saudi Arabia. UNCT can provide assistance in human rights awareness and alignment of national legislations with international treaties through tailor-made technical assistance that are effective yet culturally sensitive. In particular, the United Nations’ capacity development paradigm can prove useful, giving tangible expression to the concept of national ownership, which is about the capabilities of making informed choices and decisions, and emphasizing the importance of motivation as a driver of change. All this also places the United Nations in a unique position to conduct constructive dialogue in the area of human rights and people-centered development, which is critical for Saudi Arabia’s further development. The United Nations’ solid track record, high culture sensitivity and neutral political agenda in the Human Rights Based Approach complements and enriches the Kingdom’s focus on human development. In particular, the UNCT can support human rights education and awareness raising, and the national human rights institution and the national protection system. Particular emphasis can be given to child protection, including juvenile justice and various forms of violence, abuse and neglect, especially trafficking, as well as to development of a child abuse database. With regard to adolescents, gender- and age-disaggregated national situation analyses can be developed with youth participation, along with comprehensive national strategies for adolescent empowerment based upon the findings of the analyses. With Youth being at the forefront of political scenes, UNCT can support Youth development agenda focusing on youth rights in a most innovative and culturally sensitive approach using recognized Agency-developed methodologies such as Y- Peer network of youth educators and edutainment education tool. Both, aiming at Youth learning and development in non-traditional way that are online with the common culture norms. .

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The Government also can be assisted with technical guidance for evidence-based monitoring and follow-up on recommendations of various human rights bodies or the UPR, as well as the preparation of periodic reports. Support to further development and strengthening of the State management of refugee issues can be provided, as can assistance to challenges to detention and deportation of refugees and asylum seekers in cooperation with the newly established Center. Likewise, support to strengthened strategic partnerships can be promoted to further the active engagement of civil society in the protection of the rights of refugees and stateless persons.

3.9(B) Promoting Women's Empowerment Based on the analysis, key capacity gaps with regard to women’s empowerment that the United Nations can help to address include the need for: (1) strengthened participation, especially economic participation; (2) support to provide educational outcomes that match labor market needs; (3) support to upstream policy formulation; and (4) protection issues. The United Nations has made multiple commitments to the advancement of women’s rights that can help to address these gaps. The United Nations Charter, other international commitments such as the MDGs, conventions and international human rights instruments provide the basis for the UNCT to work jointly with the government to ensure women empowerment. Thus, perhaps no single other development assistance actor can provide support in this area that has the weight of normative agreements behind it and is perceived as being free from specific national or political agendas. UNCT can provide unique expertise and lessons learnt in the area of women empowerment and development using rights-based approach that is consistent with culture norms. The United Nations’ gender mainstreaming policy and expertise has particular added value in promoting women’s empowerment, as does its experience in working with and for children. Through this it can support capacity development to institutions to encourage more gender-sensitive approaches and gender-based budgeting covering policies and programming. A range of thematic areas can be addressed and support be provided to national partners including access to resources and equal employment opportunities/pay; incentives mechanism, access to microcredit and partnerships’ building, non-financial business training and enhancing women’s engagement in decision making processes and positions.

3.9 © Statistical Capacities for Accountability and Evidence-Based Policy Making Reliable and objective official statistics are crucial for evidence-based decision-making and accountability, monitoring progress towards the MDGs has required notable investment in statistical capacities. The value of official statistics lies in being accurate, objective and impartial. As a result, we know much more now about progress towards better quality of life. The UN has supported Saudi Arabia by providing training and collecting data on all eight MDGs through the Central Statistical Department. Despite significant progress, MDGs’ monitoring has revealed important data and knowledge gaps that still persist. In the new UNCCSF, the UNCT can develop an ambitious initiative on the post-2015 development agenda and related SDGs with its 169 targets and even higher number of indicators.

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Achieving these goals and targets will require integrated social, economic and environmental data. These can include input into designing a monitoring framework for the SDGs. Monitoring progress towards SDGs calls for significant investments in official statistics, also requires effective collaboration between international organizations at regional and global levels. The UNCT through its specialized agencies would need to support the government through technical assistance aiming at capacity building to work in collaboration with line ministries, civil society, private companies and researchers to measure the SDGs, but also to improve the statistical literacy of all users. Government needs to be able to develop adequate indicators that follow international standards. If important data gaps persist, the government’s ability to take action towards the SDGs may be compromised. Equally important is that UNCT can support the government in preparation and implementation of upcoming census. As the government is committed to implement the decision made by the Gulf Cooperation Council to shift to civil registry for data collection by 2020, UNCT can provide much needed capacity building and technical assistance to achieve that ambitious goal. A combination of technical assistance to conduct certain tasks and ones targeting capacity development may be most adequate to achieve that goal. This can also support other emerging priorities, such as issues of refugees and migration, especially in terms of how to better measure migration or rural/urban flows, and its new forms and develop mechanisms to support the application of related international guidelines and to react to emerging challenges. Similarly, on Climate Change-Related Statistics where closer involvement of official statisticians can support the reporting on greenhouse gas emissions under the Kyoto Protocol for example. The aim is also to improve existing official statistics and provide more geospatial data for analyzing climate change, its social and economic impacts, and adaptation efforts. Another key area is the increasing demand for statistical information by gender. Gender disaggregated data inform the public of the changing roles of women and men, and help formulate policies and monitor changes. In particular, the Database systems need strengthening for identifying pockets of in-country disparity and vulnerability, and for facilitating evidence- based policy advocacy for rights-based legislative and policy planning processes. Finally, another area is on the economic and social development at the sub-national levels. Regional data can cover statistics on the economy, population, education, employment, work-life balance, health, crime, transport, and indicators on MDGs, etc. Entry points can encompass a thorough analysis and recommendations for improving capacities in official statistics including applying international standards in measurement, and for promoting innovation in census taking. Population and housing censuses represent the foundation of statistical systems with baseline information for planning public services at national and local levels and producing statistics. This is especially the case since census is a costly and complex exercise. UNCT can provide a wealth of knowledge and lessons learnt in that regard that will reduce cost by providing state of the art in data collection and identifying most successful approach while keeping an eye on country-specific challenges. Moreover, concerns

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about quality, respondent burden and privacy issues need to be tackled. Capacities can be on alternative census methodologies, highlighting their advantages, disadvantages and conditions. Innovation is the single most important driver of sustainable economic growth. In order to flourish, innovation needs supportive regulatory frameworks and policies. It can lead to enhanced competitiveness, productivity, and sustainable economic growth. This can be attained if the prerequisites of investments in research and development and ensuring industry-science linkages are made.598In this regard, the UNCT can offer the following service/policy advice support/partnership including support to assessing innovation policies against international best practice, regulatory and policy frameworks; developing policy recommendations and assisting with implementation; legal protection of intellectual property, the system of public financing for innovation, and the transfer of foreign technology; facilitating financial support for incubators, business parks and innovation centers. Another key area for the UNCT to support include providing policy advice and capacity building services to strengthen the innovative capacity of the economy including carrying out a performance innovation review. This includes conducting a review analyses of the national innovation system, benchmark it against international best practice, and provide a range of recommendations for improvement. This examines aspects of GDP; private sector contribution to the economy; role of public sector in domestic economy; economic growth; levels of education; imports/exports; share of state financing on R&D; number of staff working in research organizations; R& D outputs (# of patents; share of manufacturing in exports; improvements in competitiveness ranking; Government procurement of tech products, company spending on R&D; university-industry collaboration, quality of scientific research institutes; availability engineers/scientists, patenting. Several other areas can be highlighted for UNCT support including addressing the structural characteristics of the economy; supporting innovations systems; supporting knowledge generation and absorption; and supporting industry-science linkages and collaboration in the innovation process.

Conclusion The analysis of the development situation provided thus indicates priorities for development cooperation in Saudi Arabia for the years to come. While each United Nations Agency in the country has its distinct mandate, yet they all share commitment to international and national goals and complementarity – and thus incorporate the roots of collaboration. The UNCT’s consultations led to four broad areas in which support for Saudi Arabia can be explored with Government and concentrated. These are:

1. Knowledge-based equitable and sustainable economic development; 2. Effective and equitable delivery of social services for improved quality of life; 3. Sustainable natural and cultural resources’ management, use, and preservation; and 4. Equitable, efficient, and responsive public sector.

These are complemented by five equally important crosscutting issues that the analysis finds apply to all areas: (1) South-South Cooperation; (2) Capacity Development; (3) Human Rights, including labor rights; (4) Women’s Empowerment; and (5) Youth and Adolescents.

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The strategic priorities selected represent a proposed common responses that is based on addressing national goals and opportunities to strengthen both national capacities and international cooperation, maximizing individual Agency strengths at country level in line with United Nations reform. The strategizing and implementation will be inclusive in consultation with public and private partners and expanding the scope to enhancing the role of civil society institutions, including the media and academia. The UNCT could have a positive, tangible and upstream impact on the development in Saudi Arabia. A key task for the UNCT will be to engage not only the domestic agenda with the country, but also expand its role to facilitate technical assistance from Saudi Arabia to other developing countries, as particularly noted in the crosscutting issue of South-South cooperation. The future of UNCT partnership with Saudi Arabia can have consequences not only for the sustainability of MDG results within the Kingdom but also, increasingly, globally, as Saudi Arabia continues its progress toward becoming of the most consequential countries in the world. Yet at the same time, a challenge – and an opportunity – also exist to build on the United Nations’ traditional role as a provider of technical expertise and to deepen the overarching comparative advantages of the UNCT, related to credibility and accountability derived from longstanding partnerships; impartiality in provision of capacity development support and policy advice; access to relevant international knowledge resources and best practices; a foundation of international norms and standards; and flexibility to respond quickly to emerging national needs and priorities. This can help to establish the UNCT as a hub of global knowledge and best practices in the strategic areas of cooperation, as well as contribute to a focus on upstream policy support in a manner consistent with Results Based Management. In addition, it can stimulate formation of new strategic partnerships, One UN activities, and communicating together for results. A key UNCT strategy will be to focus on development of human capital and to further concentrate on core poor and vulnerable groups, including women, particularly with regard to employment, education, health and overall gender issues; children, for nutrition, preschool education and protection issues; youth aged 15-24, for issues of opportunity and participation as well as access to quality education and health services; and refugees and migrant workers, for overall well-being, protection, education and employment. It is particularly important to note that the UNCT will move well beyond a straightforward “training” approach to emphasizing the use of strengthened national systems, decision making, and capacity development. This allows Agencies to apply a common approach to support for development of so-called “functional capacities” – situation analysis, policy design and strategy formulation, and monitoring, evaluation and learning, among others – with a customized approach to support for technical or sectoral capacities. In summary, while the UNCT’s role in Saudi Arabia is predicated first and foremost on the principle of national ownership and demand in the context of a net contributor country, nevertheless this CCA identifies a number of key development challenges and opportunities for the UNCT to explore with Government in its support of development activities and the SDGs in the Kingdom. In the context of the transition taking place in the country, the UN’s role in Saudi Arabia must also evolve, ensuring its continuing relevance and added value in the dynamic,

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complex and rapidly changing environment of a high-income, high-human-development country. Whatever the UN does in any country must be underpinned by the programming principle of the human rights-based approach. As it moves forward with the development of the UNCCSF, the UNCT can also explore wider engagement of other domestic and international partners – local government, civil society organizations, the business community, the media and academia alike. In so doing, the UNCT can help Saudi Arabia capitalize on unprecedented opportunities in deepening human development.

*****

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Acronyms and Abbreviations AIDS Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome AFAQ Future University Education Plan of the Kingdom ART Antiretroviral Treatment BMI Body Mass Index CA Country Assessment CCA Common Country Assessment CCS Carbon Capture and Sequestration CAT Convention Against Torture CCS Carbon Capture and Sequestration CDM Clean Development Mechanism CSOs Civil Society Organizations CCS Carbon Capture and Sequestration CDM Clean Development Mechanism CEDAW Convention for Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against

Women CDM Clean Development Mechanism CRC Convention on the Rights of the Child CRPD Convention on the Rights of Persons With Disabilities CSID Central Statistics and Information Department DRR Disaster Risk Reduction DNA Designated National Authority DOTS/TB Directly Observed Treatment System of Tuberculosis DPT Diphtheria, Pertussis (whooping cough), and Tetanus DNA Designated National Authority ECD Early Childhood Development ESCWA United Nations Economic and Social Commission for West Asia FAO Food and Agriculture Organization FDI Foreign Direct Investment GCC Gulf Cooperation Council G20 Group of 20 GDP Gross Domestic Product GHG Greenhouse Gas GNP Gross National Product GNI Gross National Income HDI Human Development Index HDR Human Development Report HM His Majesty HRBA Human Rights-based Approach HIV Human Immunodeficiency Virus HRDs Human Rights’ Defenders HRUF Human Rights Up Front IAEA International Atomic Energy Agency ICCPR International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights ICESCR International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights

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ICPPED International Convention for the Protection of All Persons From Enforced Disappearances

ICRMW International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families

ICT Information and Communication Technologies ID Identification Cards IDU Injecting Drug Users IEF International Energy Forum IFC International Finance Corporation IMF International Monetary Fund IOM International Organization for Migration IDC Infiltrating Duct Carcinoma LDCs Least Developed Countries ILO International Labor Organization INGOs International Non-Governmental Organizations IHME Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) ISO International Organization for Standardization KACARE King Abdullah City for Atomic and Renewable Energy KACST King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology KPE Knowledge-based Economy (KBE) KPI Key Performance Indicators KSA Kingdom of Saudi Arabia KACARE King Abdullah City for Atomic and Renewable Energy KAUST King Abdullah University of Science and Technology LCU Local Currency Unit LDC Least Developed Country LGSAT Local Government Self-Assessment Tool LLIN Long-lasting Insecticide-treated bed Net MDGs Millennium Development Goals MDGR National Millennium Development Goals Report MENA Middle East and North Africa MEP Ministry of Economy and Planning MERS Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus MCM Million Cubic Meter MMRA Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs MOH Ministry of Health NAP Ministry of Health National AIDS Programme (NAP) NTP National TB Control Program NHRI National Human Rights Institution NHRS National Human Rights Society NSDS National Statistical Development Strategy NSS National Statistical System NCC Net Contributor Country NGO Non-Governmental Organization NHRI National Human Rights Institution NHDR National Human Development Report NORMs Naturally Occurring Radioactive Materials

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OP Operational Plan OCHA Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs OECD Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development ODA Official Development Assistant ODS Ozone Depleting Substances OHCHR Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights OP-CAT Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture and other Cruel,

Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment PME Presidency of Meteorology and Environment PPP Purchasing Power Parity PLHIV People Lving with HIV R&D Research and Development RBM Results’-Based Management REDF Real Estate Development Fund SARS Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome SABIC Saudi Arabia Basic Industries Corporation SALIC Saudi Agricultural and Livestock Investment Company SAHRC Saudi Arabia Human Rights Commission SNS Social Network Sites SWA Saudi Wildlife Authority SR Saudi Riyal SFD Saudi Fund for Development SDGs Sustainable Development Goals STI Sexually Transmitted Infection SME Small and Medium Enterprises TV Television TBs Treaty Bodies TB Tuberculosis UN United Nations UNCCSF United Nations Common Country Strategic Framework UNCT United Nations Country Team UNDAF United Nations Development Assistance Framework UNDESA United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs UNDP United Nations Development Programme UNESCO United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization UNEP United Nations Environment Programme UNFPA United Nations Population Fund UNISDR United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction UN HABITAT United Nations Human Settlements Programme UNHCR United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees UNIC United Nations Information Centre UNICEF United Nations Children’s Fund UNIDO United Nations Industrial Development Organization UNRC United Nations Resident Coordinator UNWOMEN United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and Empowerment of Women UPR Universal Periodic Review VCT Voluntary Counselling and Testing

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annexes Annex 1: Proposed Global Sustainable Development Goals. Annex 2: Millennium Development Goals Achievements Annex 3: SDGs’ Proposed National and International Priorities. Annex 4: The Structure of Government Expenditure 1970-2014 Annex 5: The Tenth National Development Plan Objectives Annex 6: National Development Objectives’ Comparison (MDGs, Proposed SDGs, 10th

National Plan) Annex 7: Objectives of the Saudi Employment Strategy Annex 8: National Tenth Development Plan Macroeconomic Development Objectives Annex 9: National Tenth Development Plan Social Development Objectives Annex 10: Social Safety Nets Supportive Measures Annex 11: Government Educational Measures Annex 12: Integrating Environment as part of Sustainable Development Annex 13: Tenth Development Plan Sixth’s Objective: Raising the Value-added of Natural

Resources in the National Economy, Diversifying their Sources and Ensuring their Sustainability along with Protecting the Environment and Conserving the Wildlife.

Annex 14: Tenth Development Plan Organization and Administrative Development Objectives

Annex 15: Tenth Development Plan Thirteenth’s Objective: Empowering Women and increasing their Contribution to Various Fields of Development

Annex 16: Saudi Population (15 Years and above) by Sex, Age Groups, and Marital Status Annex 17: Female Population (15 years and over) by Age Groups and Educational Status

for 2013 Annex 18: Women-owned Commercially Registered Enterprises by Type of Activity Annex 19: Private Sector Approach to Female Employment Annex 20: Summary of Policies and Measures Adopted by the Council of Ministers in 2004

to Enhance the Economic Activity of Women Annex 21: Youth Employment/Unemployment Annex 22: Programmes Targeting Youth Annex 23: Distribution of Youth by Marital Status as a Percentage (2007) Annex 24: Saudi Arabia's Contributions to Arab, Regional and International Development

Institutions Annex 25: Saudi Arabia Humanitarian Assistance Annex 26: Indicators’ Framework.

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Annex 1: Global Sustainable Development Goals Source: Sustainable Development Goals Knowledge Platform https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/post2015/transformingourworld Sustainable Development Goals

 Goal 1. End poverty in all its forms everywhere  Goal 2. End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable

agriculture  Goal 3. Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages  Goal 4. Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning

opportunities for all  Goal 5. Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls  Goal 6. Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all  Goal 7. Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all  Goal 8. Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive

employment and decent work for all  Goal 9. Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and

foster innovation  Goal 10. Reduce inequality within and among countries  Goal 11. Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable  Goal 12. Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns  Goal 13. Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts*  Goal 14. Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable

development  Goal 15. Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably

manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss

 Goal 16. Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels

 Goal 17. Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the global partnership for sustainable development

* Acknowledging that the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change is the primary international, intergovernmental forum for negotiating the global response to climate change. Goal 1. End poverty in all its forms everywhere 1.1 By 2030, eradicate extreme poverty for all people everywhere, currently measured as people living on less than $1.25 a day 1.2 By 2030, reduce at least by half the proportion of men, women and children of all ages living in poverty in all its dimensions according to national definitions 1.3 Implement nationally appropriate social protection systems and measures for all, including floors, and by 2030 achieve substantial coverage of the poor and the vulnerable 1.4 By 2030, ensure that all men and women, in particular the poor and the vulnerable, have equal rights to economic resources, as well as access to basic services, ownership and control over land and other forms of property, inheritance, natural resources, appropriate new

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technology and financial services, including microfinance 1.5 By 2030, build the resilience of the poor and those in vulnerable situations and reduce their exposure and vulnerability to climate-related extreme events and other economic, social and environmental shocks and disasters 1.a Ensure significant mobilization of resources from a variety of sources, including through enhanced development cooperation, in order to provide adequate and predictable means for developing countries, in particular least developed countries, to implement programmes and policies to end poverty in all its dimensions 1.b Create sound policy frameworks at the national, regional and international levels, based on pro-poor and gender-sensitive development strategies, to support accelerated investment in poverty eradication actions Goal 2. End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture 2.1 By 2030, end hunger and ensure access by all people, in particular the poor and people in vulnerable situations, including infants, to safe, nutritious and sufficient food all year round 2.2 By 2030, end all forms of malnutrition, including achieving, by 2025, the internationally agreed targets on stunting and wasting in children under 5 years of age, and address the nutritional needs of adolescent girls, pregnant and lactating women and older persons 2.3 By 2030, double the agricultural productivity and incomes of small-scale food producers, in particular women, indigenous peoples, family farmers, pastoralists and fishers, including through secure and equal access to land, other productive resources and inputs, knowledge, financial services, markets and opportunities for value addition and non-farm employment 2.4 By 2030, ensure sustainable food production systems and implement resilient agricultural practices that increase productivity and production, that help maintain ecosystems, that strengthen capacity for adaptation to climate change, extreme weather, drought, flooding and other disasters and that progressively improve land and soil quality 2.5 By 2020, maintain the genetic diversity of seeds, cultivated plants and farmed and domesticated animals and their related wild species, including through soundly managed and diversified seed and plant banks at the national, regional and international levels, and promote access to and fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from the utilization of genetic resources and associated traditional knowledge, as internationally agreed 2.a Increase investment, including through enhanced international cooperation, in rural infrastructure, agricultural research and extension services, technology development and plant and livestock gene banks in order to enhance agricultural productive capacity in developing countries, in particular least developed countries 2.b Correct and prevent trade restrictions and distortions in world agricultural markets, including through the parallel elimination of all forms of agricultural export subsidies and all export measures with equivalent effect, in accordance with the mandate of the Doha Development Round 2.c Adopt measures to ensure the proper functioning of food commodity markets and their derivatives and facilitate timely access to market information, including on food reserves, in order to help limit extreme food price volatility Goal 3. Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages 3.1 By 2030, reduce the global maternal mortality ratio to less than 70 per 100,000 live births 3.2 By 2030, end preventable deaths of newborns and children under 5 years of age, with all

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countries aiming to reduce neonatal mortality to at least as low as 12 per 1,000 live births and under-5 mortality to at least as low as 25 per 1,000 live births 3.3 By 2030, end the epidemics of AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria and neglected tropical diseases and combat hepatitis, water-borne diseases and other communicable diseases 3.4 By 2030, reduce by one third premature mortality from non-communicable diseases through prevention and treatment and promote mental health and well-being 3.5 Strengthen the prevention and treatment of substance abuse, including narcotic drug abuse and harmful use of alcohol 3.6 By 2020, halve the number of global deaths and injuries from road traffic accidents 3.7 By 2030, ensure universal access to sexual and reproductive health-care services, including for family planning, information and education, and the integration of reproductive health into national strategies and programmes 3.8 Achieve universal health coverage, including financial risk protection, access to quality essential health-care services and access to safe, effective, quality and affordable essential medicines and vaccines for all 3.9 By 2030, substantially reduce the number of deaths and illnesses from hazardous chemicals and air, water and soil pollution and contamination 3.a Strengthen the implementation of the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control in all countries, as appropriate 3.b Support the research and development of vaccines and medicines for the communicable and non-communicable diseases that primarily affect developing countries, provide access to affordable essential medicines and vaccines, in accordance with the Doha Declaration on the TRIPS Agreement and Public Health, which affirms the right of developing countries to use to the full the provisions in the Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights regarding flexibilities to protect public health, and, in particular, provide access to medicines for all 3.c Substantially increase health financing and the recruitment, development, training and retention of the health workforce in developing countries, especially in least developed countries and small island developing States 3.d Strengthen the capacity of all countries, in particular developing countries, for early warning, risk reduction and management of national and global health risks Goal 4. Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all 4.1 By 2030, ensure that all girls and boys complete free, equitable and quality primary and secondary education leading to relevant and effective learning outcomes 4.2 By 2030, ensure that all girls and boys have access to quality early childhood development, care and pre-primary education so that they are ready for primary education 4.3 By 2030, ensure equal access for all women and men to affordable and quality technical, vocational and tertiary education, including university 4.4 By 2030, substantially increase the number of youth and adults who have relevant skills, including technical and vocational skills, for employment, decent jobs and entrepreneurship 4.5 By 2030, eliminate gender disparities in education and ensure equal access to all levels of education and vocational training for the vulnerable, including persons with disabilities, indigenous peoples and children in vulnerable situations 4.6 By 2030, ensure that all youth and a substantial proportion of adults, both men and women, achieve literacy and numeracy

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4.7 By 2030, ensure that all learners acquire the knowledge and skills needed to promote sustainable development, including, among others, through education for sustainable development and sustainable lifestyles, human rights, gender equality, promotion of a culture of peace and non-violence, global citizenship and appreciation of cultural diversity and of culture’s contribution to sustainable development 4.a Build and upgrade education facilities that are child, disability and gender sensitive and provide safe, non-violent, inclusive and effective learning environments for all 4.b By 2020, substantially expand globally the number of scholarships available to developing countries, in particular least developed countries, small island developing States and African countries, for enrolment in higher education, including vocational training and information and communications technology, technical, engineering and scientific programmes, in developed countries and other developing countries 4.c By 2030, substantially increase the supply of qualified teachers, including through international cooperation for teacher training in developing countries, especially least developed countries and small island developing States Goal 5. Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls 5.1 End all forms of discrimination against all women and girls everywhere 5.2 Eliminate all forms of violence against all women and girls in the public and private spheres, including trafficking and sexual and other types of exploitation 5.3 Eliminate all harmful practices, such as child, early and forced marriage and female genital mutilation 5.4 Recognize and value unpaid care and domestic work through the provision of public services, infrastructure and social protection policies and the promotion of shared responsibility within the household and the family as nationally appropriate 5.5 Ensure women’s full and effective participation and equal opportunities for leadership at all levels of decision-making in political, economic and public life 5.6 Ensure universal access to sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights as agreed in accordance with the Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development and the Beijing Platform for Action and the outcome documents of their review conferences 5.a Undertake reforms to give women equal rights to economic resources, as well as access to ownership and control over land and other forms of property, financial services, inheritance and natural resources, in accordance with national laws 5.b Enhance the use of enabling technology, in particular information and communications technology, to promote the empowerment of women 5.c Adopt and strengthen sound policies and enforceable legislation for the promotion of gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls at all levels Goal 6. Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all 6.1 By 2030, achieve universal and equitable access to safe and affordable drinking water for all 6.2 By 2030, achieve access to adequate and equitable sanitation and hygiene for all and end open defecation, paying special attention to the needs of women and girls and those in vulnerable situations 6.3 By 2030, improve water quality by reducing pollution, eliminating dumping and minimizing release of hazardous chemicals and materials, halving the proportion of untreated wastewater and substantially increasing recycling and safe reuse globally

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6.4 By 2030, substantially increase water-use efficiency across all sectors and ensure sustainable withdrawals and supply of freshwater to address water scarcity and substantially reduce the number of people suffering from water scarcity 6.5 By 2030, implement integrated water resources management at all levels, including through transboundary cooperation as appropriate 6.6 By 2020, protect and restore water-related ecosystems, including mountains, forests, wetlands, rivers, aquifers and lakes 6.a By 2030, expand international cooperation and capacity-building support to developing countries in water- and sanitation-related activities and programmes, including water harvesting, desalination, water efficiency, wastewater treatment, recycling and reuse technologies 6.b Support and strengthen the participation of local communities in improving water and sanitation management Goal 7. Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all 7.1 By 2030, ensure universal access to affordable, reliable and modern energy services 7.2 By 2030, increase substantially the share of renewable energy in the global energy mix 7.3 By 2030, double the global rate of improvement in energy efficiency 7.a By 2030, enhance international cooperation to facilitate access to clean energy research and technology, including renewable energy, energy efficiency and advanced and cleaner fossil-fuel technology, and promote investment in energy infrastructure and clean energy technology 7.b By 2030, expand infrastructure and upgrade technology for supplying modern and sustainable energy services for all in developing countries, in particular least developed countries, small island developing States, and land-locked developing countries, in accordance with their respective programmes of support Goal 8. Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all 8.1 Sustain per capita economic growth in accordance with national circumstances and, in particular, at least 7 per cent gross domestic product growth per annum in the least developed countries 8.2 Achieve higher levels of economic productivity through diversification, technological upgrading and innovation, including through a focus on high-value added and labor-intensive sectors 8.3 Promote development-oriented policies that support productive activities, decent job creation, entrepreneurship, creativity and innovation, and encourage the formalization and growth of micro-, small- and medium-sized enterprises, including through access to financial services 8.4 Improve progressively, through 2030, global resource efficiency in consumption and production and endeavor to decouple economic growth from environmental degradation, in accordance with the 10-year framework of programmes on sustainable consumption and production, with developed countries taking the lead 8.5 By 2030, achieve full and productive employment and decent work for all women and men, including for young people and persons with disabilities, and equal pay for work of equal value 8.6 By 2020, substantially reduce the proportion of youth not in employment, education or training 8.7 Take immediate and effective measures to eradicate forced labor, end modern slavery and

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human trafficking and secure the prohibition and elimination of the worst forms of child labor, including recruitment and use of child soldiers, and by 2025 end child labor in all its forms 8.8 Protect labor rights and promote safe and secure working environments for all workers, including migrant workers, in particular women migrants, and those in precarious employment 8.9 By 2030, devise and implement policies to promote sustainable tourism that creates jobs and promotes local culture and products 8.10 Strengthen the capacity of domestic financial institutions to encourage and expand access to banking, insurance and financial services for all 8.a Increase Aid for Trade support for developing countries, in particular least developed countries, including through the Enhanced Integrated Framework for Trade-Related Technical Assistance to Least Developed Countries 8.b By 2020, develop and operationalize a global strategy for youth employment and implement the Global Jobs Pact of the International Labor Organization Goal 9. Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation 9.1 Develop quality, reliable, sustainable and resilient infrastructure, including regional and trans border infrastructure, to support economic development and human well-being, with a focus on affordable and equitable access for all 9.2 Promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and, by 2030, significantly raise industry’s share of employment and gross domestic product, in line with national circumstances, and double its share in least developed countries 9.3 Increase the access of small-scale industrial and other enterprises, in particular in developing countries, to financial services, including affordable credit, and their integration into value chains and markets 9.4 By 2030, upgrade infrastructure and retrofit industries to make them sustainable, with increased resource-use efficiency and greater adoption of clean and environmentally sound technologies and industrial processes, with all countries taking action in accordance with their respective capabilities 9.5 Enhance scientific research, upgrade the technological capabilities of industrial sectors in all countries, in particular developing countries, including, by 2030, encouraging innovation and substantially increasing the number of research and development workers per 1 million people and public and private research and development spending 9.a Facilitate sustainable and resilient infrastructure development in developing countries through enhanced financial, technological and technical support to African countries, least developed countries, landlocked developing countries and small island developing States 9.b Support domestic technology development, research and innovation in developing countries, including by ensuring a conducive policy environment for, inter alia, industrial diversification and value addition to commodities 9.c Significantly increase access to information and communications technology and strive to provide universal and affordable access to the Internet in least developed countries by 2020 Goal 10. Reduce inequality within and among countries 10.1 By 2030, progressively achieve and sustain income growth of the bottom 40 per cent of the population at a rate higher than the national average 10.2 By 2030, empower and promote the social, economic and political inclusion of all, irrespective of age, sex, disability, race, ethnicity, origin, religion or economic or other status

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10.3 Ensure equal opportunity and reduce inequalities of outcome, including by eliminating discriminatory laws, policies and practices and promoting appropriate legislation, policies and action in this regard 10.4 Adopt policies, especially fiscal, wage and social protection policies, and progressively achieve greater equality 10.5 Improve the regulation and monitoring of global financial markets and institutions and strengthen the implementation of such regulations 10.6 Ensure enhanced representation and voice for developing countries in decision-making in global international economic and financial institutions in order to deliver more effective, credible, accountable and legitimate institutions 10.7 Facilitate orderly, safe, regular and responsible migration and mobility of people, including through the implementation of planned and well-managed migration policies 10.a Implement the principle of special and differential treatment for developing countries, in particular least developed countries, in accordance with World Trade Organization agreements 10.b Encourage official development assistance and financial flows, including foreign direct investment, to States where the need is greatest, in particular least developed countries, African countries, small island developing States and landlocked developing countries, in accordance with their national plans and programmes 10.c By 2030, reduce to less than 3 per cent the transaction costs of migrant remittances and eliminate remittance corridors with costs higher than 5 per cent Goal 11. Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable 11.1 By 2030, ensure access for all to adequate, safe and affordable housing and basic services and upgrade slums 11.2 By 2030, provide access to safe, affordable, accessible and sustainable transport systems for all, improving road safety, notably by expanding public transport, with special attention to the needs of those in vulnerable situations, women, children, persons with disabilities and older persons 11.3 By 2030, enhance inclusive and sustainable urbanization and capacity for participatory, integrated and sustainable human settlement planning and management in all countries 11.4 Strengthen efforts to protect and safeguard the world’s cultural and natural heritage 11.5 By 2030, significantly reduce the number of deaths and the number of people affected and substantially decrease the direct economic losses relative to global gross domestic product caused by disasters, including water-related disasters, with a focus on protecting the poor and people in vulnerable situations 11.6 By 2030, reduce the adverse per capita environmental impact of cities, including by paying special attention to air quality and municipal and other waste management 11.7 By 2030, provide universal access to safe, inclusive and accessible, green and public spaces, in particular for women and children, older persons and persons with disabilities 11.a Support positive economic, social and environmental links between urban, peri-urban and rural areas by strengthening national and regional development planning 11.b By 2020, substantially increase the number of cities and human settlements adopting and implementing integrated policies and plans towards inclusion, resource efficiency, mitigation and adaptation to climate change, resilience to disasters, and develop and implement, in line with the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030, holistic disaster risk management at all levels

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11.c Support least developed countries, including through financial and technical assistance, in building sustainable and resilient buildings utilizing local materials Goal 12. Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns 12.1 Implement the 10-year framework of programmes on sustainable consumption and production, all countries taking action, with developed countries taking the lead, taking into account the development and capabilities of developing countries 12.2 By 2030, achieve the sustainable management and efficient use of natural resources 12.3 By 2030, halve per capita global food waste at the retail and consumer levels and reduce food losses along production and supply chains, including post-harvest losses 12.4 By 2020, achieve the environmentally sound management of chemicals and all wastes throughout their life cycle, in accordance with agreed international frameworks, and significantly reduce their release to air, water and soil in order to minimize their adverse impacts on human health and the environment 12.5 By 2030, substantially reduce waste generation through prevention, reduction, recycling and reuse 12.6 Encourage companies, especially large and transnational companies, to adopt sustainable practices and to integrate sustainability information into their reporting cycle 12.7 Promote public procurement practices that are sustainable, in accordance with national policies and priorities 12.8 By 2030, ensure that people everywhere have the relevant information and awareness for sustainable development and lifestyles in harmony with nature 12.a Support developing countries to strengthen their scientific and technological capacity to move towards more sustainable patterns of consumption and production 12.b Develop and implement tools to monitor sustainable development impacts for sustainable tourism that creates jobs and promotes local culture and products 12.c Rationalize inefficient fossil-fuel subsidies that encourage wasteful consumption by removing market distortions, in accordance with national circumstances, including by restructuring taxation and phasing out those harmful subsidies, where they exist, to reflect their environmental impacts, taking fully into account the specific needs and conditions of developing countries and minimizing the possible adverse impacts on their development in a manner that protects the poor and the affected communities Goal 13. Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts* 13.1 Strengthen resilience and adaptive capacity to climate-related hazards and natural disasters in all countries 13.2 Integrate climate change measures into national policies, strategies and planning 13.3 Improve education, awareness-raising and human and institutional capacity on climate change mitigation, adaptation, impact reduction and early warning 13.a Implement the commitment undertaken by developed-country parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change to a goal of mobilizing jointly $100 billion annually by 2020 from all sources to address the needs of developing countries in the context of meaningful mitigation actions and transparency on implementation and fully operationalize the Green Climate Fund through its capitalization as soon as possible 13.b Promote mechanisms for raising capacity for effective climate change-related planning and management in least developed countries and small island developing States, including focusing on women, youth and local and marginalized communities

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* Acknowledging that the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change is the primary international, intergovernmental forum for negotiating the global response to climate change. Goal 14. Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development 14.1 By 2025, prevent and significantly reduce marine pollution of all kinds, in particular from land-based activities, including marine debris and nutrient pollution 14.2 By 2020, sustainably manage and protect marine and coastal ecosystems to avoid significant adverse impacts, including by strengthening their resilience, and take action for their restoration in order to achieve healthy and productive oceans 14.3 Minimize and address the impacts of ocean acidification, including through enhanced scientific cooperation at all levels 14.4 By 2020, effectively regulate harvesting and end overfishing, illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing and destructive fishing practices and implement science-based management plans, in order to restore fish stocks in the shortest time feasible, at least to levels that can produce maximum sustainable yield as determined by their biological characteristics 14.5 By 2020, conserve at least 10 per cent of coastal and marine areas, consistent with national and international law and based on the best available scientific information 14.6 By 2020, prohibit certain forms of fisheries subsidies which contribute to overcapacity and overfishing, eliminate subsidies that contribute to illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing and refrain from introducing new such subsidies, recognizing that appropriate and effective special and differential treatment for developing and least developed countries should be an integral part of the World Trade Organization fisheries subsidies negotiation 14.7 By 2030, increase the economic benefits to Small Island developing States and least developed countries from the sustainable use of marine resources, including through sustainable management of fisheries, aquaculture and tourism 14.a Increase scientific knowledge, develop research capacity and transfer marine technology, taking into account the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission Criteria and Guidelines on the Transfer of Marine Technology, in order to improve ocean health and to enhance the contribution of marine biodiversity to the development of developing countries, in particular small island developing States and least developed countries 14.b Provide access for small-scale artisanal fishers to marine resources and markets 14.c Enhance the conservation and sustainable use of oceans and their resources by implementing international law as reflected in UNCLOS, which provides the legal framework for the conservation and sustainable use of oceans and their resources, as recalled in paragraph 158 of The Future We Want Goal 15. Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss 15.1 By 2020, ensure the conservation, restoration and sustainable use of terrestrial and inland freshwater ecosystems and their services, in particular forests, wetlands, mountains and drylands, in line with obligations under international agreements 15.2 By 2020, promote the implementation of sustainable management of all types of forests, halt deforestation, restore degraded forests and substantially increase afforestation and reforestation globally

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15.3 By 2030, combat desertification, restore degraded land and soil, including land affected by desertification, drought and floods, and strive to achieve a land degradation-neutral world 15.4 By 2030, ensure the conservation of mountain ecosystems, including their biodiversity, in order to enhance their capacity to provide benefits that are essential for sustainable development 15.5 Take urgent and significant action to reduce the degradation of natural habitats, halt the loss of biodiversity and, by 2020, protect and prevent the extinction of threatened species 15.6 Promote fair and equitable sharing of the benefits arising from the utilization of genetic resources and promote appropriate access to such resources, as internationally agreed 15.7 Take urgent action to end poaching and trafficking of protected species of flora and fauna and address both demand and supply of illegal wildlife products 15.8 By 2020, introduce measures to prevent the introduction and significantly reduce the impact of invasive alien species on land and water ecosystems and control or eradicate the priority species 15.9 By 2020, integrate ecosystem and biodiversity values into national and local planning, development processes, poverty reduction strategies and accounts 15.a Mobilize and significantly increase financial resources from all sources to conserve and sustainably use biodiversity and ecosystems 15.b Mobilize significant resources from all sources and at all levels to finance sustainable forest management and provide adequate incentives to developing countries to advance such management, including for conservation and reforestation 15.c Enhance global support for efforts to combat poaching and trafficking of protected species, including by increasing the capacity of local communities to pursue sustainable livelihood opportunities Goal 16. Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels 16.1 Significantly reduce all forms of violence and related death rates everywhere 16.2 End abuse, exploitation, trafficking and all forms of violence against and torture of children 16.3 Promote the rule of law at the national and international levels and ensure equal access to justice for all 16.4 By 2030, significantly reduce illicit financial and arms flows, strengthen the recovery and return of stolen assets and combat all forms of organized crime 16.5 Substantially reduce corruption and bribery in all their forms 16.6 Develop effective, accountable and transparent institutions at all levels 16.7 Ensure responsive, inclusive, participatory and representative decision-making at all levels 16.8 Broaden and strengthen the participation of developing countries in the institutions of global governance 16.9 By 2030, provide legal identity for all, including birth registration 16.10 Ensure public access to information and protect fundamental freedoms, in accordance with national legislation and international agreements 16.a Strengthen relevant national institutions, including through international cooperation, for building capacity at all levels, in particular in developing countries, to prevent violence and combat terrorism and crime 16.b Promote and enforce non-discriminatory laws and policies for sustainable development

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Goal 17. Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the global partnership for sustainable development Finance 17.1 Strengthen domestic resource mobilization, including through international support to developing countries, to improve domestic capacity for tax and other revenue collection 17.2 Developed countries to implement fully their official development assistance commitments, including the commitment by many developed countries to achieve the target of 0.7 per cent of ODA/GNI to developing countries and 0.15 to 0.20 per cent of ODA/GNI to least developed countries; ODA providers are encouraged to consider setting a target to provide at least 0.20 per cent of ODA/GNI to least developed countries 17.3 Mobilize additional financial resources for developing countries from multiple sources 17.4 Assist developing countries in attaining long-term debt sustainability through coordinated policies aimed at fostering debt financing, debt relief and debt restructuring, as appropriate, and address the external debt of highly indebted poor countries to reduce debt distress 17.5 Adopt and implement investment promotion regimes for least developed countries Technology 17.6 Enhance North-South, South-South and triangular regional and international cooperation on and access to science, technology and innovation and enhance knowledge sharing on mutually agreed terms, including through improved coordination among existing mechanisms, in particular at the United Nations level, and through a global technology facilitation mechanism 17.7 Promote the development, transfer, dissemination and diffusion of environmentally sound technologies to developing countries on favorable terms, including on concessional and preferential terms, as mutually agreed 17.8 Fully operationalize the technology bank and science, technology and innovation capacity- building mechanism for least developed countries by 2017 and enhance the use of enabling technology, in particular information and communications technology Capacity-building 17.9 Enhance international support for implementing effective and targeted capacity-building in developing countries to support national plans to implement all the sustainable development goals, including through North-South, South-South and triangular cooperation Trade 17.10 Promote a universal, rules-based, open, non-discriminatory and equitable multilateral trading system under the World Trade Organization, including through the conclusion of negotiations under its Doha Development Agenda 17.11 Significantly increase the exports of developing countries, in particular with a view to doubling the least developed countries’ share of global exports by 2020 17.12 Realize timely implementation of duty-free and quota-free market access on a lasting basis for all least developed countries, consistent with World Trade Organization decisions, including by ensuring that preferential rules of origin applicable to imports from least developed countries are transparent and simple, and contribute to facilitating market access Systemic issues Policy and institutional coherence 17.13 Enhance global macroeconomic stability, including through policy coordination and policy coherence 17.14 Enhance policy coherence for sustainable development

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17.15 Respect each country’s policy space and leadership to establish and implement policies for poverty eradication and sustainable development Multi-stakeholder partnerships 17.16 Enhance the global partnership for sustainable development, complemented by multi- stakeholder partnerships that mobilize and share knowledge, expertise, technology and financial resources, to support the achievement of the sustainable development goals in all countries, in particular developing countries 17.17 Encourage and promote effective public, public-private and civil society partnerships, building on the experience and resourcing strategies of partnerships Data, monitoring and accountability 17.18 By 2020, enhance capacity-building support to developing countries, including for least developed countries and small island developing States, to increase significantly the availability of high-quality, timely and reliable data disaggregated by income, gender, age, race, ethnicity, migratory status, disability, geographic location and other characteristics relevant in national contexts 17.19 By 2030, build on existing initiatives to develop measurements of progress on sustainable development that complement gross domestic product, and support statistical capacity- building in developing countries

Copyright United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs

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Annex 2: Millennium Development Goals Achievements (MDG 2013) Source: UNDP and the Ministry of Economy and Planning, Millennium Development Goals Report, 2013

GOAL 1: ERADICATE EXTREME POVERTY AND HUNGER

TARGET 1: Halve, between 1990 and 2015, the proportion of people whose income is less than one dollar a day.

Target Indicators 2004 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012

Proportion of families whose income is below two dollars a day per person (Purchasing Power Parity). (percent) - Extreme poverty line has been estimated at about $2 a day per person. On average, a Saudi family consists of 6 members.

0.08

0.08 0.07 0.07 0.06 0.06 - -

Extreme poverty gap (percent)

0.05 0.04 0.05 0.05 0.05 0.05 - -

TARGET 2: Achieve full, productive employment and decent work for all, including women and young people.

Target Indicators 2000 2005 2006 2010 2011 2012

GDP growth rate per working individual

14.6 19.7 8.5 13.2 13.0 -

Employment to population ratio

27.9 30.5 31.9 32.6 34.8 35.6

TARGET 3: Halve, between 1990 and 2015, the proportion of people who suffer from hunger.

Target Indicators 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012

Prevalence of underweight children under five years of age (percent)

6.4 5.6 5.25 5.29 5.3 5.4 4.3

GOAL 2: ACHIEVE UNIVERSAL PRIMARY EDUCATION

TARGET 4: Ensure that, by 2015, all children, boys and girls alike, will be able to complete a full course of primary education.

Target Indicators 1990 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012

Gross enrolment ratio in primary education (percent)

82.0 96.5 97.3 98.3 98.8 106.0 106.1

Net enrolment ratio in primary education (percent)

76.8 93.9 94.0 94.2 94.4 96.6 96.6

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Proportion of pupils starting grade 1 who reach grade 5 (percent)

74.5 88.6 91.0 93.4 95.9 98.4 98.4

Literacy rate in the age group (15–24) years old (percent)

85.9 96.3 96.5 96.7 96.8 98.2 99.3

GOAL 3: PROMOTE GENDER EQUALITY AND EMPOWER WOMEN TARGET 5: Eliminate gender disparity in primary and secondary education, by 2005, and in all levels of education by 2015.

Target Indicators 1990 2005 2009 2011 2012

Ratio of girls to boys in primary, intermediate, secondary and higher education

85.1 97.7 99.0 97.3 98.8

Ratio of literate women to literate men in the age group 15-24 year

73.7 94.8 98.1 98.7 99.5

Share of women in wage employment in the non-agricultural sector

14.2 13.5 13.9

GOAL 4: REDUCE CHILD MORTALITY

TARGET 6: Reduce by two thirds, between 1990 and 2015, the under-five mortality rate.

Target Indicators 1990 2005 2010 2011 2012

Under-five mortality rate (per thousand live births)

44.0 22.3 19.5 19.1 18.7

Infant mortality rate (per thousand live births)

34.0 19.0 16.9 16.5 16.2

Proportion of one- year-old children immunized against measles (percent)

88.0 96.5 98.2 98.2 97.8

GOAL 5: IMPROVE REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH (MATERNAL HEALTH)

TARGET 7: Reduce the maternal mortality rate by three quarters between 1990 and 2015.

Target Indicators 1990 2005 2010 2011 2012

Maternal mortality rate (per 100,000 live births)

48 14.9 14 14 14

Births attended by skilled health personnel (percent)

88 96 97 97 98

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Immunization of mothers against neonatal tetanus

- 96 96.1 96.6 98

Pregnant provided with health care by skilled health personnel.

88 - 97 98 98

TARGET 8: Achieve, by 2015, universal access to reproductive health services.

Target Indicators 1990 2005 2010 2011 2012

Proportion of women using contraceptives

- - - - - - - - - -

Birth rate among teen-agers

- - - - - - - - - -

Access to primary healthcare during pregnancy (at least 1- 4 visits) -percent

96 97 97 98 98

GOAL 6: COMBAT HIV/AIDS, MALAIA AND OTHER DISEASES

TARGET 9: Halt, by 2015, the spread of HIV/AIDS and begin to lower its incidence.

Target Indicators 1990 2005 2010 2011 2012

Number of HIV cases (cumulative)

10,120 16,334 17,529 18,762

HIV prevalence among the age group (15–24) years (percent)

- - - - - - - -

AIDS cases among pregnant in the age group (15–24) years

- - - - - - - -

TARGET 10: Achieve, by 2010, universal access to treatment from HIV/AIDS for all those who need it

Target Indicators 1990 2005 2006 2010 2011 2012

Proportion of patients, in an advanced stage of HIV, who have access to antiretroviral drugs (percent)

100 100 100 100

TARGET 11: Bring to an end, by 2015, the spread of malaria and other major diseases and start to lower their incidence.

Target Indicators 1990 2005 2010 2011 2012

Incidence of malaria and the associated death rates (per 100,000 people) :

Incidence 125 4.6 0.20 0.44 05

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Deaths 0 0 0 0 0

Proportion of population in malaria-vulnerable areas who use effective malaria prevention and treatment measures (percent)

- 94 95 100 100

Incidence of tuberculosis and the associated death rates (per 100,000 people):

Incidence 18.6 10.3 11.8 9.7 8.9

Deaths - - 5.4 6.5 6.5

Proportion of tuberculosis cases detected and treated under DOTS (percent)

- 85 100 100 100

GOAL 7: ENSURE ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY TARGET 12: Integrate principles of sustainable development into the country's policies and programmes and limit loss of environmental resources.

Target Indicators 2010 2011 2012

Total Water resources used (MCM)

17,430 19,193 -

TARGET 13: Achieve a significant reduction in the rate of loss of biodiversity by 1431 (2010).

Target Indicators 1990 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012

Proportion of land area covered by forests (percent)

1.35 1.35

Consumption of ozone depleting substances (ODSs) (ton)

883 882

Ratio of sea and land areas protected to maintain biological diversity, compared to surface area (percent)

3.3 4.26 4.15 4.15

TARGET 14: Halve, by 1436 (2015), the proportion of people without sustainable access to safe drinking water and basic sanitation services.

Target Indicators 1990 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012

Proportion of population, urban

75 87 96 97 98

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and rural, with sustainable access to safe drinking water, through water distribution networks and water tanker services (percent)

Proportion of population with access to sanitation services, through wastewater networks and home drainage system (percent)

96 98 100 100 100

TARGET 15: Achieve, by 1441 (2020), a significant improvement in the lives of people living in informal housing areas.

Target Indicators 1990 2011 2012

Proportion of households with access to secure tenure

92 97 97

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Annex 3: SDGs’ Proposed National and International Priorities Source: Ministry of Economy and Planning, submission to the Royal Court, 14/9/1434. National SDG’s Priorities

 Increase economic diversification in its different dimensions;  Improve productivity levels for both the public and private sectors;  Sustainable and equitable development;  Preserve environmental biodiversity and environmental systems;  Provide suitable employment opportunities for both sexes, especially youth;  Provide sustainable safe-drinking water;  Provide primary health care and medical services;  Maintain sustainable urbanization levels;  Improve social protection networks;  Improve agricultural productivity to ensure food security;  Provide and improve comprehensive early childhood education/care and kindergartens;

and  Develop communication services and technologies and utilize them to contribute to the

implementation of the above objectives and achieve their goals. On the other hand, the Government’s proposal for the SDG goals at the global level include (Ministry of Economy and Planning, submission to the Royal Court, 14/9/1434)

 Enhance social protection networks to ensure societal peace and stability;  Equitable development that avails suitable employment opportunities for both sexes,

especially youth;  Exemplary education for all, and improve early childhood education and kindergartens;  Access to primary health care for all;  Provide sustainable safe-drinking water; and  Protect the environment and biodiversity systems.

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Annex 4: The Structure of Government Expenditure 1970-2014 Source: Ministry of Economy and Planning.

Devel opme nt Plans

Years Infrastructure (Transport, telecommunication services, public works, housing, and municipal affairs.)

Economic Resources (Agriculture, water and electricity, petroleum & mineral resources, and industrial services.)

Human Resources (General education, higher education, technical & vocational training, science & technology)

Social & Health Services (Health care, social, youth and information services, and cultural activities.)

Total

First Plan

1970-1974 (1390-1394)

41.3 27.9 20.5 10.3 100.0

Secon d Plan

1975-1979 (1395-1399)

49.3 28.0 14.7 8.0 100.0

Third Plan

1980-1984 (1400-1404)

41.1 30.7 18.4 9.8 100.0

Fourth Plan

1985-1989 (1405-1409)

28.9 20.4 33.0 17.7 100.0

Fifth Plan

1990-1994 (1410-1414)

21.8 10.0 48.3 19.9 100.0

Sixth Plan

1995-1999 (1415-1419)

16.2 11.5 51.5 20.8 100.0

Sevent h Plan

2000-2004 (1420-1425)

12.6 11.2 57.1 19.1 100.0

Eighth Plan

2005-2009 (1426-1430)

14.1 12.2 55.6 18.1 100.0

Ninth Plan (plann ed Expen diture s)

2010-2014 (1431-1435)

14.6 15.8 50.6 19.0 100.0

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Annex 5: The Tenth National Development Plan Objectives Source: Ministry of Economy and Planning, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The Tenth Development Plan (2015–2019). FIRST OBJECTIVE: To safeguard Islamic teachings and values, enhance national unity and consolidate the Arab and Islamic identity of the Kingdom, through: Maintaining Islamic teachings and values and consolidating the Kingdom's identity: 1.1 Taking good care of the Holy Quran through printing and publication, and promotion of

the Quran memorization and recitation. 1.2 Consolidating efforts aimed at call to Allah and introduction of Prophet Mohammed

tradition (Sunnah) and Islamic values. 1.3 Taking good care of mosques and their maintenance. 1.4 Upgrading the standard of services provided to pilgrims, Umrah performers and visitors. 1.5 Enhancing the Kingdom's role and position at the Arab, Islamic and international levels. 1.6 Taking good care of classical Arabic language. Consolidating national unity: 1.7 Enhancing comprehensive national security. 1.8 Inculcating values of citizenship and national belonging among all segments of the

society. 1.9 Deepening the concept of moderation and intellectual dialogue and enhancing its role in

addressing national issues. 1.10 Enhancing the principles of justice and equality and deepening them among all groups of

the society. 1.11 Protecting human rights and disseminating awareness about them in the light of Islamic

Sharia teachings and rules.

FIRST: IN THE FIELD OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT SECOND OBJECTIVE: Enhancing economic diversification with its different dimensions, through: Vertical Diversification: 2.1 Raising utilization rates of mineral resources, diversifying pertinent activities and

encouraging expansion in local production, processing and manufacturing of mining raw materials.

2.2 Developing production and service activities, which have strong linkages with oil and gas industries as well as upstream and downstream activities that depend on oil and gas.

Horizontal Diversification: 2.3 Expanding production capacities of the industrial sector, particularly in fields covered by

the National Industrial Strategy. 2.4 Developing the services sector and increasing its contribution to GDP with due emphasis

on financial, tourism, transport, engineering, communication and information technology (IT) services.

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2.5 Diversifying economic activities in non-oil sectors with due emphasis on high- productivity, and promising comparative advantage activities.

2.6 Investing in projects related with diversification of energy sources. 2.7 Developing non-oil exports and increasing their contribution to the total value of exports. 2.8 Encouraging local and foreign strategic partnerships to implement investment projects

which contribute to diversification of the production base of the national economy. 2.9 Developing low-water-consuming agricultural products as well as fishing activities. Spatial Diversification: 2.10 Making use of the comparative advantages of the provinces in boosting spatial

diversification of economic activities along with expansion in establishment of industrial zones and business and technology incubators to improve utilization of these advantages.

THIRD OBJECTIVE: Transition to a knowledge-based economy and a knowledge society, through: Dissemination of Knowledge: 3.1 expediting the approval of the national strategy for transition to a knowledge society and

its translation into five-year plans. 3.2 Disseminating the culture of a knowledge-based economy among the society and

enabling human resources to acquire and make use of it. 3.3 Disseminating awareness of programs and mechanisms for building a knowledge society

through media and workshops. 3.4 Reducing knowledge gaps and digital divides among the Kingdom's regions, and

between the various segments of society. Knowledge Utilization: 3.5 Utilizing the results of scientific research in addressing socio-economic issues and

transformation of knowledge into wealth. 3.6 Improving the knowledge content of goods and services produced in the Kingdom. 3.7 Encouraging the private sector to invest in production of good and services with high-

knowledge content, and high-value added. 3.8 Enhancing the kingdom's regional and international standing with respect to the

knowledge-based economy and follow up its performance indicators therein. 3.9 Encouraging the universities and companies to invest in research, development and

innovation fields along with ensuring enforcement of intellectual property rights laws. Knowledge Generation: 3.10 Enhancing science and technology system and strengthening its linkage with all

production and services sectors. 3.11 Encouraging applied studies and research, which contribute towards knowledge

society/economy. 3.12 Ensuring optimal utilization of communication and information technology in all sectors

particularly in education and training, along with consolidating information infrastructure.

3.13 Developing knowledge capacities of national manpower in terms of education, production and skills.

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3.14 Arabization of science and technology and expansion of the Arabic digital content. Knowledge Management: 3.15 Preparing an adequate institutional and regulatory environment for knowledge society

and developing its management infrastructure. 3.16 Boosting the Kingdom's capacity in the management of knowledge generation, its finance,

transfer, investment and dissemination, particularly in the government administrative apparatus.

3.17 Improving coordination between the various agencies and sectors in completion of tasks related to transition to a knowledge society and in addressing structural, organizational and institutional issues that hinder joint integration and coordination.

FOURTH OBJECTIVE: To expand the absorptive capacity of the national economy and enhance its growth, stability and competitiveness through: Capital Absorption: 4.1 Developing a national strategy for Saudi and foreign investment that ensures favorable

and attractive environment. 4.2 Increasing funds allocated for infrastructure projects and directing them towards removal

of bottlenecks from the sectoral activities of the economy. 4.3 Establishing venture capital funds to support investment in emerging strategic projects. 4.4 Attracting and directing migrant capital to production sectors. Market Absorptive Capacity and Regulation: 4.5 Enhancing and developing government procurement regulations to contribute to

supporting local products. 4.6 Finalizing implementation of the privatization strategy in accordance with a specified

schedule. 4.7 Enhancing the role of economic and industrial cities in investment attraction and

technology indigenization. 4.8 Developing capital market regulations and upgrading its efficiency to attract national

savings and direct them towards establishment of new companies and elimination of speculation.

Technology Assimilation: 4.9 Directing national and foreign investments towards high technology-content and high

value-added sectors and encouraging creativity and innovation. 4.10 Accelerating implementation of the National Industrial Strategy. FIFTH OBJECTIVE: Raising the productivity of the national economy, through: Human Resources (Labor) Productivity: 5.1 Developing internal and external efficiency of the education and training system. 5.2 Upgrading the skills of human resources, and developing their productive capacities,

along with establishing positive work ethics, and enabling them to deal efficiently with technological developments.

5.3 Developing labor market mechanisms and regulations and wage policies in a way that

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facilitates movement of labor between companies and establishments, as well as between the public and private sectors.

5.4 Reviewing expatriate labor recruitment policies, in line with the objectives of the development plan, in a way that ensures their integration with national labor both quantitatively and qualitatively.

Capital Productivity: 5.5 Supporting the companies to shift from non-skilled labor intensity to capital and

advanced technology intensity as well as skilled labor intensity, and ensuring an environment that is conducive to this shift.

5.6 Facilitating the procedures for the establishment of companies and their entry into the market, developing regulations for bankruptcy and liquidation of insolvent companies in a way that ensures consistency and smoothness of such processes, and safeguards the rights of creditors.

Total Productivity: 5.7 Encouraging the SMEs to produce goods and services with high knowledge content, and

rely on national labor. 5.8 Encouraging the establishment of companies that can reap the benefits of economies of

scale and are capable of investing in research, development and innovation activities and utilization of ICT.

5.9 Promoting the efficiency and capacity of legal and judicial authorities to ensure accelerated settlement of disputes, enforcement of rulings and commitment to concluded contracts and agreements.

5.10 Encouraging the SMEs to merge in order to increase their efficiency and competitiveness at both internal and external levels.

5.11 Boosting competition in all economic activities through upgrading efficiency of regulation and supervision agencies along with developing their capabilities and supporting their autonomy.

SIXTH OBJECTIVE: Raising the value added of natural resources in the national economy, diversifying their sources and ensuring their sustainability along with protecting the environment and conserving the wildlife, through: Oil and Mineral Resources: 6.1 Maximizing the value added of oil and gas resources in all uses and production activities. 6.2 Enhancing mechanisms of conservation of oil resources and rationalization of their use,

including development and application of criteria for programmed production from the oil fields as well as efficient consumption of energy in all related sectors and activities.

6.3 Developing the use of renewable energy sources for production of electricity, water desalination along with accelerating approval of necessary regulations and mechanisms.

6.4 Encouraging manufacturing industries which depend on hydrocarbon and mining raw materials.

Water Resources: 6.5 accelerating the approval of the National Water Strategy and implementation of its

comprehensive plan.

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6.6 Increasing the use of reclaimed water for agricultural purposes. 6.7 Enhancing the mechanisms of rationalizing water consumption, reducing the losses in

production, transportation and distribution of water; and enforcing the criteria pertaining to efficiency of water use in all activities.

6.8 Protecting non-renewable water resources and ensuring their availability in the long run to meet basic needs.

6.9 Enhancing renewable water resources through study of potentials and developing additional surface and ground water storage capacities.

6.10 Developing an integrated desalination industry which uses renewable energy sources and supporting it by advanced research centers.

Resources Sustainability: 6.11 Reviewing the package of incentives provided by the state to ensure their consistency with

the objective of natural resources conservation, elimination of their wastage and protection of environment against pollution.

6.12 Expanding application of principles and standards related with sustainable development in the management of natural resources.

6.13 Conducting a feasibility study for use of solid waste in generation of thermal energy and electricity and water desalination.

Protection of the Environment: 6.14 Developing regulations related to the protection of the environment against pollution, and

enhancing pertinent mechanisms with a view to improve waste management, reduce size of waste, raise recycling rates and ensure safe disposal of waste.

6.15 Improving environmental health by reducing air pollutant emissions from various transport sources, factories and other facilities.

6.16 Protecting the natural environment and wildlife, developing and expanding the protected zones, enhancing mechanisms of protecting land against desertification and overgrazing, and the coastal and territorial water against pollution, as well as conserving bio-diversity.

SEVENTH OBJECTIVE: Developing the SMEs Sector and increasing its contribution to GDP and Saudization, through: Organization and Management: 7.1 Accelerating the establishment of a specialized institutional entity to take care of the

SMEs, organize their activities, facilitate their procedures, and follow up their performance.

7.2 Combating the phenomenon of concealment in the SMEs sector and addressing its causes. 7.3 Encouraging the establishment of high knowledge-content SMEs and ensuring their

reliance on national labor. 7.4 Disseminating and enforcing governance criteria in the management of SMEs. Finance: 7.5 Encouraging the establishment of specialized investment banks and capital companies

along with encouraging local banks and financial institutions operating in the Kingdom to expand finance of SMEs.

7.6 Supporting SIDF's "Kafala" program and promoting its mechanisms to realize its finance

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objectives. 7.7 Enhancing the level of coordination between specialized credit funds and the various

initiatives related to supporting SMEs. Scientific and Technological Development: 7.8 Expanding the establishment of research centers and institutes specialized in providing

scientific, technological and administrative support to SMEs. 7.9 Giving attention to education and training in the fields of SMEs activities, and regulating

their labor market.

EIGHTH OBJECTIVE: Enhancing fiscal and monetary stability, through: Fiscal and Monetary Dimension: 8.1 continuing with implementation of fiscal policies, which contribute to fiscal stability,

stimulate economic growth and support social welfare. 8.2 Improving efficiency of government expenditure and increasing the portion allocated for

enhancing capital assets. 8.3 Providing domestic liquidity in line with the real needs of the national economy in a

context free of inflationary pressures. 8.4 Increasing the non-oil revenues of the state. 8.5 Increasing private saving rates through creation of innovative channels to attract and

invest small savings in projects with high returns. 8.6 Encouraging establishment of specialized investment banks and prompting existing

banks to expand financing for investment, and employment-creating activities. Structuring, Regulations and Legislations: 8.7 Restructuring government subsidies programs to improve their efficiency of resource

utilization and their efficacy in improving the living standards of target groups. 8.8 developing, in a regular and smooth manner, legislations that support financial stability. 8.9 Ensuring prompt enforcement of rulings in financial cases, in order to enhance the

credibility of financial transactions, and contribute to reducing borrowing costs.

NINTH OBJECTIVE: Increasing the contribution and productivity of the private sector in order to achieve development objectives, through: Achievement of Development Objectives: 9.1 Developing a regulatory framework to channel private sector investments in line with

development priorities. 9.2 establishing joint government and private sectors companies in areas of national strategic

priority with the aim of diversifying the economic base. 9.3 Linking direct and indirect government support, provided to private sector

establishments, with the extent of their realization of development objectives, particularly those related with employment, diversification and technological content.

9.4 Increasing the level of local content in goods and services provided, or implemented by the private sector for the government.

9.5 Enhancing the social responsibility of companies.

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Manpower: 9.6 Enhancing the private sector's role in creating job opportunities for the citizens. 9.7 Allowing the private sector the necessary flexibility in selecting national employees on the

basis of efficiency and productivity considerations. 9.8 Encouraging the private sector to adopt a strategy for reduction of expatriate labor. 9.9 Obliging private sector companies, which execute government projects, to employ Saudi

citizens while taking into account labor efficiency criteria. Investment Environment: 9.10 Removing the constraints impeding the private sector, particularly SMEs, from investing

in public services and utilities sector. 9.11 Continuing with improvement of investment climate and review of regulations related

with the private sector activities. 9.12 Establishing a national database on investment areas and opportunities in various sectors,

and making it accessible to the private sector establishments. 9.13 Encouraging transformation of the family companies into joint stock companies.

SECOND: IN THE FIELD OF SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT TENTH OBJECTIVE: Ensuring optimal investment in population resources, raising the standard of living and improving the quality of life of all segments of society, through: Standard of Living and Quality of Life: 10.1 Expediting the adoption of the National Social Development Strategy and

implementation of its programs and recommendations. 10.2 Upgrading efficiency of social services in line with international standards, and

facilitating access to such services. 10.3 Ensuring delivery of subsidies and assistance to eligible groups only. 10.4 Upgrading the level of services provided to persons with special needs and facilitating

their active participation in the various activities. 10.5 Providing awareness programs regarding public health and proper health practices. 10.6 Keeping inflation rates at lower levels to maintain incomes' purchasing power. 10.7 Encouraging savings by citizens through adequate channels and policies. 10.8 Encouraging voluntary work ethics and promoting social solidarity programs. Investment in Population Resources: 10.9 Expediting the approval and implementation of the "population policy" and ensuring

regular assessment thereof. 10.10 Achieving optimal population structure and minimizing internal migration to cities. 10.11 Making optimal use of the "demographic window" to realize development objectives. 10.12 Formulating adequate programs for development of the different segments of society in

light of the prevailing dependency rates. 10.13 Strengthening Saudi families’ ties and maintaining their values. 10.14 Developing the regulations and legislations that ensure the right of the citizen and his

family in case of disability and aging. 10.15 Encouraging research and studies related to demographic changes and social phenomena.

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ELEVENTH OBJECTIVE: Developing human resources, upgrading their productivity and expanding their options in acquiring knowledge, skills and experience, through: General Education: 11.1 Upgrading educational efficiency of teachers, especially their knowledge capacities and

skills. 11.2 Improving educational environment to become more attractive to the young in a way that

encourages them to pursue self-learning, critical reading and acquiring different types of knowledge and skills.

11.3 Providing education and technology infrastructure in schools and universities, expanding the use of modern means, and upgrading the academic curricula in line with contemporary knowledge.

11.4 Expanding the programs of nursery and kindergarten and encouraging the private sector to invest in this field.

11.5 Expanding the programs of adult education 11.6 Developing the curricula of science, mathematics, engineering and technology. 11.7 Developing education and learning processes related to Arabic language skills. 11.8 Developing school rules and regulations to ensure compliance with the principles of

fairness and competition, and to enhance internal control. Higher Education: 11.9 Ensuring consistence between education outputs and the requirements of the labor

market. 11.10 Enhancing communication of scholarship students with the government agencies and

encouraging them to conduct research and studies which address the developmental challenges in the Kingdom and support them to transform the research findings into applied projects and products.

11.11 Absorbing the graduates of scholarship programs and Saudi universities into the labor market.

11.12 Enabling university students to acquire practical experience through part-time work, cooperative training programs, community service programs and voluntary projects.

11.13 Updating educational curricula to stimulate research and innovation. 11.14 Continuing the scholarship program, to the renowned international universities, in

specializations demanded by the development plans and the labor market. 11.15 Granting administrative and financial autonomy to state-owned universities and

endorsing the new regulation of universities. 11.16 Enhancing the efficiency of higher education and expanding the scope of academic

assessment and accreditation. 11.17 Expanding graduate studies programs and establishing specialized universities of

science. 11.18 Enhancing the research role of universities in line with the future needs of the society. 11.19 Developing programs to upgrade the capabilities of the faculty staff. Training: 11.20 Developing the national workforce training programs to keep abreast of advanced

knowledge and techniques and improving their efficiency in different provinces.

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11.21 Ensuring that trainees obtain certificates of practice from industrial firms as a requirement for graduation from university in order to reduce rates of dropout after graduation.

11.22 Expanding the programs of technical and vocational training to cover all regions of the Kingdom.

11.23 Supporting and accelerating the specialized scientific and professional centers and societies, and encouraging them to participate in training and qualifying human resources.

TWELFTH OBJECTIVE: Improving the entrepreneurial, cognitive and physical capacities of the youth to participate efficiently in the development process, through: Planning and Guidance: 12.1 Speeding up the adoption of the "National Youth Strategy" and converting it into five-

year plans. 12.2 Conducting regular surveys to identify the needs and issues of the youth, and ascertain

the appropriateness of the services provided to them. 12.3 Instilling the values of patriotism and citizenship in the youth to motivate and encourage

the spirit of volunteerism and community participation. 12.4 Instilling the culture and ethics of work and excellence in the youth to prepare them for

leadership of the development process in the future. 12.5 Enhancing the awareness of the youth and their families of the importance of competitive

entertainment and sport activities and their positive impacts on the youth and society. 12.6 Enhancing the awareness of the youth of the dangers of drugs and instilling the culture

of addiction treatment and psychological rehabilitation in the youth through developing comprehensive solutions for the problem of drug abuse.

Science and Technology Pioneering: 12.7 Developing the pioneering capacities of the youth in scientific applications and enhancing

their effectiveness in knowledge society by encouraging and expanding science and technology clubs and competitions for the youth.

12.8 Establishing strategic partnerships with the business sector to implement technical and vocational training programs for the youth.

Physical Capacities: 12.9 Mainstreaming the culture of physical health among the youth. 12.10 Enhancing the capacities of the youth in athletic skills and enabling them to compete at

the local and international levels. 12.11 Increasing the opportunities available for the youth to benefit from athletic and

entertainment facilities and services available in schools, universities and clubs to ensure a safe, healthy life.

THIRTEENTH OBJECTIVE: Empowering women and increasing their contribution to various fields of development, through: Social Empowerment: 13.1 Increasing the contribution of civil society institutions to the efforts aimed at enhancing

participation of women in the development process.

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13.2 Encouraging the establishment of female cooperative societies. 13.3 Increasing the participation of women in the specialized national and international

councils, organizations and committees. Economic Empowerment: 13.4 Developing the supportive services and facilities required to enable women play their

economic and social roles. 13.5 Expanding the scope of women participation in economic activities and providing more

job opportunities for them in various fields in order to absorb the large supply of female workforce, and to ensure decent life for them.

13.6 Expanding the scope of suitable options available for women in the scientific, technical and professional disciplines.

13.7 Retraining female graduates whose specializations do not match with the needs of the labor market.

Administrative Empowerment: 13.8 Developing appropriate regulations to enhance the skills and capacities of young Saudi women. 13.9 Reviewing and updating all rules and regulations pertaining to working mothers. 13.10 Providing more care targeted to improving the health of women. 13.11 Providing the services which enable the woman to undertake her work duties and responsibilities. 13.12 Providing opportunities to distinguished female cadres to occupy managerial positions in

government agencies and universities.

FOURTEENTH OBJECTIVE: Enhancing the social safety networks and family and child care, through: Social Safety: 14.1 Supporting social safety programs and activities and updating relevant regulations. 14.2 Supporting and developing the programs and activities of the social development centers. 14.3 Establishing an appropriate legislative and regulatory environment to regulate the non-

profit and charity sector (third sector) and encourage its growth. 14.4 Supporting programs and activities of combatting domestic violence. 14.5 Supporting volunteer and charitable works and enhancing their efficiency to ensure more

contribution to social development. 14.6 Enhancing the role of endowments in economic and social development. Family and Childhood: 14.7 Providing more health services to mothers and children while ensuring equitable

distribution of such services among various regions. 14.8 Improving the family environment for the residents of social care institutions. 14.9 Improving and expanding the coverage of family guidance. 14.10 Developing programs to address the issues of spinsterhood and divorce and taking care

of widows and divorcees.

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14.11 Strengthening the values of family relationships. 14.12 Encouraging more foster families to take care of the orphans and the disabled persons,

and increasing the amount of support provided to such families. 14.13 Providing high-quality home care for the sick and the elderly. 14.14 Encouraging private institutions to develop awareness programs, combat domestic

violence, and provide shelters for the affected cases. FIFTEENTH OBJECTIVE: Providing adequate job opportunities for Saudis and reducing the rate of unemployment, through: Development of Workforce: 15.1 Deepening the culture and ethics of work and social values, and promoting the concept

of the citizen's participation in the development process, and getting rid of the culture of shame in doing work.

15.2 Developing the systems of education and training to provide the practical skills required by the labor market.

15.3 Increasing the role of the private sector in the preparation and implementation of training programs ending with employment.

15.4 Saudizing the jobs in all provinces, and developing mechanisms for provision of job opportunities in line with the demographic characteristics and academic qualifications, at the level of provinces.

15.5 Improving the efficiency of the mechanisms of identifying and describing available jobs and the job seekers.

15.6 Effectuating the application of vocational test on expatriate labor. Economic and Structural Development: 15.7 Taking the provision of jobs to Saudi citizens, into consideration, in the process of

structural reform of the economy. 15.8 Supporting the efforts of employing Saudi manpower in private sector establishments. 15.9 Directing the support activities of the specialized credit funds towards employment of

Saudi citizens in the SMEs. 15.10 Encouraging free pioneering businesses, and facilitating their establishment and funding. 15.11 Reviewing, on a regular basis, labor market mechanisms and developing them to enhance

the competitiveness of national workforce. Organizational Development: 15.12 Establishing an integrated database on labor market at the sectoral and provincial levels,

and updating and publishing such data on regular bases. 15.13 Developing the mechanisms of incentives and disincentives to make the labor market

more productive and capable of meeting the requirements of a progressive economy. 15.14 Combating the phenomenon of concealment, addressing its causes and enhancing

coordination with the relevant agencies in this regard. 15.15 Developing regulatory mechanisms to encourage telework (telecommute). 15.16 Developing the system of part-time work and mechanisms of its application. 15.17 Updating the regulations and rules, which govern the relationship between the employers

and employees of the private sector.

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SIXTEENTH OBJECTIVE: Facilitating access of the citizens to suitable housing in accordance with a variety of programs and options that meet demand, through: Provision of Suitable Housing: 16.1 Expanding the government housing programs to cover all regions of the Kingdom. 16.2 Increasing the supply of housing units and land plots and developing regulations to

control the phenomenon of vacant land within the urban boundaries. 16.3 Encouraging construction of affordable housing units as well as multi-story residential

buildings. 16.4 Giving priority, in providing services and facilities, to the grant land plans in all

provinces. 16.5 Redeveloping the old neighborhoods and the slums. 16.6 Encouraging the private sector firms and the cooperative and charitable societies, and the

individual investors to participate in supporting the activities of housing construction and market development.

16.7 Applying the Saudi Building Code on housing units. 16.8 Assuring the quality of building materials and ensuring their compatibility to security

and safety requirements. Organization and Management: 16.9 Developing an integrated national housing system and preparing the rules, regulations

and policies related to the housing sector and updating them on a regular basis. 16.10 Regulating the market of rental housing. 16.11 Developing regulations and mechanisms for the societies of apartments and residential

buildings owners. 16.12 Speeding up the adoption of real estate finance and mortgage regulations to enable the

citizens build housing units. 16.13 Establishing a housing information base for various regions of the Kingdom.

SEVENTEENTH OBJECTIVE: Providing comprehensive, integrated, high-quality healthcare to all people of the Kingdom, through: Universality, Quality and Efficiency: 17.1 Improving the efficiency of emergency medical services and bringing the response time

to international standards. 17.2 Improving the control and supervisory services related to food, medicines, and medical

appliances. 17.3 Starting the application of cooperative health insurance in accordance with the quality

standards of the health services and rationalization of costs. 17.4 Developing the skills of workforce and increasing the rate of Saudization of health jobs. 17.5 Improving the performance efficiency of management and operation systems and

deepening the culture of institutional work. 17.6 Developing performance indicators for the health institutions and workers to ensure

optimal utilization of the available resources. 17.7 Supporting and improving the health services provided to the special-needs groups. 17.8 Reviewing the regulations related with medical malfunctions and violations. 17.9 Preparing a strategy to maintain safety in health facilities.

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17.10 Enhancing the standards of licensing medical cadres. 17.11 Encouraging health establishments to obtain international accreditation. Provision and Accessibility: 17.12 Establishing more primary health care centers and specialized curative services, and

making them accessible to all. 17.13 Finding new sources of finance to support government finance and contain costs. 17.14 Improving the quality of health services provided to children, the aged and the disabled,

and expanding home health care for the aged and disabled persons. 17.15 Increasing the role of the private sector in provision of health services and expanding the

scope of medicines and medical appliances manufacturing. 17.16 Enhancing the e-health system and the supporting information systems, and expanding

the scope of their use. 17.17 Developing the preventive and curative health services provided to pilgrims and Omra

performers and ensuring Haj seasons free of diseases and epidemics. EIGHTEENTH OBJECTIVE: Developing the cultural movement and upgrading the level of information work, through: Cultural Dimension: 18.1 Activating the cultural institutions in all fields. 18.2 Sponsoring creativity and creative individuals in the various fields of science, literature

and arts. 18.3 Supporting the activities of publishing, translation and production of books, and

enriching the public libraries with various cultural outputs. 18.4 Adopting a comprehensive cultural policy that encourages the habit of reading, and

acquisition of books. 18.5 Establishing more public libraries and developing programs for utilizing them more

frequently. 18.6 Encouraging the private sector institutions to organize cultural events and activities. 18.7 Organizing more cultural events, enhancing international participation therein and

promoting cultural exchange. Information Dimension: 18.8 Designing a contemporary information strategy and developing a media vision which is

unique and creative. 18.9 Developing the information infrastructure in terms of facilities, human resources and

media production materials. 18.10 Producing high quality, competitive audiovisual materials and increasing the role of the

private sector therein. 18.11 Keeping abreast of the developments in the audiovisual and new media.

THIRD: IN THE FIELD OF ORGANIZATIONAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE DEVELOPMENT NINETEENTH OBJECTIVE: Enhancing the process of institutional reform, supporting the civil society institutions, and raising the efficiency and productivity of the government bodies and employees, through:

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Structural Reform: 19.1 Developing the work mechanisms of the government supervisory agencies to enhance the

development process. 19.2 Developing the organizational structures, and adopting quality systems in government

bodies. 19.3 Ensuring integration and coordination between the sectoral strategies and the

development directions. 19.4 Enhancing the mechanisms of regulations enforcement and ensuring respect of such

regulations at all levels. 19.5 Enhancing the efficacy of the role of civil society institutions in the various fields of

development. Laws and Regulations: 19.6 Updating the civil service regulation to ensure efficiency of employment process,

assessing the performance of the employees, and encouraging them to raise the level of productivity.

19.7 Reviewing the legislations, regulations and rules which enhance the institutional reform. 19.8 Enhancing the use of e-transaction techniques in the public sector institutions. Performance of Government Bodies: 19.9 Raising the efficiency and productivity levels of the government employees by adopting

performance indicators. 19.10 Improving the capacities of planning and follow up divisions at government agencies. 19.11 Preparing manuals explaining the regulations and work procedures of government

agencies, and how to implement them efficiently. 19.12 Enhancing the role of the "Government Agencies Performance Measurement Center" to

improve the quality of services provided by the government agencies. TWENTIETH OBJECTIVE: Improving the efficiency of implementing the development programs and projects and developing the mechanisms of follow up of their implementation and maintenance, through: Quality of Implementation: 20.1 Developing appropriate criteria for measurement of progress in achieving the objectives

of the development plans. 20.2 Developing mechanisms to measure efficiency of performance of the development

programs and projects. 20.3 Reviewing and assessing the rules and regulations of government tenders and

procurements to ensure implementation of projects according to the best specifications. 20.4 Reviewing the criteria of contractors’ classification to ensure efficient implementation of

projects. Mechanisms of Implementation: 20.5 Linking budget allocations with the objectives and priorities approved in the

development plan. 20.6 Developing the mechanisms of projects awarding and implementation.

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20.7 Enhancing the process of supervision and control on government projects. 20.8 Developing the e-transactions systems to support the preparation of development plans,

and ensure good, quantitative and qualitative, implementation of the programs and projects and achievement of their intended developmental impacts.

Operation and Maintenance: 20.9 Developing the mechanisms and programs of operation and maintenance to ensure the

quality of goods and services and to reduce costs. 20.10 Applying the "Project Life Cycle" approach when preparing the government projects,

which incorporates the requirements and costs of operation and maintenance. 20.11 Improving the "operation and maintenance" contracts so they rely on performance

indicators without predetermination of the size of required employment. TWENTY FIRST OBJECTIVE: Improving the efficiency of public services and facilities provided to people and increasing their availability in all regions, through: Urban and Service Planning: 21.1 Developing and adopting an integrated set of urban planning. 21.2 Achieving universal coverage of public services and facilities in the development

corridors and centers in line with the National Spatial Strategy. 21.3 Taking into consideration the requirements of the special-needs groups in the public

services and facilities. 21.4 Ensuring abidance of providers of the public services by the quality and performance

standards. 21.5 Developing the services which contribute to urban development, including the judicial

services, and improving their quality and efficiency, and spreading them in all regions of the Kingdom.

Water and Electricity: 21.6 Implementing the strategy of "storm-water" drainage and prevention of the dangers of

flash flooding in accordance with the priorities stated in the strategy. 21.7 Increasing the coverage of water and sanitation services and improving their quality and

efficiency. 21.8 Ensuring the requirements of dealing with disasters and enhancing the capacities of

related agencies. 21.9 Raising electricity energy efficiency, rationalizing its consumption, and providing quality

electricity services. Transport and Communication: 21.10 Extending optical fiber and broadband networks to all regions of the Kingdom. 21.11 Endorsing and implementing the National Traffic Safety Strategy. 21.12 Speeding up the development of efficient intra-city and inter-city public transport

systems. 21.13 Improving the efficiency of transportation of pilgrims and Omra performers. 21.14 Ensuring efficient operation of the intra-city public transport network. 21.15 Developing a multi-modal transport system and improving the efficiency of the ports and

logistic activities.

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21.16 Expanding the railroad network to link all parts of the Kingdom and accelerating the implementation of the planned railroad projects.

21.17 Developing the airports and ensuring competitive air transport. 21.18 Expanding the scope of postal services to cover all parts of the Kingdom.

TWENTY SECOND OBJECTIVE: Achieving balanced development among the provinces of the Kingdom, through: Economic Development: 22.1 Enhancing the developmental role of the development centers and corridors in different

regions of the Kingdom. 22.2 Ensuring efficient distribution of development projects among the various regions, and

within each region, based on specific developmental and planning priorities and criteria. 22.3 Providing more investment incentives and facilities to encourage investment in the least

developed regions and in small and medium-size cities. 22.4 Preparing a map for the investment opportunities which enjoy comparative advantages

in each province. 22.5 Replicating the successful models of public-private sectors partnerships in all provinces. 22.6 Surveying the current status of industrial and agricultural licenses and loans, and of

saving, credit and human resources to identify the regions in which they are concentrated. Science and Technology Development: 22.7 Establishing creativity and innovation clusters in the various regions of the Kingdom

through strengthening the relations between the private sector, universities and research centers with a view to promote efficiency and competitiveness of the regions.

22.8 Preparing, and periodically updating, provincial social and economic studies. Services: 22.9 Providing and improving the quality of production and services infrastructure in various

regions, particularly in small and medium-size cities. 22.10 Completing the preparation of comprehensive plans for intra-city and inter-city transport. 22.11 Urging civil society institutions to direct their activities towards the least developed

regions. Organization and Management: 22.12 Enhancing the developmental role of provincial, municipal and local councils. 22.13 Delegating more powers to branches of ministries in the regions along with enhancing

capacities of such branches, and ensuring decentralization in granting licenses for economic and services activities.

22.14 Developing a composite development index, and establishing necessary databases, in order to evaluate the balanced development process at the level of provinces and within each province.

22.15 Developing tools of coordination between sectoral plans and provincial requirements with a view to achieving balanced regional development.

TWENTY THIRD OBJECTIVE: Deepening the principles of accountability and transparency, protecting integrity and combating corruption, through:

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Accountability and Transparency: 23.1 Adopting the latest international standards of governance in government agencies, funds

and companies. 23.2 Enhancing interaction between the various government agencies and citizens, and

creating mechanisms for receiving, reviewing and responding to citizens' complaints. 23.3 Ensuring that the government agencies provide all information necessary to enable the

citizens get acquainted with these agencies' tasks, achievements, programs and services, and evaluate their plans and activities and interact with them.

23.4 Exerting efforts to ensure efficiency, efficacy and good quality of the products or services provided to citizens by government agencies.

23.5 Upgrading the quality of the data provided by the various government agencies and have them published in line with the latest international manuals and standards.

23.6 Communicating with international agencies and organizations which publish reports on countries' performance in social and economic fields along with providing such organizations with updated data and information about the Kingdom in these fields.

Integrity and Combating Corruption: 23.7 Exerting efforts to realize the objectives of the national strategy for protection of integrity

and combating corruption. 23.8 Updating the regulations of agencies responsible for protecting integrity and combating

corruption. 23.9 Coordinating efforts of public and private sectors regarding programs of protecting

integrity and combating corruption. 23.10 Enhancing awareness on the concept of corruption, demonstrating its dangers, and

promoting self-control through religious, ethical and educational values. 23.11 Conducting studies and research in areas related to protecting integrity and combating

corruption. 23.12 Implementing applications of e-transactions, particularly financial transactions, in all

agencies as a requirement to achieve e-government. TWENTY FOURTH OBJECTIVE: Deepening economic integration with GCC and Arab countries, enhancing the Kingdom's relations with Islamic and friendly countries, and promoting the role of the Kingdom at the international level, through: 24.1 Moving gradually towards unity among GCC countries. 24.2 Preparing the organizational and regulatory framework for implementation of the

agreements and decisions issued in the context of the Gulf and Arab economic integration. 24.3 Developing Gulf and Arab joint economic work bodies. 24.4 Promoting inter-trade between Arab and Islamic countries to enhance integration of their

economic systems. 24.5 Enhancing the Kingdom's role in the various international organizations and groups, in a

manner that ensures realization of mutual economic interests and global economic stability.

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Annex 6: National Development Objectives’ Comparison (MDGs, Proposed SDGs, 10th National Plan)

Sources: Sustainable Development Goals Knowledge Platform (https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/sdgsproposal). Ministry of Economy and Planning, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The Tenth Development Plan (2015–2019). Ministry of Economy and Planning, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The Ninth Development Plan (2010–2014).

(*please note that this is a draft grouping of objectives under thematic priorities)

The Ninth Development Plan (2010-2014)

The Tenth Development Plan (2015-2019)

MOEP – Post MDG Recommendations for the SDGs *in red final ones

Suggested Priority Themes

Five Major Themes: 1. Development of national

manpower and increasing their employment.

2. Balanced development among regions of the kingdom.

3. Raising the competitiveness of the national economy and national products.

4. Enhancing and intensifying efforts to improve citizen’s standard of living and promote their quality of life.

5. Structural development.

Overall Objective and three pillars: 1. In the Field of Economic

Development (1-9) 2. In the Field of Social

Development (10-18) 3. In the Field of Organizational

and Administrative Development (19-24)

 1st. Objective: To safeguard Islamic teachings and values, enhance national unity and security, guarantee human rights, maintain social stability, and consolidate the Arab and Islamic identity of the Kingdom.

 2nd Objective: To continue to develop the holy places, and improve the services provided to Hajj and Umrah performers to ensure performance of religious rites easily and conveniently.

 1st. Objective: To safeguard Islamic teachings and values, enhance national unity and consolidate the Arab and Islamic identity of the Kingdom.

Economic Development

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 7th Objective: To diversify the economic base horizontally and vertically, expand the absorptive and productive capacities of the national economy and enhance its competitiveness, and maximize the return on competitive advantages.

 9th Objective: To enhance the role of the private sector in socioeconomic and environmental development and expand domains of private investments (domestic and foreign) and public-private partnerships.

 13th Objective: To develop the sector of SMEs to increase its contribution to GDP, and create frameworks for nurturing and organizing it.

 2nd Objective: Enhancing economic diversification with its different dimensions.

 4th Objective: To expand the absorptive capacity of the national economy and enhance its growth, stability and competitiveness.

 5th Objective: Raising the productivity of the national economy

 7th Objective: Developing the SMEs Sector and increasing its contribution to GDP and Saudization

 8th Objective: Enhancing fiscal and monetary stability.

 9th Objective: Increasing the contribution and productivity of the private sector in order to achieve development objectives.

Increase economic diversification in its different dimensions

 Knowledge- based sustainable economic developmen t (fiscal & monetary stability, diversificati on, productivity, absorptive capacity, competitive ness privatization , public- private partnerships , SMEs; Saudization,

 8th Objective: To move towards a knowledge-based economy and consolidate the basis of an information society.

 3rd. Objective: Transition to a knowledge-based economy and a knowledge society

 Develop communication services and technologies and utilize to contribute to implement the above objectives and achieve the goals.

 10Th Objective: To develop, conserve and ensure rational utilization of natural resources, particularly water, protect the environment and develop environmental systems within the context of sustainable development.

 6th Objective: Raising the value added of natural resources in the national economy, diversifying their sources and ensuring their sustainability along with protecting the environment and conserving the wildlife.

 Preserve environmental biodiversity and environmental systems

 Improve agricultural productivity to provide sustainable food

 Sustainable natural resource use and preservation (oil, minerals, water, wildlife, and biodiversity) .

Social Development

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 10th Objective: Ensuring optimal investment in population resources, raising the standard of living and improving the quality of life of all segments of society.

 Improved provisioning , effectivenes s and performance of the quality of life; social protection networks, human resources capacities and utilization; and social services (health, education, cultural life, and sustainable urbanization ), with a special focus on youth and women.

 11th Objective: Developing human resources, upgrading their productivity and expanding their options in acquiring knowledge, skills and experience.

 Provide and improve comprehensive early childhood education and care and kindergartens

 12th Objective: Improving the entrepreneurial, cognitive and physical capacities of the youth to participate efficiently in the development process

 13th Objective: Empowering women and increasing their contribution to various fields of development

 14th Objective: Enhancing the social safety networks and family and child care.

 Improve social protection networks

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 15th Objective: Providing adequate job opportunities for Saudis and reducing the rate of unemployment

 Provide suitable employment opportunities for both sexes especially youth

 16th Objective: Facilitating access of the citizens to suitable housing in accordance with a variety of programs and options that meet demand

 Maintain sustainable urbanization levels

 17th Objective: Providing comprehensive, integrated, high-quality healthcare to all people of the Kingdom

Provide primary health care services and medical services

 18th Objective: Developing the cultural movement and upgrading the level of information work

Organizational and Administrative Development  11th Objective: To continue

socioeconomic and institutional reform, develop regulations aimed at raising efficiency and improving performance, work towards entrenching transparency and accountability, and support civil-society institutions in advancing their developmental activities.

 19th Objective: Enhancing the process of institutional reform, supporting the civil society institutions, and raising the efficiency and productivity of the government bodies and employees

Improve productivity levels for public and private sectors

Effective, accountable, equitable, and inclusive public administrati on reform and public services delivery.

 20th Objective: Improving the efficiency of implementing the development programs and projects and developing the mechanisms of follow up of their implementation and maintenance

 Sustainable & equitable development

 3rd. Objective: To achieve sustainable economic and social development by accelerating the rate of economic growth and social welfare.

 21st Objective: Improving the efficiency of public services and facilities provided to people and increasing their availability in all regions.

Provide sustainable safe-drinking water

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 4th Objective: To achieve balanced development among regions of the Kingdom and enhance their role in social and economic development.

 5th Objective: To enhance human development, expand the range of options open to individuals to enable them to acquire and use knowledge, skills and expertise, and provide appropriate healthcare services.

6th Objective: To raise the standard of living and improve the quality of life of all citizens.

 22nd Objective: Achieving balanced development among the provinces of the Kingdom

 23rd Objective: Deepening the principles of accountability and transparency, protecting integrity and combating corruption

 12th Objective: To strengthen economic integration with Gulf Cooperation Council and Arab states and develop relations with Islamic and friendly countries.

 24th Objective: Deepening economic integration with GCC and Arab countries, enhancing the Kingdom's relations with Islamic and friendly countries, and promoting the role of the Kingdom at the international level.

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Annex 7: Objectives of the Saudi Employment Strategy Source: Ministry of Labour, “Saudi Employment Strategy”, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, 2009. pp. 24- 25.

General Objectives: 1) Achieve full employment; 2) Sustainable increase in the participation of Saudi human resources; and 3) Raise labor productivity to the standards of developed

economies.

Long-term (6-25 years) Medium-term (3-5 years) Short-term (2 years)

Achieve competitive advantage based on national human

resources.

Reduce unemployment rates. Control unemployment.

Achieve full employment. Increase employment growth rates.

Increase employment rates.

Achieve highest possible participation rates.

Increase participation growth rates.

Increase participation rates.

Achieve highest possible labor productivity level.

Increase labor productivity growth.

Increase labor.

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Annex 8: National Tenth Development Plan Macroeconomic

Development Objectives).

Source: Ministry of Economy and Planning (http://www.mep.gov.sa/themes/GoldenCarpet/index.jsp)

 2nd Objective: Enhancing economic diversification with its different dimensions;  3rd. Objective: Transition to a knowledge-based economy and a knowledge society;  4th Objective: To expand the absorptive capacity of the national economy and enhance

its growth, stability and competitiveness;  5th Objective: Raise the productivity of the national economy;  6th Objective: Raise the value added of natural resources in the national economy,

diversifying their sources and ensuring their sustainability along with protecting the environment and conserving the wildlife;

 7th Objective: Developing the SMEs Sector and increasing its contribution to GDP and Saudization;

 8th Objective: Enhancing fiscal and monetary stability; and  9th Objective: Increasing the contribution and productivity of the private sector in order

to achieve development objectives.

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Annex 9: National Tenth Development Plan Social Development Objectives. Source: Ministry of Economy and Planning, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The Tenth Development Plan (2015–2019). http://www.mep.gov.sa/themes/GoldenCarpet/index.jsp

 10th Objective: Ensuring optimal investment in population resources, raising the standard of living and improving the quality of life of all segments of society;

 11th Objective: Developing human resources, upgrading their productivity and expanding their options in acquiring knowledge, skills and experience;

 12th Objective: Improving the entrepreneurial, cognitive and physical capacities of the youth to participate efficiently in the development process;

 13th Objective: Empowering women and increasing their contribution to various fields of development;

 14th Objective: Enhancing social safety networks and family and child care;  15th Objective: Providing adequate job opportunities for Saudis and reducing

unemployment rates;  16th Objective: Facilitating citizens’ access to suitable housing in accordance with a

variety of programs and options that meet demand;  17th Objective: Providing comprehensive, integrated, high-quality healthcare to all

people of the Kingdom; and  18th Objective: Developing the cultural movement and upgrading the level of

information work.

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Annex 10: Social Safety Nets Supportive Measures

Source: UNDP and the Ministry of Economy and Planning, Millennium Development Goals Report, 2013, p. 30.

 The government provides social security services in all provinces and governorates. The maximum of social security benefit per family has been increased from Saudi Riyal (SR) 16.2 thousand to more than SR 58 thousand per year. Total spending in 2012 stood at about SR 15.3 billion (excluding support programs).

 Launched complementary and support programs to help social security beneficiaries meet their diversified needs including programs of security assistance to critical cases that target low-income groups to enable them to improve their living conditions. The total spending on this program reached about SR 9.3 billion in 2012.

 Program of productive projects which address skills development. Total amount of SR 20 billion was spent on this program in 2012.

 Program of "school uniform and bag" which provides school bags and uniforms to social security beneficiaries’ children, who are enrolled in general education and still below 18 years of age. Total amounts spent on this program reached about SR 92.1 million in 2012.

 Program of partial payment of electricity bills. The social security pays part of the bill according to the number of family members covered by the benefits. Total spending on this program reached SR 576.1 million in 2012.

 Furniture program which aims at creating an appropriate environment for a better life by improving the accommodation conditions of the beneficiaries, in collaboration with related public and private institutions, to establish a social partnership. Total spending on this program reached about SR 111.9 million in 2012.

 Program of cash transfers to support households budgets to enable them meet their needs of foodstuffs. Total spending on the program amounted to about SR 1.76 billion in 2012.

 Introduction of a "complementary support" program which aims at closing the gap between the actual income of the extremely poor families and individuals and the poverty line. Allocations for this program reached about SR 274.3 million in 2012.

 A financial support of SR 400 million per year is allocated to the Social Charity Fund, to help reduce poverty through offering interest-free loans to those capable to work, thus help them set up small-scale investment projects; contribute to capacity development through orientation and training; contribute to creating adequate job opportunities for job seekers; develop and support "producing families’" programs; create business incubators for small enterprises; raise awareness on available training and job opportunities that match their capabilities; enhance social involvement in combating poverty; help relevant organizations to identify the requirements of target beneficiaries for health, education, housing, social and other services; strengthen the role of charities; and coordinate with relevant agencies to facilitate procedures related to interests of the target group. Program for support of poor students in the Ministry of Education, including the program of summer and winter clothes and school bags

 Support to the sons/daughters of poor families to join higher education institutions by allocating a percentage of seats for them as well as facilitating the admission terms and

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exempting them from payment of test fees and from tuition in addition to housing and temporary jobs.

 Services provided to persons with special needs, the total number of beneficiaries reached 396,987 persons. Such disabilities include compound physical and mental disabilities and sickness. Total allocations for these services reached SR 3.8 billion in 2012.

 Support of foster care services (support provided to families which provide nursery care to orphans). Total amount of SR 264 million was spent on 7570 cases during 2012.

 Medical assistance for the disabled the allocation of which amounted to SR 30 million in 2012.

 Providing cars designed for persons with special needs, the allocations of which amounted to SR 500,000 for the first phase and SR 100 million for the second phase for juvenile’s care and observation services. The number of beneficiaries of the social observation homes reached 11,532 persons, at social orientation homes reached 93 persons, and at girls care institutions reached 1,418 in 2012.

 The number of beneficiaries from social nursing homes reached 455 children, from social education homes for girls reached 293 orphans, social education homes for boys reached 428 orphans, from paralyzed children care institutions reached 170, and elderly social care homes reached 678 in 2012.

 Adding the cost of living allowance (15 percent) to the basic salaries of employees of the government sector.

 Providing a temporary monthly allowance of SR 2000 for young job-seekers through the Hafiz Program as well as providing training and retraining programs to enable them to obtain appropriate jobs.

 Identifying a minimum wage of SR 3000 per month for workers of the government sector.

 Approving the construction of 500,000 housing units spread across all regions with a total cost of SR 250 billion to be added to SR 25 billion already approved for this sector, thereby increasing its total allocations to SR 275 billion.

 Raising the ceiling of housing loans provided by the Real Estate Development Fund (REDF) from SR 300 thousand to SR 500 thousand (long-term, interest free loans to be repaid on a 25 years period). The REDF capital has been supported with an extra amount of SR 40 billion, thereby increasing its total capital to SR 97 billion.

 Raising the capital of the Saudi Credit and Saving Bank to SR 30 billion. The number of beneficiaries from the bank's loans reached 145,229 in 2012 with loans value amounting to SR 6687 million. The bank provides interest-free loans to small and emerging enterprises and to citizens with handicrafts and professional skills; social, interest-free loans to low-income citizens (in cases of marriage, house renovation, buying a taxi, establishing a small business); and coordinates the provision of care to small and emerging enterprises.

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Annex 11: Government Educational Measures Source: UNDP and the Ministry of Economy and Planning, Millennium Development Goals Report, 2013, p. 42.

 Enforcing mandatory primary education, as per the decision taken in 2004;  Establishing more kindergarten schools throughout the country and intensifying family

awareness and guidance programs on the importance of pre-school education;  Developing mechanisms for the involvement of parents in monitoring children’s

activities, as well as school management and teaching staff performance;  Early identification of children with special needs and the provision of appropriate

education and rehabilitation for them;  Addressing the economic and social constraints that impede the enrolment of children

from low-income groups at different educational stages. It is worth noting, however, that education is provided free of charge at all stages;

 Intensifying programs, in educational curricula and the family and the society at large, aimed at raising awareness of the importance of educational attainment; and

 Issuance of the Council of Ministers' Resolution No. 340 dated 23.10.1433 for the establishment of the General Education Evaluation Authority reporting to the Chairman of the Higher Education Council; and the approval of the Council of Ministers on 22.2.1433 for recommendations related with encouraging the private sector's participation in the general education activity.

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Annex 12: Integrating Environment as Part of Sustainable Development

 Article 32/Basic Law: “the State shall endeavor to conserve, protect, develop, and prevent pollution of the environment Enactment, in 1420 (1999), of the law on regulations governing hunting wild animals and bird;

 Issuance of the Wildlife Protected Areas Regulation in 1415 (1995);  Approval of the National Strategy for Environmental Pollution Control, as per the

Council of Ministers' Resolution No. 157 dated 20/11/1411 (1990);  Approval of the National Plan for Combating Environment Pollution by Oil and Other

unexpected Harmful Substances, as per the Council of Ministers' Resolution No. 157 dated 20/11/1411 (1990);

 Issuance of Law on Trading in Endangered Spices in 2000;  Approval of the Agreement on Conservation of Wildlife and their Natural Habitat for

the Gulf Cooperation Council’s (GCC) countries in 2003;  Accession to the Convention on Migrating Wild Animals;  Accession to the Vienna Convention for the Protection of the Ozone Layer. 21 March

1993;  Accession to the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer. 21

March 1993;  Signing the Basel Convention on the Transboundary Movement of Hazardous Wastes

and their Disposal. Basel, 22 March 1989;  Issuance of the General Environmental Law, as per the Council of Ministers Resolution

No. 193 dated 7/7/1422 (2001);  Creation of the Presidency of Meteorology and Environment Protection in concurrence

with the issuance of the General Environmental Law;  Endorsement of the Kyoto Protocol in 1426 (2005);  Accession to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity in 1422 (2001);  Accession to the Agreement on International Trading in Endangered Wildlife in 1995;  Accession to the UN Convention on Desertification Control in 1418 (1997).  Approval of the National Forestry Strategy and Action Plan, as per the Council of

Ministers Resolution No. 306 dated 23/12/1426 (2006);  Approval of the Kingdom's accession to the Cartagena Protocol of the UN Convention on

Biological Diversity, as per the Royal Decree No. M/5 dated 25/1/1428 (2007). The Cartagena Protocol went into effect in the Kingdom in 1428 (2007);

 Approval of the National Biodiversity Strategy, under the Council of Ministers Resolution No. 197 dated 11/7/1429 (2008);

 Approval of the National Health and Environment Strategy, under the Council of Ministers' Resolution No. 292 dated 22/9/1429 (2008); and

 Formation of the National Committee for Biodiversity (2008).

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Annex 13: Tenth Development Plan Sixth’s Objective: Raising the Value- added of Natural Resources in the National Economy, Diversifying their Sources and Ensuring their Sustainability along with Protecting the Environment and Conserving the Wildlife. Source: UNDP and the Ministry of Economy and Planning, Millennium Development Goals Report, 2013.

Raising the Value-added of Natural Resources in the National Economy, Diversifying their Sources and Ensuring their Sustainability along with Protecting the Environment and Conserving the Wildlife Oil and Mineral Resources:  6.1 Maximizing the value added of oil and gas resources in all uses and production

activities;  6.2 Enhancing mechanisms of conservation of oil resources and rationalization of their use,

including the development and application of criteria for programmed production from the oil fields as well as efficient consumption of energy in all related sectors and activities;

 6.3 Developing the use of renewable energy sources for production of electricity, water desalination along with accelerating approval of necessary regulations and mechanisms; and

 6.4 Encouraging manufacturing industries which depend on hydrocarbon and mining raw materials.

Water Resources:  6.5 Accelerating the approval of the National Water Strategy and implementation of its

comprehensive plan;  6.6 Increasing the use of reclaimed water for agricultural purposes;  6.7 Enhancing the mechanisms of rationalizing water consumption, reducing the losses in

production, transportation and distribution of water; and enforcing the criteria pertaining to efficiency of water use in all activities;

 6.8 Protecting non-renewable water resources and ensuring their availability in the long run to meet basic needs;

 6.9 Enhancing renewable water resources through the study of potentials and developing additional surface and ground water storage capacities; and

 6.10 Developing an integrated desalination industry which uses renewable energy sources and supporting it by advanced research centers.

Resources Sustainability:  6.11 Reviewing the packages of incentives provided by the state to ensure their

consistency with the objective of natural resources conservation, elimination of their wastage and protection of the environment against pollution;

 6.12 Expanding the application of principles and standards related with sustainable development in the management of natural resources; and

 6.13 Conducting a feasibility study for the use of solid waste in generation of thermal energy and electricity and water desalination.

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Protection of the Environment:  6.14 Developing regulations related to the protection of the environment against

pollution, and enhancing pertinent mechanisms with a view to improving waste management, reducing the size of waste, raising recycling rates and ensuring the safe disposal of waste;

 6.15 Improving environmental health by reducing air pollutant emissions from various transport sources, factories and other facilities; and

 6.16 Protecting the natural environment and wildlife, developing and expanding the protected zones, enhancing mechanisms of protecting land against desertification and overgrazing, and the coastal and territorial water against pollution, as well as conserving bio-diversity.

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Annex 14: Tenth Development Plan Organization and Administrative Development Objectives. Source: UNDP and the Ministry of Economy and Planning, Millennium Development Goals Report, 2013.

 19th Objective: Enhancing the process of institutional reform, supporting civil society institutions, and raising the efficiency and productivity of the government bodies and employees;

 20th Objective: Improving the efficiency of implementing development programs and projects and developing the mechanisms of follow up on their implementation and maintenance;

 21st Objective: Improving the efficiency of public services and facilities provided to people and increasing their availability in all regions;

 22nd Objective: Achieving balanced development among the provinces of the Kingdom;

 23rd Objective: Deepening the principles of accountability and transparency, protecting integrity and combating corruption; and

 24th Objective: Deepening economic integration with the GCC and Arab countries, enhancing the Kingdom's relations with Islamic and friendly countries, and promoting the role of the Kingdom at the international level.

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Annex 15: Tenth Development Plan Thirteenth’s Objective -Empowering Women and Increasing their Contribution to Various Fields of Development Source: UNDP and the Ministry of Economy and Planning, Millennium Development Goals Report, 2013.

Empowering Women and Increasing their Contribution to Various Fields of Development

Social Empowerment: 13.1 Increasing the contribution of civil society institutions to the efforts aimed at enhancing

the participation of women in the development process. 13.2 Encouraging the establishment of female cooperative societies; and 13.3 Increasing the participation of women in the specialized national and international

councils, organizations and committees. Economic Empowerment: 13.4 Developing the supportive services and facilities required to enable women to play their

economic and social roles; 13.5 Expanding the scope of women’s participation in economic activities and providing

more job opportunities for them in various fields in order to absorb the large supply of female workforce, and to ensure decent life for them;

13.6 Expanding the scope of suitable options available for women in the scientific, technical and professional disciplines; and

13.7 Retraining female graduates whose specializations do not match with the needs of the labor market.

Administrative Empowerment: 13.8 Developing appropriate regulations to enhance the skills and capacities of young Saudi

women; 13.9 Reviewing and updating all rules and regulations pertaining to working mothers; 13.10 Providing more care targeted to improving the health of women; 13.11 Providing the services which enable the woman to undertake her work duties and

responsibilities; and 13.12 Providing opportunities to distinguished female cadres to occupy managerial positions

in government agencies and universities.

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Annex 16: the Saudi Population -15 years and over – by sex, age groups

and marital status.

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Annex 17: Female Population – 15 Years and Over – by Age Groups and Educational Status 2013.

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Annex 18: Women-owned Commercially Registered Enterprises by Type of Activity up to 2012): Source: UNDP and the Ministry of Economy and Planning, Millennium Development Goals Report, 2013, p. 50.

Activity Number (percent)

Agriculture, Fishery, and Forestry 803 0.94

Mining, and Petroleum 185 0.22

Industry 1363 1.60

Power Generation and Water Extraction 3044 3.57

Construction and Contracting 21,040 24.70

Wholesale and Retail Trade and Commercial Services 29,261 34.35

Business and Finance Services 25 0.03

Transport, Refrigeration and Storage 1,594 1.87

Community and Personal services 5,097 5.98

Other Activities 22,785 26.74

Total 85,197 100

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Annex 19- Private Sector Approach to Female Employment. Source: Human Resources Development Fund – Youth, Female employment initiatives in the private sector. Employment initiatives and Services in Saudi Arabia, 2013.

Direct Employment Programs Developing Employment Method

Sustaining Women Employment through Supporting Services

Women employment in the retail sector (women clothing & accessories). Women employment in factories. Nationalization of malls.

Tele-work. Part-time jobs. Work from home.

Society awareness on women’s employment. Women employment guidelines for the private sector. Transportation support for working women. Nurseries to support working women.

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Annex 20: Summary of Policies and Measures Adopted by the Council of Ministers in 2004 to Enhance the Economic Activity of Women

Development of Plans and Mechanisms:

 The Ministry of Labor, in collaboration with the Ministry of Economy and Planning and the Ministry of Civil Service, shall set up an integrated national plan for the Saudi female workforce. The plan shall determine the actual demand for female labor in various fields;

 The Human Resource Development Fund shall pay particular attention to training and employment of Saudi women. This task shall be included in the plans and programs of the Fund; and

 The Ministry of Labor and the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, together with the Council of Saudi Chambers of Commerce and Industry, shall conduct a study on the possibility of prolonging maternity leave, as an incentive and an additional privilege, without negatively impacting the desirability of hiring women.

Development of Coordination Mechanisms:

 The Council of Saudi Chambers of Commerce and Industry shall form a committee of experienced, qualified women to coordinate with relevant agencies’ efforts to encourage the private sector to provide work opportunities for Saudi women. The initiative should provide training to qualify Saudi women for the required jobs. Material and moral support shall be extended to help establish the committee and all government agencies shall contribute to the effort.

Promotion of Women’s Participation in the Private Sector:

 Government agencies responsible for issuing licenses for engaging in economic activities shall facilitate granting such licenses to women, in accordance with regulations and legal controls;

 The relevant agencies shall allot and fit land within city boundaries for establishing industrial projects for women; and

 The Ministry of Labor shall coordinate with the Ministry of Civil Service and the Ministry of Social Affairs to take the necessary measures for providing women with tele-work opportunities. The Ministry shall also follow up and implement these measures.

Promotion of Women’s Participation in Government:

 All government agencies that provide services related to women shall establish women- only work units and sections in accordance with the needs and nature of work.

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Annex 21: Youth Employment/Unemployment Source: Distribution of Unemployed Saudis by Age Group (2014). Central Department of Statistics and Information. (2014). Labor Force Survey.

Employment Rates Unemployment Rates

Age Group Value of the Index Value of the Index

Second Quarter

First Quarter Second Quarter

First Quarter

15- 19

Male 0.50 0.47 6.7 6.8

Femal e

0.19 0.41 0.9 2.0

Total 0.45 0.46 3.2 3.9

20- 24

Male 7.18 6.88 45.9 42.1

Femal e

5.81 4.81 30.5 27.8

Total 6.96 6.54 36.6 33.5

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Annex 22: Programmes Targeting Youth

 The General Presidency for Youth Welfare which is keen on providing services to youth in all regions of the Kingdom. It concentrates on areas such as sports, culture and social activities to ensure balanced development across all youth activities. Royal Order No. A/2 of 2003 entrusted cultural activity to the Ministry of Culture and Information, hence the Presidency focused on overseeing clubs and agencies involved in youth sports and social activities. The services provided by the Presidency cover over 107 towns and villages through 123 government facilities and extend to all areas of the Kingdom through cooperation and coordination with relevant government bodies, particularly the Ministry of Social Affairs. Currently the Presidency is the government agency responsible for sports, social activities, civil - organizations working in this domain and the establishment of sports facilities. The facilities and activities it offers includes private clubs (153J); permanent camps; sports federations (29); sub-offices and head offices; gymnasiums; sports stadiums; public squares; youth hostels; sports centers; and sports’ cities (General Presidency for Youth Welfare. As of the publishing of the Ninth Development Plan, the General Presidency for Youth Welfare has completed the construction of the Jeddah Stadium, the Al-Fatah Club, the Gulf Club, and the Onaiza Stadium in Qassim. It has also completed around 40 per cent of two sport cities in Arar and Wadi Dawaser, as well as established nine public yards in various regions of the Kingdom. Ministry of Economy and Planning, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The Ninth Development Plan (2010–2014).

 The data shows only a limited number of young people use these facilities, therefore there is a need to study the causes and suggest appropriate programmes and mechanisms to ensure wider participation, and coordinate these effort with the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Social Affairs and other relevant authorities. In sports activities, the Kingdom has participated in 1765 international competitions and more 2820 domestic sports, including the historic participation of young women for the first time in the 2012 Olympic Games (BBC News: Middle East. (2012). London 2012 Olympics: Saudi Arabian Women to Compete (http://www.bbc.com/news/world- middle-east-18813543), as well as 796 other sports-for-all competitions (Ministry of Economy and Planning, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The Ninth Development Plan (2010– 2014).

 The Presidency has also contributed significantly to social activities, having organized 776 recreation camps, 15 work camps, 398 trips and 520 public-service activities (Central Department of Statistics and Information. Statistical Yearbook, 49th Issue, 2013).

 The Ministry of Education/ Ministry of Higher Education: Both of these institutions provide services to young people and concentrate on academic and educational preparation and qualification of the youth through various stages of formal education. Also both sponsor a comprehensive range of extracurricular scientific, cultural and sports activities to enable the youth to make use of their free time in ways that serve educational ends. Alongside this certain universities established research centers specializing in youth issues such as the National Centre for Youth Research, which was established by King Saud University in 2007 to conduct research on various issues concerning youth in the Kingdom.

 Technical and Vocational Training Corporation: which focuses on training youth in order to increase their technical and professional proficiency in response to labor

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market needs. Interest in this effort has been reflected in the expansion of the capacities of training institutions.

 The Ministry of Health which provides health services to young people as part of the general population however given the large size of this category and the specialist health requirements, especially in health awareness (of the harm associated with smoking, unhealthy diet or drugs) and medical tests for both men and women before marriage the direct role played by the Ministry of Health is expected to increase in this regard over the coming years.

 The Ministry of Social Affairs which offers a wide range of programmes with a social content addressing young people. It supports rural and sports clubs, summer camps, free-time programmes, cultural and sports competitions, and training courses. The Ministry is also responsible for the care of juveniles at risk, through social guidance houses, as well as for care and correction of juvenile delinquents both male and female through social observation homes and young women’s welfare institutions. In addition the Ministry coordinates with the General Directorate of Cultural Activities of the General Presidency of Youth Welfare for the organization of joint cultural encounters for the youth of the rural clubs run by rural development centers registered at the General Presidency of Youth Welfare.

 The Ministry of Culture and Information undertakes cultural development activities through accreditation of cultural clubs to serve youth. There are 16 literary clubs, with over 3000; 13 branches of the Saudi Arabian Society for Culture and Arts, in addition to its headquarters in Riyadh; and three branches of the Philatelic Society, in addition to its headquarters in Makkah with around 4200 members.

 The Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs (MOMRA) provides services to youth, through municipalities, which establish municipal arenas and walking tracks and which offer theatre productions and art exhibitions aimed at young people. One example is the initiative of the Riyadh Municipality to establish 100 municipal arenas in various districts of the city over 2007-2009, with the aim of creating amenities for young people where they can enjoy sporting activities within their residential neighborhoods (Ministry of Economy and Planning, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The Ninth Development Plan (2010–2014).

 Princess Al-Anood Foundation for Youth Development (Warif) which was established under the Princess Al Anood Foundation in order to empower the youth to participate in the development of their communities through volunteerism, which is deeply rooted in the national and traditional norms. Through establishing Warif, the Princess Al Anoud Foundation showcases its recognition of Saudi Arabia society needs, simulation development and cultural movement. It is important that young people play an active role in their society as Saudi youth constitute the highest demographic percentage in the Kingdom. Warif also has specialized centers dealing with issues from rehabilitation and development of young people to enhancing their participation in charitable and volunteer programs (UNDP (2014). Human Development Report 2014 - Sustaining Human Progress: Reducing Vulnerabilities and Building Resilience, New York (http://hdr.undp.org/sites/default/files/hdr14-report-en-1.pdf).

 To increase its individual and institutional capacities Warif sought UNDP’s support to provide assistance as well as help identify new youth volunteerism niches.

 Private Sector agencies also plays an important role in the care for young people with 153 authorized sports clubs. This sector also supports charity projects that offer financial

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and in-kind assistance directly to young people such as projects which help young people get married and others that cover costs of study in private schools and colleges. Moreover some private sector companies, institutions and banks facilitate the entry of young graduates of various educational backgrounds to the professional, technical and administrative labor market. This is done through training programmes ending in employment, support for small projects and helping people with special needs by providing them with job opportunities; in addition to supporting sports activities in more than 550 private-sector sports centers in all regions (Ministry of Economy and Planning, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The Ninth Development Plan (2010–2014).

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Annex 23: The Distribution of Youth by Marital Status as a percentage (2007) Source: Ministry of Economy and Planning, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The Ninth Development Plan (2010–2014); Central Department of Statistics and Information, Results of the 2007 Demographic Survey.

Table 10: Distribution of Youth by Marital Status as a percentage (2007

Age Group Single Married Divorced Widowed

Male Female Male Female Male Female Male Female

15-19 99.7 96.0 0.3 3.9 0.0 0.1 0.0 0.0

20-24 87.7 59.9 12.2 39.3 0.1 0.7 0.0 0.1

15-24 93.9 78.6 6.0 20.9 0.1 0.4 0.0 0.1

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Annex 24: Saudi Arabia's Contributions to Arab, Regional and International Development Institutions up to the end of 2012.) Source: Saudi Fund for Development, Annual Report, 2012.

Capital Kingdom’s Contribution

Kingdom’s Contributi on as a share of the capital (percent)

Arab Monetary Fund 2,826,000,000 418,954,500 14.80

International Monetary Fund (IMF) 373,586,838,00 0

10,967,235,00 0

2.90

African Development Fund 336,318,163 1.28

OPEC Fund for International Development 3,435,008,438 1,033,279,607 30.00

Islamic Solidarity Fund for Development 10,000,000,000 1,000,000,000 10.00

International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD)

3,652,000,000 439,778,000 12.04

Arab Fund for Economic and Social Development 7,260,036,300 1,741,747,406 24.00

Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa 2,800,000,000 684,952,424 24.50

Islamic Development Bank 28,260,000,000 6,671,872,000 23.60

World Bank 193,732,000,00 0

5,403,800,000 2.79

African Development Bank 103,561,813,80 0

193,912,200 0.20

International Development Association 204,332,360,00 0

2,424,650,000 1.20

Arab Authority for Agricultural Investment and Development

544,500,000 81,675,000 15.00

International Finance Corporation 2,369,369,000 30,062,000 1.26

The Arab Investment Guarantee Corporation 1,912,825,000 59,803,000 3.12

Islamic Corporation for Insurance of Investment and Export Credit

628,000,000 94,200,000 15.000

Islamic Corporation for Development of the Private Sector

1,000,000,000 150,000,000 15.00

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Annex 25: Saudi Arabia Humanitarian Assistance

 SR 12,187,500,000 grant to Yemen which was announced during Yemen Friends Conference in Riyadh on 2/7/1433

 SR 81,456,000 grant to Yemen for rehabilitation of Adan General Hospital, establishment of the Cardiac Center, Maarub Dual Gas

 Electricity Plant, public works, rural roads program and the special energy project.  SR 2,632,810 value and cost of shipping 200 tons of food items to Yemen.  SR 160,000 value of 500 blood bags from MOH to the Palestinian Blood Bank.  SR 10,000,000 for drugs and medical supplies to Ghazah hospitals.  SR 10,476,553 for relief assistance to Tunisia.  SR 5,602,376 to Comoro Islands for value and cost of shipping 200 tons of food items.  SR 73,741 for provision of drugs and medical supplies to Djibouti.  SR 187,500,000 to Myanmar which is struck by human rights infringement, ethnic

cleansing, killings, rape and forced repatriation.  SR 3,750,000 to finance some UNCHR projects in Myanmar – health and education

sectors.  SR 3,134,653 to Ethiopia for value and cost of shipping food items.  SR 562,500 assistance for IFP in Niger to help the needy people.  SR 4,696,918 assistance to Burkina Faso for 200 tons of food items.  SR 20,000,000 for value of 4000 tons of dates to IFP for distribution in a number of

countries.  SR 15,000,000 value of 3000 tons of dates as government assistance to a number of

countries.  SR 7,207,000 grant for construction and equipment of 7 health centers in Niger.  SR 25,644,000 grant to Morocco for reconstruction of homes struck by the earthquakes

and support of national human development program.  SR 12,275,000 for reconstruction of Taintan City which was struck by floods in

Mauritania.  SR 16,643,000 grant to Sudan to support humanitarian conditions in Darfur and

construction of the two vocational training centers in Kadogly and Damazin.  SR 7,956,000 to Lebanon to support several projects.  SR 148,024,000 grant to Pakistan for reconstruction of areas affected by earthquakes

and contribution to the humanitarian initiative related with those displaced and effected by crisis and floods.

 SR 1,011,619,000 grant to Palestine for AlAqsa and Quds Fund, reconstruction of Ghaza and other projects to support the Palestinian Authority and the emergency assistance program for the support of health care system in Ghazah.

 SR 63,278,000 grant to Jordan for construction and equipment of government hospitals as well as water and sanitation networks.

 SR 26,862,000 grant to the African Coast States (for fourth phase of the Saud wells drilling program).

 SR 4,687,000 for the activities of Carter Humanitarian Center.  SR 93,750,000 contribution to the Arabian Gulf Development Program.  SR 1,500,000 Kingdom's contribution to the control of onchocerciasis (River

Blindness).  SR 28,125,000 Kingdom's contribution to eradication of child polio-UNICEF.

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 SR 14,062,000 Kingdom's contribution to eradication of child polio WITO.  SR 2,812,000 to support the structural integration program for trade in developing

countries.  SR 7,500,000 Kingdom's contribution to support emergency assistance for victims of

disasters.  SR 7,500,000 Kingdom's contribution to support agricultural and rural communities in

the context of the emergency relief program in Somalia-IAP.

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Annex 26: Indicators’ Framework

MILLENNIUM DECLARATION AND CONFERENCE INDICATORS

Conference goal

Target Indicators

Income-Poverty

Eradicate extreme poverty

Halve, between 1990 and 2015, the proportion of people whose income is less than $2 dollar a day (Millennium Declaration)

 Poverty headcount ratio (percentage of population below national poverty line)

 Proportion of population below $1 (PPP) per day  Poverty gap ratio  Share of poorest quintile in national consumption

Conference goal

Target Indicators

Food security and nutrition

Eradicate hunger

Halve between 1990 and 2015, the proportion of people who suffer from hunger (Millennium Declaration)

 Prevalence of underweight children under five years of age

 Proportion of population below minimum level of dietary energy consumption

 Proportion of household income spent on food for the poorest quintile

Conference goal

Target Indicators

Education

Achieve universal primary education

Ensure that, by 2015, children everywhere, boys and girls alike, will be able to complete a full course of primary schooling (Millennium Declaration)

 Net enrolment ratio in primary education  Proportion of pupils starting grade 1 who reach

grade 5  Literacy rate of 15-24 years old  Adult literacy rate

Achieving Education For All

Expanding and improving comprehensive early childhood care and education, especially for the most vulnerable and disadvantaged children (EFA Goal 1)

Achieving Education For All

Ensuring that by 2015 all children, particularly girls, children in

 Apparent (gross) intake rate: new entrants in primary grade 1 as a percentage of the population of official entry age.

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Conference goal

Target Indicators

difficult circumstances and those belonging to ethnic minorities, have access to and complete free and compulsory primary education of good quality (EFA Goal 2)

 (Gross intake rate in grade 1, as % of relevant age group)

 Repetition rates by grade.  (Repeaters in primary school, as % of enrolment)

Achieving Education For All

Ensuring that the learning needs of all young people and adults are met through equitable access to appropriate learning and life-skills programmes (EFA Goal 3)

 Literacy rate of 15-24 year olds

Achieving Education For All

Achieving a 50 per cent improvement in levels of adult literacy by 2015, especially for women, and equitable access to basic and continuing education for all adults (EFA Goal 4)

 Adult literacy rate: percentage of the population aged 15+ that is literate.

 Literacy Gender Parity Index: ratio of female to male literacy rates. (For the age group 10+)

Achieving Education For All

Eliminating gender disparities in primary and secondary education by 2005, and achieving gender equality in education by 2015, with a focus on ensuring girls' full and equal access to and achievement in basic education of good quality (EFA Goal 5)

Achieving Education For All

Improving all aspects of the quality of education and ensuring excellence of all so that recognised and measurable learning outcomes are achieved by all, especially in literacy,

 Public current expenditure on primary education a) as a percentage of GNP; and b) per pupil, as a percentage of GNP per capita.

 (Public expenditure per student on primary education, as % of GDP per capita)

 Percentage of primary school teachers having the required academic qualifications.

 (Trained teachers in primary education, as % of

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Conference goal

Target Indicators

numeracy and essential life skills (EFA Goal 6)

total)  Pupil-teacher ratio. (In primary education)  Survival rate to grade 5 (percentage of a pupil

cohort actually reaching grade 5).

Conference goal

Target Indicators

Gender equality and women’s empowerment

Promote gender equality and empower women

Eliminate gender disparity in primary and secondary education, preferably by 2005, and to all levels of education no later than 2015

 Ratio of girls to boys in primary, secondary and tertiary education

 Ratio of literate females to males 15-24 year olds

Eliminate discriminatory practices in employment

 Share of women in wage employment in the non- agriculture sector

Equitable access to political institutions (Fourth World Conference on Women)

 Proportion of seats held by women in national parliament

Conference goal

Target Indicators

Child mortality and welfare

Reduce child mortality

Reduce by two thirds, between 1990 and 2015, the under-five mortality rate (Millennium Declaration)

 Under five mortality rate (per 1,000)  Infant mortality rate (per 1,000 live births)  Proportion of one year old children immunized

against measles (For children ages 12-23 months)

Reduce child labor

Elimination of child labour (WSSD)

 Proportion of children under age 15 who are working

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Conference goal

Target Indicators

Reproductive and maternal health

Improved reproductive health

Universal access to reproductive health services and information by 2015 (ICPD, World Summit Outcome, SG and GA recommendation)

 Contraceptive prevalence rate (% of married women ages 15-49)

 Adolescent fertility rate (births per 1,000 women ages 15-19)

Improved maternal health and reduced maternal mortality

Reduce by three quarters, between 1990 and 2015, the maternal mortality ratio (Millennium Declaration)

 Maternal mortality ratio (Modeled estimates per 100,000 live births)

 Proportion of births attended by skilled health personnel

Conference goal

Target Indicators

HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases

Combat HIV/AIDS

Have halted by 2015 and begun to reverse the spread of HIV/AIDS (Millennium Declaration)

 HIV prevalence among 15-24 year old pregnant women (% of population ages 15-49)

Combat malaria and other diseases

Have halted by 2015 and begun to reverse the incidence of malaria and other major disease (Millennium Declaration)

 Prevalence and death rates associated with tuberculosis (Incidence per 100,000 people)

Conference goal

Target Indicators

Employment

Creation of full employment

Universal access to paid employment (WSSD)

 Employment to population of working age ratio (ages 15-64)

 Unemployment rate (ages 15-64)

Conference goal

Target Indicators

Environment

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Conference goal

Target Indicators

Ensure environmental sustainability

Integrate the principles of sustainable development into country policies and programmes and reverse the loss of environmental resources (Millennium Declaration)

 Energy use (kg oil equivalent) per $1 GDP (PPP) (per $1 of 2000 GDP (PPP))

 Carbon dioxide emissions (per capita) (Metric tons)

Halve by 2015 the proportion of people without sustainable access to safe drinking water (Millennium Declaration)

 Proportion of population with sustainable access to an improved water source, urban and rural (% of population)

By 2020 to have achieved a significant improvement in the lives of at least 100 million slum dwellers (Millennium Declaration)

Conference goal

Target Indicators

Housing and sanitation

Adequate shelter for all

Provision of sufficient living space and avoidance of overcrowding (HABITAT II)

Improved access to safe sanitation

Universal sanitary waste disposal (WCW/WCS/WSSD/UN CED)

 Proportion of population with access to improved sanitation

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REFERENCES 1 In 2014, the United Nations Member States took an important step to fulfill a key mandate of the Rio+20 Conference, which is to develop a set of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The General Assembly’s Open Working Group and the Secretary-Generals synthesis report have proposed 17 SDGs and 169 targets covering a wide range of sustainable development issues. While the proposal will be further negotiated by Member States in 2015, this represents the main basis for the future development agenda. Together with other expected outcomes on means of implementation (financing for sustainable development, technology transfer, trade), climate change and disaster risk reduction, etc. it will eventually form the Post-2015 Development Agenda, a new framework that succeeds the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) upon their expiration at the end of 2015. UN, Sustainable Development Goals Knowledge Platform, (https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/sdgsproposal). 2 World Economic Situation and Prospects (WESP) classifies all countries of the world into one of three broad categories: developed economies, economies in transition, and developing countries: “In parts of the analysis, a distinction is made between fuel exporters and fuel importers from among the economies in transition and the developing countries. An economy is classified as a fuel exporter if the share of fuel exports in its total merchandise exports is greater than 20 percent and the level of fuel exports is at least 20 percent higher than that of the country’s fuel imports. This criterion is drawn from the share of fuel exports in the total value of world merchandise trade.” Here Saudi Arabia is classified as economy in transition and a developing economy and at the same time as “high income” measured by per capita gross national income (GNI). United Nations, Country Classification: Data Sources, Country Classifications and Aggregation Methodology. Statistical Annexes (http://www.un.org/en/development/desa/policy/wesp/wesp_current/2012country_class.p df). 3 Please see, Haykel, Bernard, Thomas Hegghammer, and Stéphane Lacroix, eds. Saudi Arabia in Transition: Insights on Social, Political, Economic and Religious Change. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2015; Mark C. Thompson, Saudi Arabia and the Path to Political Change: National Dialogue and Civil Society, I.B. Tauris, 2014. 4 National Dialogue Forum, initiated by King Abdullah Centre for National Dialogue (KACND). See, King Faisal Center for Research and Islamic Studies, “A Decade of the Saudi National Dialogue, 2003-2013,” Masarat, April 2014 (http://rd-kfcris.com/all-masarat-pdf/Masarat- Issue-13-En.pdf). 5 UNDP, Human Development Report 2014: Sustaining Human Progress: Reducing Vulnerabilities and Building Resilience, New York, 2014, p. 36 (http://hdr.undp.org/sites/default/files/hdr14-report-en-1.pdf). As stated by Selim Jahan, Director of the Human Development Report Office Launched on 24 May 1990 in London, the first Human Development Report, opened with a simply stated premise: “People are the real wealth of a nation and human development is all about enlarging their choices.” UNDP, Human Development Reports, 25 Years of Human Development (http://hdr.undp.org/en/25- years). Moreover, “Human Development Report introduced a new approach for advancing human wellbeing. Human development – or the human development approach - is about expanding the richness of human life, rather than simply the richness of the economy in which human beings live. It is an approach that is focused on people and their opportunities and choices.” UNDP, About Human Development, (http://hdr.undp.org/en/humandev).

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6 UNDP and the Ministry of Economy and Planning, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia: Millennium Development Goals, 2011 (1432 H), p. 19 (http://www.undp.org/content/dam/rbas/report/KSA_MDG_Report_6_2011_English.pdf). 7 UNDP, Human Development Report: Sustaining Human Progress: Reducing Vulnerabilities and Building Resilience, New York: United Nations Development Programme, 2014, p. 164 (http://hdr.undp.org/sites/default/files/hdr14-report-en-1.pdf). 8 UNDP, Human Development Report: Beyond Scarcity: Power, Poverty and the Global Water Crisis, New York: United Nations Development Programme, 2006, p. 289 (http://hdr.undp.org/sites/default/files/reports/267/hdr06-complete.pdf). 9 UNDP, Human Development Reports, Table 2: Human Development Index trends, 1980-2013 (http://hdr.undp.org/en/content/table-2-human-development-index-trends-1980-2013). See also, UNDP (2014). Human Development Report: Sustaining Human Progress: Reducing Vulnerabilities and Building Resilience, New York: United Nations Development Programme. (http://hdr.undp.org/sites/default/files/hdr14-report-en-1.pdf), p. 164. 10 The World Bank. World Development Indicators, Saudi Arabia, The World Bank, Washington DC (http://data.worldbank.org/country/saudi-arabia). 11 The World Bank, Data (http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/NY.GDP.MKTP.CD). It is also important to site other figures indicating that during 1970-2013 GDP for Saudi Arabia grew by 743 billion US dollars (in 138.6 times) to 748.4 billion US dollars. The World Macroeconomic Research, Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in Saudi Arabia (http://kushnirs.org/macroeconomics/profile/profile_saudi_arabia.html). 12 UNDP and the Ministry of Economy and Planning, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia: Millennium Development Goals, 2013 (1434 H), p. 20. 13 GDP per capita is gross domestic product divided by midyear population. GDP is the sum of gross value added by all resident producers in the economy plus any product taxes and minus any subsidies not included in the value of the products. It is calculated without making deductions for depreciation of fabricated assets or for depletion and degradation of natural resources. Data are in current U.S. dollars. World Bank, Data (http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/NY.GDP.PCAP.CD/countries/SA?display=default). 14 World Bank, Data, GDP Per Capita (Current US$) http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/NY.GDP.PCAP.CD/countries/SA?display=default). National figures indicate that per capita GDP at current prices for 2014 was (SAR) 90,946 or approximately $24,247 for 2014 (Central Department of Statistics and Information (http://cdsi.gov.sa/english/index.php). Worth noting that in the MDG Report for 2013, the government indicated that over the period (1999-2012), the national economy (GDP) achieved an average annual real growth rate of 12.7 percent with per capita income at current prices reaching around SR 91.329 ($ 24,354) by the end of 2013. UNDP and the Ministry of Economy and Planning, Millennium Development Goals Report, 2013, p. 17. GDP data from 2004-2012 has been updated according to the results of the comprehensive economic census.

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15 GDP is the sum of gross value added by all resident producers in the economy plus any product taxes and minus any subsidies not included in the value of the products. It is calculated without making deductions for depreciation of fabricated assets or for depletion and degradation of natural resources. Data are in constant local currency. World Bank national accounts data, and OECD National Accounts data files. World Bank, Data, (http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/NY.GDP.MKTP.KN) 16 World Bank, Data, (http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/NY.GDP.MKTP.KN) 17 GNI per capita (current LCU) is gross national income divided by midyear population. GNI (formerly GNP) is the sum of value added by all resident producers plus any product taxes (less subsidies) not included in the valuation of output plus net receipts of primary income (compensation of employees and property income) from abroad. Data are in current local currency. World Bank national accounts data, and OECD National Accounts data files. World Bank, Data ((http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/NY.GNP.PCAP.CN). 18 World Bank, Data (http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/NY.GNP.PCAP.CN). 19 Gross National Income (GNI) per capita, PPP (current international $): GNI per capita based on purchasing power parity (PPP). PPP GNI is gross national income (GNI) converted to international dollars using purchasing power parity rates. An international dollar has the same purchasing power over GNI as a U.S. dollar has in the United States. GNI is the sum of value added by all resident producers plus any product taxes (less subsidies) not included in the valuation of output plus net receipts of primary income (compensation of employees and property income) from abroad. Data are in current international dollars based on the 2011 ICP round. World Bank, Data, (http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/NY.GNP.PCAP.PP.CD/countries). 20 World Bank, Data, http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/NY.GNP.PCAP.PP.CD/countries. Worth noting that the PPP conversion factor, GDP (Local Currency Unit (LCU) per international $) (Purchasing power parity conversion factor is the number of units of a country's currency required to buy the same amounts of goods and services in the domestic market as U.S. dollar would buy in the United States. This conversion factor is for GDP. For most economies PPP figures are extrapolated from the 2011 International Comparison Program (ICP) benchmark estimates or imputed using a statistical model based on the 2011 ICP. For 47 high- and upper middle-income economies conversion factors are provided by Eurostat and the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). World Bank, Data, (http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/PA.NUS.PPP). Increased from 1.62 in 2010 to 1.74 in 2014 (World Bank, Data, (http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/PA.NUS.PPP). 21 The Group of Twenty (also known as the G-20 or G20) “is an international forum for the governments and central bank governors from 20 major economies. The members include 19 individual countries—. Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, South Korea, Turkey, the United Kingdom, United States and the European Union.” Wikipedia, The G-20 Major Economies (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/G-20_major_economies). 22 “The International Energy Forum, also known as the International Energy Agency, is the world's largest recurring gathering of energy ministers. It is unique in that participants not only include IEA and OPEC countries, but also key international actors such as Brazil, China, India, Mexico, Russia and South Africa. The IEF countries account for more than 90 percent of global oil and gas supply and demand.” Wikipedia, International Energy Forum (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Energy_Forum). 23 The Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf (http://www.gcc-sg.org/eng/).

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24 UNDP and the Ministry of Economy and Planning, Millennium Development Goals Report, 2013, p. 27. It is not easy to get accurate data on poverty other than government sources. For example, the World Bank does not provide this data. World Bank, Data, (http://databank.worldbank.org/data/reports.aspx?source=world-development-indicators). 25 See for example, Kevin Sullivan, “In Saudi Arabia, unemployment and booming population drive growing poverty,” The Washington Post, 3 December 2012 (https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/in-saudi-arabia-unemployment-and-booming- population-drive-growing-poverty/2012/12/02/458e648c-3987-11e2-a263- f0ebffed2f15_story.html); Al-Quds Al-Arabi (http://www.alquds.co.uk/?p=127969). 26 These conclusions are taken from UNDP, Evaluation of the Role of UNDP in the Net Contributor Countries of the Arab Region, Evaluation Office, May 2008 (http://web.undp.org/evaluation/documents/thematic/ncc/NCC.pdf). 27 The World Economic Forum (2007), in The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the World: Scenarios to 2025, World Scenario Series, has defined this as an “oasis” or “fertile Gulf” scenario (http://www.weforum.org/pdf/scenarios/gcc_ksa_executive_summary.pdf), p. 4. 28 UNDP, Evaluation of the Role of UNDP in the Net Contributor Countries of the Arab Region, Evaluation Office, May 2008 (http://web.undp.org/evaluation/documents/thematic/ncc/NCC.pdf). Countries with higher levels of income such as Bahrain, Kuwait, Libyan Arab Jamahiriya (Libya), Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in Arab States. This independent evaluation of the role of UNDP in net contributor countries of the Arab region was commissioned by the Evaluation Office of UNDP. 29 These conclusions are taken from UNDP, Evaluation of the Role of UNDP in the Net Contributor Countries of the Arab Region, Evaluation Office, May 2008 (http://web.undp.org/evaluation/documents/thematic/ncc/NCC.pdf). 30 The Basic Law of Governance includes a body of rights and contains provisions pertaining to the fundamentals of Saudi society, the welfare of the family and all its members, and education. It deals with the freedom and sanctity of private ownership and prohibits public confiscation of money and the imposition of taxes and fees unless necessary and on a just basis. It provides security for all citizens and residents, freedom of domicile and freedom of telegraphic, postal, telephone and other communications. It provides the citizen and his family with full rights in the event of emergency, sickness, disability and old age. It underpins the social security system and encourages institutions and individuals to participate in charitable work. Ministry of Foreign Affairs (http://www.mofa.gov.sa/sites/mofaen/ServicesAndInformation/aboutKingDom/SaudiGov ernment/Pages/BasicSystemOfGovernance35297.aspx). 31 According to the World Bank Definition “Total labor force comprises people ages 15 and older who meet the International Labour Organization definition of the economically active population: all people who supply labor for the production of goods and services during a specified period. It includes both the employed and the unemployed. While national practices vary in the treatment of such groups as the armed forces and seasonal or part-time workers, in general the labor force includes the armed forces, the unemployed, and first-time job-seekers, but excludes homemakers and other unpaid caregivers and workers in the informal sector.” The World Bank, Data, Labor force, total (http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SL.TLF.TOTL.IN/countries). 32 The World Bank, Data, Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) (modelled ILO estimate). World Bank

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(http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SL.TLF.CACT.ZS/countries). The Central Department of Statistics and Information provides updated figures for 2014. The total labor force (15 years and above) in 2014 is estimated at 11,739,303 (54.1% of total population of 15 years and above age group), of whom 9,889,791 are males. Central Department of Statistics and Information, Labor Force Survey, 2014, Round 2, p. 16. (http://cdsi.gov.sa/english/index.php?option=com_docman&task=cat_view&gid=243&Itemid =162). And employment as a percentage of the population for 2014 at 35.7 percent. Central Department of Statistics & Information (http://cdsi.gov.sa/english/index.php). 33 The World Bank, Data, Employment to population ratio, 15+, total (%) (modelled ILO estimate) (http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SL.EMP.TOTL.SP.ZS/countries) 34 Central Department of Statistics and Information, Labor Force Survey, 2014, Round 2, p. 16. (http://cdsi.gov.sa/english/index.php?option=com_docman&task=cat_view&gid=243&Itemid =162). And employment as a percentage of the population for 2014 at 35.7 percent. Central Department of Statistics & Information (http://cdsi.gov.sa/english/index.php). 35 The World Bank, Data, Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) (modelled ILO estimate) (http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SL.TLF.CACT.MA.ZS/countries). The Central Department of Statistics notes that for 2014 of the total labor force (15 years and above) of 5,577,489, 4,379,347 were males (estimated 78, 5%). The employed of the total labor force 11,067,673 or 94,3% of the total labor force, of which 86.9% are males and Central Department of Statistics and Information, Labor Force Survey, 2014, Round 2, p. 16 http://www.cdsi.gov.sa/english/index.php?option=com_docman&task=cat_view&gid=243&I temid=162). 36 The World Bank, Data, Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages 15+) (modelled ILO estimate) (http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SL.TLF.CACT.FE.ZS/countries). The Central Department of Statistics notes that for 2014, females constituted 16.4%.that the total employed (out of the 4,926,184 or 88, 3% of the total labor force of whom 4,120,467 males or 83, 6%). Central Department of Statistics and Information, Labor Force Survey, 2014, Round 2, p. 17. (http://www.cdsi.gov.sa/english/index.php?option=com_docman&task=cat_view&gid=243& Itemid=162 37 Index Mundi, Saudi Arabia - Labor force participation rate (Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, female (%) (national estimate) http://www.indexmundi.com/facts/saudi- arabia/labor-force-participation-rate#SL.TLF.ACTI.1524.FE.ZS). 38 International Al-Jazeera Academy, Arab News, 11October 2013 (http://www.arabnews.com/news/467423). The article also noted that “Saudi Arabia ranks fourth in having the largest number of foreign manpower worldwide, according to a study published by the Population Division of the United Nations.” 39 The World Bank, Data, Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) (modeled ILO estimate) (http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SL.UEM.TOTL.ZS/countries). Total unemployment stood at 5.7% for 2014. Central Department of Statistics and Information, Labor Force Survey, 2014, Round 2, p. 16. (http://www.cdsi.gov.sa/english/index.php?option=com_docman&task=cat_view&gid=243& Itemid=162); and http://cdsi.gov.sa/english/index.php. See also Trading Economics, Saudi Arabia Unemployment Rate (http://www.tradingeconomics.com/saudi- arabia/unemployment-rate). The unemployment rate among Saudis (> 15 years) stood at 11.7

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percent for 2014. Central Department of Statistics and Information, http://cdsi.gov.sa/english/index.php. 40 The World Bank, Data, Unemployment, male (% of male labor force) (modeled ILO estimate) (http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SL.UEM.TOTL.MA.ZS/countries). 41 The World Bank, Data, Unemployment, female (% of female labor force) (modeled ILO estimate) (http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SL.UEM.TOTL.FE.ZS/countries). 42 Central Department of Statistics and Information, Labor Force Survey, 2014, Round 2, p. 16. (http://www.cdsi.gov.sa/english/index.php?option=com_docman&task=cat_view&gid=243& Itemid=162). The Central Department of Statistics and Information provides a different figure for unemployment. It states that unemployment rates stood at 39.7% for males and 60.3% for females in 2014. Distribution of Saudis Labor Force (15 years and above) by Sex, Central Department of Statistics and Information, Labor Force Survey, 2014, Round 2, p. 17 (http://www.cdsi.gov.sa/english/index.php?option=com_docman&task=cat_view&gid=243& Itemid=162). 43 Youth unemployment refers to the share of the labor force ages 15-24 without work but available for and seeking employment. The World Bank, Data, Unemployment, youth male (% of male labor force ages 15-24) (modeled ILO estimate), (http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SL.UEM.1524.MA.ZS/countries). 44 The World Bank, Data, Unemployment, youth female (% of female labor force ages 15-24) (modeled ILO estimate) http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SL.UEM.1524.FE.ZS/countries) 45 The World Bank, Data, Unemployment, youth male (% of male labor force ages 15-24) (modeled ILO estimate) (http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SL.UEM.1524.MA.ZS/countries). 46 Ministry of Economy and Planning, The Eighth Development Plan 2005-2009, p. 52 (http://planipolis.iiep.unesco.org/upload/Saudi%20Arabia/Saudi_Arabia_Eighth_Developme nt_Plan.pdf). 47 UNDP and the Ministry of Economy and Planning, Millennium Development Goals Report, 2013, p. 61. 48 UNICEF, Information by Country/Saudi Arabia (http://www.unicef.org/infobycountry/saudiarabia_statistics.html). 49 UNICEF, Revised country programme document, Gulf Area sub-regional programme (2014- 2017), 18 October 2013 (http://www.unicef.org/about/execboard/files/2013-PL17- Gulf_Area_CPD-Revised-English.pdf) 50 According to Sami Al-Abbood, Director General of Urban Planning at The Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs (MMRA) based on estimates by the Central Department of Statistics and Information. Arab News, “88 percent urbanization forecast by 2025,” 14 May 2013 (http://www.arabnews.com/news/451566). 51 UNICEF (http://www.unicef.org/infobycountry/saudiarabia_statistics.html). 52 UNESCO, Country Profiles, Saudi Arabia (http://www.uis.unesco.org/DataCentre/Pages/country- profile.aspx?code=SAU&regioncode=40525). 53 Population Distribution, Saudi/non-Saudi 2013, Figure 2, Central Department of Statistics and Information. Statistical Yearbook, 49th Issue, 2013 (http://www.cdsi.gov.sa/yb49/Pages/MixPageOne.htm).

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54 Zainab Fattah, “Saudi Arabia’s Affordable Housing Shortage,” Bloomberg Business, March 28, 2013 (http://www.bloomberg.com/bw/articles/2013-03-28/saudi-arabias-affordable- housing-shortage). 55 UNDP and the Ministry of Economy and Planning, Millennium Development Goals Report, 2013, p. 22. 56 Saudi Arabia Energy Policy, Laws and Regulations Handbook Volume 1 Strategic ... (https://books.google.jo/books?id=iZh0CQAAQBAJ&pg=PA177&lpg=PA177&dq=non- renewable+groundwater+resources+to+meet+growing+demand&source=bl&ots=k8BUFSKNu B&sig=vti4qm4- SFCdO1oM1LCPKJJw08A&hl=ar&sa=X&ved=0CE4Q6AEwBWoVChMIrfKI5JmnxwIVxLQaCh 26sQFQ#v=onepage&q=non- renewable%20groundwater%20resources%20to%20meet%20growing%20demand&f=false). 57 SALIC, Background (http://www.salic.com/English/aboutus/Pages/Background.aspx). 58 University of Minnesota, Human Rights Library, Human Rights Commission Regulation - Saudi Arabia (http://www1.umn.edu/humanrts/research/saudiarabia/HRC- regulation.html). 59 The National Society for Human Rights, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (http://nshr.org.sa/en/). 60 2RP: Responses to Recommendations & Voluntary Pledges. Saudi Arabia Second Review Session 17, Review in the Working Group: 21 October 2013, Adoption in the Plenary: 19 March 2014, Saudi Arabia’s responses to recommendations (as of 14.07.2014) (http://www.upr- info.org/sites/default/files/document/saudi_arabia/session_17_- _october_2013/recommendations_and_pledges_saudiarabia_2014_0.pdf). 61 Saudi Gazette, “Kingdom, Philippines sign labor agreement: More rights, better protection for Filipino household workers,” May 20, 2013 (http://www.saudigazette.com.sa/index.cfm?method=home.regcon&contentid=201305201665 22); and Saudi Gazette, “KSA, Indonesia pen domestic workers agreement,” 20 February 2014. 62 Estimates of Population by Sex and Nationality (Saudi/Non Saudi) for the years 2004-2014 Source: Central Department of Statistics and Information (http://cdsi.gov.sa/english/index.php?option=com_docman&Itemid=160). See also Central Department of Statistics and Information. Statistical Yearbook, 49th Issue, 2013 (http://www.cdsi.gov.sa/yb49/Pages/MixPageOne.htm). 63 Ministry of Economy and Planning, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Ninth Development Plan, Women and the Family, Chapter 19 (www.mep.gov.sa). 64 Ministry of Economy and Planning, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Ninth Development Plan, Women and the Family, Chapter 19 (www.mep.gov.sa). 65 UNDP, Outcome Evaluation of UNDP Support for: Social Empowerment and institutional Strengthening with Emphasis on Youth, Country Programme 2012-2016 (Draft July 2014). 66 Freedom House, Eleanor Abdella Doumato, Saudi Arabia, p. 1 (https://freedomhouse.org/sites/default/files/inline_images/Saudi%20Arabia.pdf). 67 Universal Periodic Review, Halah M. Eldoseri and Naseema Al-Sadah, Stakeholder Report for the Universal Periodic Review of Saudi Arabia 2013, “Unfulfilled Promises”, p. 2 (http://www.upr-info.org/sites/default/files/document/saudi_arabia/session_17_- _october_2013/js4_upr17_sau_e_main.pdf). 68 Arab News, “Domestic violence laws take effect on December 23,” 15 November 2014 (http://www.arabnews.com/saudi-arabia/news/660366).

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69 Arab News. Domestic violence laws take effect on Dec. 23”. 15 November 2014 (http://www.arabnews.com/saudi-arabia/news/660366). 70 Human Rights Council, Universal Periodic Review, Human Rights Council Working Group on the Universal Periodic Review, “Compilation prepared by the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights in accordance with paragraph 15 (b) of the annex to Human Rights Council resolution 5/1 and paragraph 5 of the annex to Council resolution 16/21, Saudi Arabia,” Seventeenth session, 21 October–1 November 2013 (http://www.upr- info.org/sites/default/files/document/saudi_arabia/session_17_- _october_2013/a_hrc_wg.6_17_sau_2_e.pdf). 71 2RP: Responses to Recommendations & Voluntary Pledges. SAUDI ARABIA Second Review Session 17, Review in the Working Group: 22 October 2013, Adoption in the Plenary: 19 March 2014, Saudi Arabia’s responses to recommendations (as of 14.07.2014) (http://www.upr- info.org/sites/default/files/document/china/session_17_- _october_2013/recommendations_and_pledges_china_2014.pdf). 72 The United Nations is represented in Saudi Arabia by the United Nations Resident Coordinator Office; UNDP, UNICEF, UNHCR, FAO and WHO, as well as by the World Bank, the International Finance Corporation (IFC), and the International Organization for Migration (IOM). Non-resident agencies include ESCWA, UNESCO, ILO, UNEP, UNIDO, UNFPA, UNIPPA, OHCHR, OCHA, IAEA, UNWOMEN, UN HABITAT and UNIC. 73 Saudi Arabia Facts and Figures, Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (http://www.opec.org/opec_web/en/about_us/169.htm). 74 The World Bank. Indicators (http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/AG.SRF.TOTL.K2). See also Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries, Saudi Arabia, Facts and Figures, which puts at 2,250,000 square kilometers (868,730 square miles) (http://www.opec.org/opec_web/en/about_us/169.htm). 75 World Atlas Map (http://www.worldatlas.com/webimage/countrys/asia/lgcolor/sacolor.htm). 76 Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women, Consideration of reports submitted by States Parties under article 18 of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, Combined initial and second periodic reports of States Parties, Saudi Arabia. 77 The Basic Law of Governance, Article 1: The kingdom of Saudi Arabia is a sovereign Arab Islamic state. Its religion is Islam, and its constitution is the Holy Qur'an and the prophet's (peace be upon him) Sunnah (traditions). Its language is the Arabic language, and its capital city is Riyadh.” Ministry of Foreign Affairs (http://www.mofa.gov.sa/sites/mofaen/ServicesAndInformation/aboutKingDom/SaudiGov ernment/Pages/BasicSystemOfGovernance35297.aspx) 78 The Basic Law of Governance, Article 7: “The authority of the regime is derived from the Holy Qur'an and the prophet's Sunnah which rule over this and all other state laws.” Ministry of Foreign Affairs (http://www.mofa.gov.sa/sites/mofaen/ServicesAndInformation/aboutKingDom/SaudiGov ernment/Pages/BasicSystemOfGovernance35297.aspx). 79 Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia, Washington D.C (https://www.saudiembassy.net/about/country- information/laws/The_Law_of_the_Council_of_Ministers.aspx).

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80 The Guardian, “Saudi Arabia suicide bombing puts country on alert for jihadi attacks,” 5th January 2015 (http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/jan/05/saudi-arabia-suicide-bomb- alert-jihadi-attacks-king-abdullah). 81 Saudi Press Agency, Royal Decrees (http://www.spa.gov.sa/english/awamer.php?pg=34). 82Al Monitor, “What's ahead for Saudi Arabia?,” June 10, 2015 (http://www.al- monitor.com/pulse/originals/2015/06/saud-arabia-monarchy.html?utm_source=Al- Monitor+Newsletter+%5BEnglish%5D&utm_campaign=c6dd5c65ff- June_10_2015&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_28264b27a0-c6dd5c65ff-102489049). 83 US-Saudi Arabia Business Council, “King Salman Delivers Policy Address, Emphasizes Stability and Economic Growth,” (http://www.us- sabc.org/custom/news/details.cfm?id=1666). 84 Royal Decree Number 3 which cancelled the following bodies: the Higher Committee for Education Policy; Higher Committee for Administrative Organization; Civil Service Council; Higher Commission of King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology; Council of Higher Education and Universities; Supreme Council for Education; Supreme Council for Petroleum and Minerals; Supreme Economic Council; National Security Council; Supreme Council of King Abdullah City for Atomic and Renewable Energy; Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs; Supreme Council for Disabled Affairs. In their place, the Royal Order established two councils that are organizationally linked to the Council of Ministers as follows: Council of Political and Security Affairs and the Council of Economic and Development Affairs. Saudi Press Agency, Royal Decree #3, (http://www.spa.gov.sa/english/awamer.php?pg=34). 85 Royal Decree #4, Saudi Press Agency (http://www.spa.gov.sa/english/awamer.php?pg=34). 86 Interviews with government officials (April 2015). 87 Shwaish bin Saud Dhwaihi has been relieved of his post as minister of housing, following a Royal Decree. Arab News, “Housing minister relieved of his post,” 12 March 2015; and Arab News, “Health Minister Al-Rabeeah relieved of position,” 22 April 2014. No reasons have been given for the removal of Al-Rabeeah, but some Saudi bloggers indicated that it might be in response to complaints made by citizens, especially after the rising cases of MERS. 88 Interviews with government officials (April 2015). 89 Asharq Al Awsat, Hanan Bint Abdel-Rahim Al-Ahmedi, “Debate: Shura Council membership opened new opportunities for Saudi Women,” 12 July 2014 (http://www.aawsat.net/2014/07/article55334168/debate-shura-council-membership-opened- new-opportunities-for-saudi-women). 90 King Salman first major policy speech touched on all aspects of the Kingdom's policy framework. He was speaking to an audience of senior princes, ministers, governors, Shura Council members, top military commanders, the Grand Mufti with other Islamic scholars, top editors and dignitaries. To this end, the king reminded ministers and government officials that they had been given their jobs so that they could serve citizens. To ensure that this was indeed happening, the King noted that the systems that monitor the performance of government and the governmental machine below it should be reviewed. They should be strengthened. They should become more efficient and effective so that they could fight corruption, protect the public wealth and punish wrongdoers. Arab News, “King Salman’s vision to usher in a new era,” 13 March 2015 (http://www.arabnews.com/news/717536). 91 According to the Population Census 2010, Central Department of Statistics and Information. (http://cdsi.gov.sa/english/index.php?option=com_docman&Itemid=160)

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92 The World Bank Indicators http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SP.POP.TOTL/countries/SA?display=default. The World Bank Indicators (http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SP.POP.TOTL/countries/SA?display=graph). UNICEF provides a figure of 28,829 (thousands for 2013). UNICEF, State of The World’s Children 2015 Country Statistical Analysis (http://www.unicef.org/infobycountry/saudiarabia_statistics.html). Finally, the MDG Report for 2013 provides a figure of 29.20 million for 2012 as a preliminary estimate. UNDP and the Ministry of Economy and Planning, Millennium Development Goals Report, 2013, p. 25. 93 According to the primary data of the last population census, conducted in 2004. United Nations, Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW/C/SAU/2), 29 March 2007. 94 Interesting to note that the World Bank indicates a decrease in the female (% of total) from 44.3 in 2005 to 42.1 in 2014. World Bank, Data (http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SP.POP.TOTL.FE.ZS/countries/1W- SA?display=graph). 95 Based on the Census of 2010 projected estimates. Central Department of Statistics and Information. Statistical Yearbook, 49th Issue, 2013 (http://www.cdsi.gov.sa/yb49/Pages/MixPageOne.htm). 96 Source: Central Department of Statistics and Information (http://cdsi.gov.sa/english/index.php?option=com_docman&Itemid=160). 97 World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory Data Repository, (http://apps.who.int/gho/data/view.main.680?lang=en). UNESCO provides a figure of 29 percent for 2013 for those under 14 years. UNESCO, Country Profiles, Saudi Arabia (http://www.uis.unesco.org/DataCentre/Pages/country- profile.aspx?code=SAU&regioncode=40525). 98 Source: Central Department of Statistics and Information, Estimates of Population by Sex and Nationality(http://cdsi.gov.sa/english/index.php?option=com_docman&Itemid=160). 99 UNDP, Human Development Report 2014: Sustaining Human Progress: Reducing Vulnerabilities and Building Resilience, New York, 2014, p. 36 (http://hdr.undp.org/sites/default/files/hdr14-report-en-1.pdf). As stated by Selim Jahan, Director of the Human Development Report Office Launched on 24 May 1990 in London, the first Human Development Report, opened with a simply stated premise: “People are the real wealth of a nation and human development is all about enlarging their choices.” UNDP, Human Development Reports, 25 Years of Human Development (http://hdr.undp.org/en/25- years). Moreover, “Human Development Report introduced a new approach for advancing human wellbeing. Human development – or the human development approach - is about expanding the richness of human life, rather than simply the richness of the economy in which human beings live. It is an approach that is focused on people and their opportunities and choices.” UNDP, About Human Development, (http://hdr.undp.org/en/humandev). 100 UNDP and the Ministry of Economy and Planning, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia: Millennium Development Goals, 2011 (1432 H), p. 19 (http://www.undp.org/content/dam/rbas/report/KSA_MDG_Report_6_2011_English.pdf). 101 UNDP, Human Development Report: Sustaining Human Progress: Reducing Vulnerabilities and Building Resilience, New York: United Nations Development Programme, 2014, p. 164 (http://hdr.undp.org/sites/default/files/hdr14-report-en-1.pdf).

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102 UNDP, Human Development Report: Beyond Scarcity: Power, Poverty and the Global Water Crisis, New York: United Nations Development Programme, 2006, p. 289 (http://hdr.undp.org/sites/default/files/reports/267/hdr06-complete.pdf). 103 UNDP, Human Development Reports, Table 2: Human Development Index trends, 1980- 2013 (http://hdr.undp.org/en/content/table-2-human-development-index-trends-1980-2013). See also, UNDP (2014). Human Development Report: Sustaining Human Progress: Reducing Vulnerabilities and Building Resilience, New York: United Nations Development Programme. (http://hdr.undp.org/sites/default/files/hdr14-report-en-1.pdf), p. 164. 104 The World Bank. World Development Indicators, Saudi Arabia, The World Bank, Washington DC (http://data.worldbank.org/country/saudi-arabia). 105 The World Bank, Data (http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/NY.GDP.MKTP.CD). It is also important to site other figures indicating that during 1970-2013 GDP for Saudi Arabia grew by 743 billion US dollars (in 138.6 times) to 748.4 billion US dollars. The World Macroeconomic Research, Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in Saudi Arabia (http://kushnirs.org/macroeconomics/profile/profile_saudi_arabia.html). 106 UNDP and the Ministry of Economy and Planning, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia: Millennium Development Goals, 2013 (1434 H), p. 20. 107 GDP per capita is gross domestic product divided by midyear population. GDP is the sum of gross value added by all resident producers in the economy plus any product taxes and minus any subsidies not included in the value of the products. It is calculated without making deductions for depreciation of fabricated assets or for depletion and degradation of natural resources. Data are in current U.S. dollars. World Bank, Data (http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/NY.GDP.PCAP.CD/countries/SA?display=default). 108 World Bank, Data, GDP Per Capita (Current US$) http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/NY.GDP.PCAP.CD/countries/SA?display=default). National figures indicate that per capita GDP at current prices for 2014 was (SAR) 90,946 or approximately $24,247 for 2014 (Central Department of Statistics and Information (http://cdsi.gov.sa/english/index.php). Worth noting that in the MDG Report for 2013, the government indicated that over the period (1999-2012), the national economy (GDP) achieved an average annual real growth rate of 12.7 percent with per capita income at current prices reaching around SR 91.329 ($ 24,354) by the end of 2013. UNDP and the Ministry of Economy and Planning, Millennium Development Goals Report, 2013, p. 17. GDP data from 2004-2012 has been updated according to the results of the comprehensive economic census. 109 GDP is the sum of gross value added by all resident producers in the economy plus any product taxes and minus any subsidies not included in the value of the products. It is calculated without making deductions for depreciation of fabricated assets or for depletion and degradation of natural resources. Data are in constant local currency. World Bank national accounts data, and OECD National Accounts data files. World Bank, Data, (http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/NY.GDP.MKTP.KN) 110 World Bank, Data, (http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/NY.GDP.MKTP.KN) 111 GNI per capita (current LCU) is gross national income divided by midyear population. GNI (formerly GNP) is the sum of value added by all resident producers plus any product taxes (less subsidies) not included in the valuation of output plus net receipts of primary income (compensation of employees and property income) from abroad. Data are in current local currency. World Bank national accounts data, and OECD National Accounts data files. World Bank, Data ((http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/NY.GNP.PCAP.CN). 112 World Bank, Data (http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/NY.GNP.PCAP.CN).

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113 Gross National Income (GNI) per capita, PPP (current international $): GNI per capita based on purchasing power parity (PPP). PPP GNI is gross national income (GNI) converted to international dollars using purchasing power parity rates. An international dollar has the same purchasing power over GNI as a U.S. dollar has in the United States. GNI is the sum of value added by all resident producers plus any product taxes (less subsidies) not included in the valuation of output plus net receipts of primary income (compensation of employees and property income) from abroad. Data are in current international dollars based on the 2011 ICP round. World Bank, Data, (http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/NY.GNP.PCAP.PP.CD/countries). 114 World Bank, Data, http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/NY.GNP.PCAP.PP.CD/countries. Worth noting that the PPP conversion factor, GDP (Local Currency Unit (LCU) per international $) (Purchasing power parity conversion factor is the number of units of a country's currency required to buy the same amounts of goods and services in the domestic market as U.S. dollar would buy in the United States. This conversion factor is for GDP. For most economies PPP figures are extrapolated from the 2011 International Comparison Program (ICP) benchmark estimates or imputed using a statistical model based on the 2011 ICP. For 47 high- and upper middle-income economies conversion factors are provided by Eurostat and the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). World Bank, Data, (http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/PA.NUS.PPP). Increased from 1.62 in 2010 to 1.74 in 2014 (World Bank, Data, (http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/PA.NUS.PPP). 115 The Group of Twenty (also known as the G-20 or G20) “is an international forum for the governments and central bank governors from 20 major economies. The members include 19 individual countries—. Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, South Korea, Turkey, the United Kingdom, United States and the European Union.” Wikipedia, The G-20 Major Economies (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/G-20_major_economies). 116 “The International Energy Forum, also known as the International Energy Agency, is the world's largest recurring gathering of energy ministers. It is unique in that participants not only include IEA and OPEC countries, but also key international actors such as Brazil, China, India, Mexico, Russia and South Africa. The IEF countries account for more than 90 percent of global oil and gas supply and demand.” Wikipedia, International Energy Forum (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Energy_Forum). 117 The Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf (http://www.gcc-sg.org/eng/). 118 Samba Financial Group, Saudi Arabia: Baseline Macroeconomic Forecast 2015-18., Report Series, Feb. 2015 http://samba.com/en/pdf/economy- watch/Saudi_Arabia_baseline_macro_forecast_2015_2018.pdf 119 Out of its keenness to adopt global visions in this regard in accord with its fixed norms and values, and its great concern to monitor progress towards meeting the MDGs, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia issued several national reports (2002, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2013). All eighth reports were prepared by the Ministry of Economy and Planning, in close collaboration with the relevant government agencies, and in cooperation with the United Nations Development Program (UNDP). 120 These include the following goals: Eradicate extreme poverty; Ensure that all children, boys and girls alike, have access to primary schooling; Eliminate gender disparity in primary, intermediate, secondary and tertiary education; Reduce mortality rate of children under five years old; Achieve universal access to reproductive health services; Reduce maternal mortality;

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Reduce the spread of AIDS; Achieve universal access to treatment for HIV/AIDS to all those who need it; Reduce the incidence of malaria and other major diseases; Reduce the proportion of people without sustainable access to safe drinking water and basic sanitation; and Significantly improve the lives of slum dwellers. UNDP and the Ministry of Economy and Planning, Millennium Development Goals Report, 2013, p. 9. 121 The 2013 MDG Report reflected the progress made by the Kingdom towards achieving the MDGs at four levels: Development of the IT environment, making it possible to speed up achievement of the MDGs, through considerable expansion of databases; Integration of the MDGs into sustainable development, as decided by the development plans in general and the Eighth and Ninth Development Plans in particular; Persistent efforts to achieve, even surpass, the MDGs ahead of the schedule set by the UN; and the considerable momentum in development assistance extended by the Kingdom to support MDGs implementation in developing countries. UNDP and the Ministry of Economy and Planning, Millennium Development Goals Report, 2013. 122 UNDP and the Ministry of Economy and Planning, Millennium Development Goals Report, 2013, p. 12. The only area where achieving the targets has been classified by the government as “probable” is to “Achieve full, productive employment and decent work for all, including women and young people,” and the current status of supporting environment to achieve this target is rated as “moderate.” UNDP and the Ministry of Economy and Planning, Millennium Development Goals Report, 2013, p. 16. 123 Ministry of Economy and Planning, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The Eighth Development Plan (2005–2009) (http://www.mep.gov.sa/themes/Dashboard/index.jsp#1447332418125); (http://www.mep.gov.sa/themes/Dashboard/index.jsp#1447332516870). 124 Dr. A.V.Y Mbelle, Modality for Costing Millennium Development Goals (MDGs): Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. A Case of Costing Millennium Development Goals in High Human Development Country, Ministry of Economy and Planning and UNDP, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. 125 Ministry of Economy and Planning. 126 Sustainable development is “development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs”, as famously phrased by the Brundtland Commission in 1987. The concept was endorsed by the world’s Governments at the 1992 Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro and reaffirmed 20 years later at the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development in 2012 (Rio+20). It provides a new development approach that looks at society, the economy and the environment as a whole. 127 Non-resident agencies include ESCWA, UNESCO, ILO, UNEP, UNIDO, UNFPA, UNIPPA, OHCHR, OCHA, IAEA, UNWOMEN, UN HABITAT and UNIC. 128 A UNCT retreat bringing resident and non-resident UN agencies was held on 24 June 2015 for prioritization for the UNCCSF and identifying the UNCT comparative advantage in KSA in support of national priorities. 129 The CA documentation was completed within a relatively short time frame, early May-early June, but this was facilitated by the substantive research and consultative work previously undertaken by government agencies, research institutes, national NGOs, the World Bank, and UN agencies. 130 Ministry of Economy and Planning, Long-Term Strategy for the Saudi Economy, p. 52. 131 The World Economic Forum (2007), in The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the World: Scenarios to 2025, World Scenario Series, has defined this as an “oasis” or “fertile Gulf” scenario (http://www.weforum.org/pdf/scenarios/gcc_ksa_executive_summary.pdf).

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132 The World Economic Forum (2007), in The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the World: Scenarios to 2025, World Scenario Series, has defined this as an “oasis” or “fertile Gulf” scenario (http://www.weforum.org/pdf/scenarios/gcc_ksa_executive_summary.pdf), p. 4. 133 Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), Saudi Arabia Facts & Figures (http://www.opec.org/opec_web/en/about_us/169.htm). The proven crude oil reserves (million barrels) is 265,789; and the proven natural gas reserves (billion cu. m.) is 8,317. Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries, Saudi Arabia, Facts and Figures, (http://www.opec.org/opec_web/en/about_us/169.htm). 134 The Group of Twenty (also known as the G-20 or G20) is an international forum for the governments and central bank governors from 20 major economies. The members include 19 individual countries—. Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, South Korea, Turkey, the United Kingdom, United States and the European Union. 135 The International Energy Forum, also known as the International Energy Agency, is the world's largest recurring gathering of energy ministers. It is unique in that participants not only include IEA and OPEC countries, but also key international actors such as Brazil, China, India, Mexico, Russia and South Africa. The IEF countries account for more than 90 percent of global oil and gas supply and demand. 136 Tamer El Zayat and Majed A. Al-Ghalib, Saudi Economic Perspectives 2014 – 2015: Growth Moderation on the Horizon, The National Commercial Bank, 2013. 137 International Monetary Fund, Impact of the Global Financial Crisis on the Gulf Cooperation Council Countries and Challenges Ahead: An Update, 2010 (http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/dp/2010/dp1002.pdf), p. 3. 138 International Monetary Fund (IMF), World Economic and Financial Surveys, Regional Economic Outlook, Middle East and Central Asia, May 2009 (https://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/reo/2009/MCD/eng/mreo0509.pdf), p. 10. 139 Jadwa Investment, the Saudi economy in 2015, January 2015, p. 1. 140 Jadwa Investment, the Saudi economy in 2015, January 2015, p. 1. 141 Jadwa Investment, the Saudi economy in 2015, January 2015. 142 Competitiveness is defined as the set of institutions, policies, and factors that determine the level of productivity of a country. The level of productivity, in turn, sets the level of prosperity that can be reached by an economy. The productivity level also determines the rates of return obtained by investments in an economy, which in turn are the fundamental drivers of its growth rates. In other words, a more competitive economy is one that is likely to grow faster over time. Indicators for measurement include institutions, infrastructure, macroeconomic environment, health and primary education, higher education and training, labor market efficiency, etc. Saudi Arabia General Investment Authority (https://www.sagia.gov.sa/en/Why-Saudi-Arabia/A-Commitment-To-The-Best/National- Competitiveness-Center/). 143 The Saudi Responsible Competitiveness Index, 2008, p. 3 (http://www.accountability.org/images/content/0/8/080/The%20Saudi%20Responsible%20 Competitiveness%20Index_January.pdf). 144 Saudi Competitiveness, Medinah Institute for Leadership and Entrepreneurship (http://www.mile.org/saudi-competitiveness.html). 145 World Economic Forum, The Global Competitiveness Report 2014 – 2015, (http://www.weforum.org/reports/global-competitiveness-report-2014-2015). Please see (http://www3.weforum.org/docs/img/WEF_GCR2014-15_MENA_Image.png).

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146 For a complete listing, please see World Economic Forum, Saudi Arabia (http://reports.weforum.org/global-competitiveness-report-2014- 2015/economies/#economy=SAU). 147 Saudi Competitiveness, Medinah Institute for Leadership and Entrepreneurship (http://www.mile.org/saudi-competitiveness.html). See also, National Competitiveness Center (https://www.sagia.gov.sa/en/Why-Saudi-Arabia/A-Commitment-To-The- Best/National-Competitiveness-Center/). 148 National Competitiveness Center (https://www.sagia.gov.sa/en/Why-Saudi-Arabia/A- Commitment-To-The-Best/National-Competitiveness-Center/). 149 World Economic Forum, The Global Competitiveness Report 2014 – 2015, (http://www.weforum.org/reports/global-competitiveness-report-2014-2015). 150 World Economic Forum, The Global Competitiveness Report 2014 – 2015, (http://www.weforum.org/reports/global-competitiveness-report-2014-2015). 151 UNDP and the Ministry of Economy and Planning, Millennium Development Goals Report, 2013, p. 22. 152 Council of Saudi Chambers (http://www.csc.org.sa/English/News/Pages/Enews38.aspx). 153 Ministry of Economy and Planning, National Strategy for the Transition to a Knowledge Society (http://www.mep.gov.sa/inetforms/themes/clasic/article/articleView.jsp?Article.ObjectID=1 00); (http://www.mep.gov.sa/themes/GoldenCarpet/index.jsp;jsessionid=3ECE289DA6CCC62058 630FA3F9B79D6E.gamma?event=SwitchLanguage&Code=EN). 154 http://www.kacst.edu.sa/en/about/media/news/Pages/489.aspx 155 Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (http://www.mcit.gov.sa/Ar/NationalPlan/Pages/About.aspx); http://www.mcit.gov.sa/Ar/NationalPlan/Pages/Policy/Chapter2-2-1.aspx 156 Ministry of Commerce and Industry 157 Ministry of Economy and Planning (http://www.mep.gov.sa/themes/Dashboard/index.jsp#1447336961044). 158 Ministry of Education/Higher Education (http://he.moe.gov.sa/en/Ministry/Deputy- Ministry-for-Educational- Affairs/Pages/PlanfortheFutureofUniversityEducationintheKingdom.aspx ). See also UNDP and the Ministry of Economy and Planning, Millennium Development Goals Report, 2013, p. 21. 159 Embassy of Saudi Arabia/Washington, D.C., USA (https://www.saudiembassy.net/about/country- information/economy_global_trade/industrial_cities.aspx). 160 Embassy of Saudi Arabia/Washington, D.C., USA (https://www.saudiembassy.net/about/country- information/economy_global_trade/industrial_cities.aspx). 161 Embassy of Saudi Arabia/Washington, D.C., USA (https://www.saudiembassy.net/about/country- information/economy_global_trade/industrial_cities.aspx). 162 UNDP and the Ministry of Economy and Planning, Millennium Development Goals Report, 2013, p. 17. 163 Percent Distribution of Gross Domestic Product by Institutional sectors at 2010 Constant Prices, Central Department of Statistics and Information (http://cdsi.gov.sa/english/index.php).

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164 UNDP and the Ministry of Economy and Planning, Millennium Development Goals Report, 2013, p. 17. 165 Percent Distribution of Gross Domestic Product by Institutional sectors at 2010 Constant Prices, Central Department of Statistics and Information (http://cdsi.gov.sa/english/index.php). 166 Central Department of Statistics and Information (http://cdsi.gov.sa/english/index.php). 167 Central Department of Statistics and Information (http://cdsi.gov.sa/english/index.php). 168 Ministry of Economy and Planning, Brief Report on the Ninth Development Plan, 1431/32- 1435/36 (2010-2014, p. 27. 169 Ibid. 170 Ibid. 171 Percent Distribution of Gross Domestic Product by Economic Activity at 2010 Constant Prices, Central Department of Statistics and Information (http://cdsi.gov.sa/english/index.php). 172 Ministry of Planning, 1995; Al-Buraey, M., & Asad, M. (2009). Framework of the Implementation Process: The Case of Saudization. International Management Review, 5(1), p. 70. 173 Robert Looney, Saudization and Sound Economic Reforms: Are the Two Compatible?, Strategic Insights, Volume III, Issue 2 (February 2004). 174 According to the World Bank Definition “Total labor force comprises people ages 15 and older who meet the International Labour Organization definition of the economically active population: all people who supply labor for the production of goods and services during a specified period. It includes both the employed and the unemployed. While national practices vary in the treatment of such groups as the armed forces and seasonal or part-time workers, in general the labor force includes the armed forces, the unemployed, and first-time job-seekers, but excludes homemakers and other unpaid caregivers and workers in the informal sector.” The World Bank, Data, Labor force, total (http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SL.TLF.TOTL.IN/countries). 175 The World Bank, Data, Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) (modelled ILO estimate) (http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SL.TLF.CACT.ZS/countries). 176 The World Bank, Data, Employment to population ratio, 15+, total (%) (modelled ILO estimate) (http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SL.EMP.TOTL.SP.ZS/countries) 177 Central Department of Statistics and Information, Labor Force Survey, 2014, Round 2, p. 16. (http://cdsi.gov.sa/english/index.php?option=com_docman&task=cat_view&gid=243&Itemid =162). And employment as a percentage of the population for 2014 at 35.7 percent. Central Department of Statistics & Information (http://cdsi.gov.sa/english/index.php). 178 The World Bank, Data, Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) (modelled ILO estimate) (http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SL.TLF.CACT.MA.ZS/countries). 179 The World Bank, Data, Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) (modelled ILO estimate) (http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SL.TLF.CACT.MA.ZS/countries). The employed of the total labor force 11,067,673 or 94,3% of the total labor force, of which 86.9% are males and Central Department of Statistics and Information, Labor Force Survey, 2014, Round 2, p. 16 http://www.cdsi.gov.sa/english/index.php?option=com_docman&task=cat_view&gid=243&I temid=162).

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180 The World Bank, Data, Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages 15+) (modelled ILO estimate) (http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SL.TLF.CACT.FE.ZS/countries). The Central Department of Statistics notes that for 2014, females constituted 16.4%.that the total employed (out of the 4,926,184 or 88, 3% of the total labor force of whom 4,120,467 males or 83,6%). Central Department of Statistics and Information, Labor Force Survey, 2014, Round 2, p. 17. (http://www.cdsi.gov.sa/english/index.php?option=com_docman&task=cat_view&gid=243& Itemid=162 181 Central Department of Statistics and Information, Labor Force Survey, 2014, Round 2, p. 17. (http://www.cdsi.gov.sa/english/index.php?option=com_docman&task=cat_view&gid=243& Itemid=162 182 Central Department of Statistics and Information, Labor Force Survey, 2014, Round 2, p. 16). (http://cdsi.gov.sa/english/index.php?option=com_docman&task=cat_view&gid=243&Itemid =162). 183 International Al-Jazeera Academy, Arab News, 11October 2013 (http://www.arabnews.com/news/467423). The article also noted that “Saudi Arabia ranks fourth in having the largest number of foreign manpower worldwide, according to a study published by the Population Division of the United Nations.” 184 Central Department of Statistics and Information, Labor Force Survey, 2014, Round 2, p. 16). (http://cdsi.gov.sa/english/index.php?option=com_docman&task=cat_view&gid=243&Itemid =162). 185 The World Bank, Data, Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) (modeled ILO estimate) (http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SL.UEM.TOTL.ZS/countries). Total unemployment stood at 5.7% for 2014. Central Department of Statistics and Information, Labor Force Survey, 2014, Round 2, p. 16. (http://www.cdsi.gov.sa/english/index.php?option=com_docman&task=cat_view&gid=243& Itemid=162); and http://cdsi.gov.sa/english/index.php. See also Trading Economics, Saudi Arabia Unemployment Rate (http://www.tradingeconomics.com/saudi- arabia/unemployment-rate). The unemployment rate among Saudis (> 15 years) stood at 11.7 percent for 2014. Central Department of Statistics and Information, http://cdsi.gov.sa/english/index.php. 186 The World Bank, Data, Unemployment, male (% of male labor force) (modeled ILO estimate) (http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SL.UEM.TOTL.MA.ZS/countries). 187 The World Bank, Data, Unemployment, female (% of female labor force) (modeled ILO estimate) (http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SL.UEM.TOTL.FE.ZS/countries). 188 Central Department of Statistics and Information, Labor Force Survey, 2014, Round 2, p. 16. (http://www.cdsi.gov.sa/english/index.php?option=com_docman&task=cat_view&gid=243& Itemid=162). The Central Department of Statistics and Information provides a different figure for unemployment. It states that unemployment rates stood at 39.7% for males and 60.3% for females in 2014. Distribution of Saudis Labor Force (15 years and above) by Sex, Central Department of Statistics and Information, Labor Force Survey, 2014, Round 2, p. 17 (http://www.cdsi.gov.sa/english/index.php?option=com_docman&task=cat_view&gid=243& Itemid=162). 189 Index Mundi, Saudi Arabia - Labor force participation rate (Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, female (%) (national estimate) http://www.indexmundi.com/facts/saudi- arabia/labor-force-participation-rate#SL.TLF.ACTI.1524.FE.ZS).

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190 Youth unemployment refers to the share of the labor force ages 15-24 without work but available for and seeking employment. The World Bank, Data, Unemployment, youth male (% of male labor force ages 15-24) (modeled ILO estimate), (http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SL.UEM.1524.MA.ZS/countries). 191 The World Bank, Data, Unemployment, youth female (% of female labor force ages 15-24) (modeled ILO estimate) http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SL.UEM.1524.FE.ZS/countries) 192 The World Bank, Data, Unemployment, youth male (% of male labor force ages 15-24) (modeled ILO estimate) (http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SL.UEM.1524.MA.ZS/countries). 193 Ministry of Economy and Planning, The Eighth Development Plan 2005-2009, p. 52 (http://planipolis.iiep.unesco.org/upload/Saudi%20Arabia/Saudi_Arabia_Eighth_Developme nt_Plan.pdf). 194 Ministry of Labor (http://portal.mol.gov.sa/en/Document%20Library/SummaryofSaudiEmploymentStrategy.p df). The 25-year Employment Strategy aims at the achievement of full employment, the sustained increase in the participation of the national workforce, and increased productivity of the national workforce to a level comparable to advanced countries. Specific measures include expansion of the labor market information system, prioritization of vacancies for Saudis, incentives to private sector firms to hire nationals, and enhancing skills and building capacity of job seekers. In the medium term, this will be complemented by further policies that aim to increase employment, participation and productivity, while in the longer-term the Strategy’s aim is to align the economy with the country’s competitive advantage based on its national human resources through reorganization of the labor market. 195 The Human Resources Development Fund (http://www.hrdf.org.sa/ar/Pages/Home.aspx?Name=Value). 196 National System for Joint Training (http://nsjt.org.sa/english/). 197 Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Ministry of Labor, Summary of Saudi Employment Strategy, (http://portal.mol.gov.sa/en/Document%20Library/SummaryofSaudiEmploymentStrategy.p df), p. 3. 198 Dr. Amre Massoud, Nitaqat Program Manager, The Nitaqat Program, The Ministry of Labor, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. He notes, “In order to incentivize employers to hire Saudi nationals, Nitaqat first categorizes all companies according to how many Saudis they employ in order to allot support appropriately. The four classifications, Platinum, Green, Yellow, and Red, are separated by thresholds measured by percentage of Saudis employed. These thresholds differ between employers based on activity (industry) and size (number of employees). During the implementation of Nitaqat, the MoL expanded the legacy list of 13 activities to 52, and created 5 size ranges. Therefore there are 260 potential activity and size combinations (52 x 5), each with their own set of percentage thresholds. In order to provide fairness to employers, these rangers differ based on the difficulty to achieve Saudization in different activities. For example, a higher percentage of Saudi employees is expected in a bank versus a construction company.” P. 1. 199 Ministry of Labor, “Saudi Employment Strategy”, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, 2009. pp. 24-25. 200 Arab News, “Saudization is not the Solution”, 30 September 2013 (http://www.arabnews.com/news/466289) 201 Arab News, “Saudization forces 212,000 businesses to close down, “19 December 2014 (http://www.arabnews.com/saudi-arabia/news/677121)

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202 Arab News, “New ‘fairer’ Saudization rules come into force”, 24 Feb. 2015 (http://www.arabnews.com/news/709166) 203 Abdullah Alanezi, “Workforce Localization Policies in Saudi Arabia: the Determinants of Successful Implementation in Multi-National Enterprises,” Management Knowledge and Learning, International Conference 2012 (http://issbs.si/press/ISBN/978-961-6813-10- 5/papers/ML12_201.pdf). 204 The Dutch disease is the apparent causal relationship between the increase in the economic development of a specific sector (for example natural resources) and a decline in other sectors (like the manufacturing sector or agriculture). 205 Article 27: “The state shall guarantee the right of its citizens and their families in an emergency of in case of disease, disability and old age. Likewise it shall support the social security system and encourage individuals and institutions to contribute to charitable pursuits.” Ministry of Foreign Affairs (http://www.mofa.gov.sa/sites/mofaen/ServicesAndInformation/aboutKingDom/SaudiGov ernment/Pages/BasicSystemOfGovernance35297.aspx). 206 The Basic Law of Governance includes a body of rights which it considers to be the fundamentals of Saudi society. It contains provisions pertaining to the fundamentals of Saudi society, the welfare of the family and all its members, and education. It deals with the freedom and sanctity of private ownership and prohibits public confiscation of money and the imposition of taxes and fees unless necessary and on a just basis. It provides security for all citizens and residents, freedom of domicile and freedom of telegraphic, postal, telephone and other communications. It provides the citizen and his family with full rights in the event of emergency, sickness, disability and old age. It underpins the social security system and encourages institutions and individuals to participate in charitable work. Ministry of Foreign Affairs (http://www.mofa.gov.sa/sites/mofaen/ServicesAndInformation/aboutKingDom/SaudiGov ernment/Pages/BasicSystemOfGovernance35297.aspx). 207 UNDP and the Ministry of Economy and Planning, Millennium Development Goals Report, 2013, p. 27. It is not easy to get accurate data on poverty other than government sources. For example, the World Bank does not provide this data (http://databank.worldbank.org/data/reports.aspx?source=world-development-indicators). 208 Ministry of Economy and Planning, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The Tenth Development Plan (2015–2019). 209 UNDP and the Ministry of Economy and Planning, Millennium Development Goals Report, 2013, p. 29. 210 Ibid., p. 30. 211 Ibid., p. 30. 212 Ibid., p. 33. 213 UNDP and the Ministry of Economy and Planning, Millennium Development Goals Report, 2013, p. 33. 214 UNDP and the Ministry of Economy and Planning, Millennium Development Goals Report, 2013, p. 33. 215 The International Center for Not-for-Profit Law, NGO Law Monitor: Saudi Arabia (http://www.icnl.org/research/monitor/saudiarabia.html). 216 Getting together or association with a common objective is often illegal in the kingdom and carries heavy penalties. Montagu, Caroline. Civil Society in Saudi Arabia: The Power and Challenges of Association, Research Paper Middle East and North Africa Programme, March

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2015, p. 7 (http://www.chathamhouse.org/sites/files/chathamhouse/field/field_document/20150331Sa udiCivil.pdf). 217 Ministry of Economy and Planning, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The Tenth Development Plan (2015–2019). 218 The official school ages in KSA consists of pre-primary (3-5); primary (6-11); Secondary (12- 17); Tertiary (18-22). UNESCO, Country Profiles, Saudi Arabia (http://www.uis.unesco.org/DataCentre/Pages/country- profile.aspx?code=SAU&regioncode=40525). 219 Compulsory education lasts 9 years from age 6 to age 14. 220 UNDP and the Ministry of Economy and Planning, Millennium Development Goals Report, 2013, p. 45. 221 UNDP and the Ministry of Economy and Planning, Millennium Development Goals Report, 2013, p. 40. 222 UNESCO, Country Profiles, Saudi Arabia (http://www.uis.unesco.org/DataCentre/Pages/country- profile.aspx?code=SAU&regioncode=40525). Same figure was quoted in Central Intelligence Agency, World Fact Book (https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world- factbook/geos/sa.html). 223 UNESCO, Country Profiles, Saudi Arabia (http://www.uis.unesco.org/DataCentre/Pages/country- profile.aspx?code=SAU&regioncode=40525). The World Bank does not provide any data beyond 2006 putting the percentage at 20.1. World Bank, Data (http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SE.XPD.TOTL.GB.ZS/countries/SA?display=graph). 224 World Bank Indicators (http://search.worldbank.org/all?qterm=adult+literacy+rate+saudi+arabia&title=&filetype=). It also provides a rate of 94.4 for 2013 (http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SE.ADT.LITR.ZS/countries/SA?display=graph). UNICEF provides a figure of 94 between 2009-2013. UNICEF, State of The World’s Children 2015 Country Statistical Analysis (http://www.unicef.org/infobycountry/saudiarabia_statistics.html). 225 UNICEF, http://www.unicef.org/infobycountry/saudiarabia_statistics.html. 226 World Bank Indicators http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SE.ADT.LITR.FE.ZS?order=wbapi_data_value_2013+wb api_data_value+wbapi_data_value-last&sort=asc). UNICEF states that the adult literacy rate for females as a percentage of males reaching 90.5 during the years 2008-2012. UNICEF (http://www.unicef.org/infobycountry/saudiarabia_statistics.html). 227 UNICEF, http://www.unicef.org/infobycountry/saudiarabia_statistics.html 228 World Bank, Data (http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SE.ADT.1524.LT.FE.ZS/countries). 229 World Bank, Data (http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SE.ADT.1524.LT.FE.ZS/countries). The Millennium Development Goals 2013 provides different figures noting that adult literacy (15 years old and above) reached 92.6 percent while youth literacy (15-24 years old) increased from 85.9 percent in 1990 to 99.3 percent in 2012. 230 UNDP and the Ministry of Economy and Planning, Millennium Development Goals Report, 2013, p. 42. 231 Ministry of Economy and Planning, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The Tenth Development Plan (2015–2019).

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232 UNESCO, Country Profiles, Saudi Arabia (http://www.uis.unesco.org/DataCentre/Pages/country- profile.aspx?code=SAU&regioncode=40525). The Ministry of Economy and Planning provides different figures. It indicates that school enrolment is improving, with 97.5 percent of boys and 94.5 percent of girls enrolled in primary education, and 92.8 percent and 88.2 percent respectively enrolled in secondary education in 2013. The Ministry of Economy and Planning Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The Ninth Development Plan (2010–2014). 233 UNESCO, Country Profiles, Saudi Arabia (http://www.uis.unesco.org/DataCentre/Pages/country- profile.aspx?code=SAU&regioncode=40525). 234 Central Department of Statistics and Information (http://cdsi.gov.sa/english/index.php). The World Bank indicates that population growth rate stood at 1.7 in 2010 increasing to 1.9 in 2014 (http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SP.POP.GROW). The MDG Report for 2013 puts population growth rate at 2.21 (for Saudis only). UNDP and the Ministry of Economy and Planning, Millennium Development Goals Report, 2013, p. 25. 235 UNICEF, Gulf Area sub-regional programme, Executive Board, Second regular session 2013 (3-6 September 2013). 236 UNICEF, Gulf Area sub-regional programme, Executive Board, Second regular session 2013 (3-6 September 2013). 237 World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory Data Repository, (http://apps.who.int/gho/data/view.main.680?lang=en). UNICEF provides a figure of 75.3 for 2012. UNICEF, http://www.unicef.org/infobycountry/saudiarabia_statistics.html. UNDP provides the following figures: increasing from 73.3 years in 2010 to 75.5 years in 2013. UNDP (2014). Human Development Report 2014 - Sustaining Human Progress: Reducing Vulnerabilities and Building Resilience, New York (http://hdr.undp.org/sites/default/files/hdr14-report-en-1.pdf), p. 160. See also UNDP, Human Development Report 2010. Government figures tend to be lower standing at 73.8 for 2012. UNDP and the Ministry of Economy and Planning, Millennium Development Goals Report, 2013, p. 25. 238 World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory Data Repository, (http://apps.who.int/gho/data/view.main.680?lang=en). The World Bank provides the following figures: for males 72.2 percent in 2005 to 73.9 in 2013, and for females from 75.8 in 2005 to 77.6 in 2013. World Bank, Data (http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SP.DYN.LE00.MA.IN/countries/1W-SA?display=graph 239 UNICEF, The State of the World’s Children 2015 Country Statistical Tables [Excel] (http://www.unicef.org/infobycountry/saudiarabia_statistics.html#120). 240 UNICEF (http://www.unicef.org/infobycountry/saudiarabia_statistics.html). The World Bank provides similar figures for fertility rates total declining from 3.2 in 2005 (which was higher than the world average of 2.5) to 2.6 in 2013. World Bank, Data (http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SP.DYN.TFRT.IN/countries/1W-SA?display=graph). The Ministry of Health provides a figure of 2.89 for 2014. Ministry of Health, Indicator of Fertility by Nationality (Saudi / Non Saudi) In the Kingdom for the Years (2004 To 2014). UNESCO gives a figure of 2.8 for 2013. UNESCO, Country Profiles, Saudi Arabia (http://www.uis.unesco.org/DataCentre/Pages/country- profile.aspx?code=SAU&regioncode=40525). 241 Ministry of Health, Indicator of Fertility by Nationality (Saudi / Non Saudi) In the Kingdom for the Years (2004 To 2014).

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242 Central Department of Statistics and Information (http://cdsi.gov.sa/english/index.php). The World Bank indicates that population growth rate stood at 1.7 in 2010 increasing to 1.9 in 2014 (http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SP.POP.GROW). The MDG Report for 2013 puts population growth rate at 2.21 (for Saudis only). UNDP and the Ministry of Economy and Planning, Millennium Development Goals Report, 2013, p. 25. 243 UNICEF, http://www.unicef.org/infobycountry/saudiarabia_statistics.html 244 Ministry of Health (http://www.moh.gov.sa/en/Ministry/OpenData/Pages/OpenDataLibrary.aspx). 245 World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory Data Repository, http://apps.who.int/gho/data/view.main.30000 246 Ministry of Economy and Planning, Brief Report on the Ninth Development Plan, 1431/32- 1435/36 (2010-2014. 247 Ministry of Economy and Planning, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The Tenth Development Plan (2015–2019). 248 Statistical data on Ministry of Health services indicate that health care indicators are high in areas with low population densities, compared with areas with high population densities. However, urban areas with high population densities have more treatment services provided by other Government agencies and the private health sector. 249 World Health Organization, Global Health Expenditure Database (http://apps.who.int/nha/database/ViewData/Indicators/en). The World Bank provides a slightly different figures indicating that it was 72.7 in 2005 to 64.2 in 2013. http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SH.XPD.PUBL/countries/1W-SA?display=graph 250 World Health Organization, Global Health Expenditure Database (http://apps.who.int/nha/database/ViewData/Indicators/en). The World Bank provides a slightly different figures indicating that it was 3.5 percent in 2005 to 3.2 percent in 2013. http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SH.XPD.TOTL.ZS/countries/1W-SA?display=graph 251 World Health Organization, “Health care system in Saudi Arabia: an overview,” Eastern Mediterranean Health Journal (http://www.emro.who.int/emhj-volume-17/volume-17-issue- 10/article-11.html). 252 World Health Organization, “Health care system in Saudi Arabia: an overview,” Eastern Mediterranean Health Journal (http://www.emro.who.int/emhj-volume-17/volume-17-issue- 10/article-11.html). 253 Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME), “Better data for better health in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (http://www.healthdata.org/ksa). 254 World Health Organization, “Health care system in Saudi Arabia: an overview,” Eastern Mediterranean Health Journal (http://www.emro.who.int/emhj-volume-17/volume-17-issue- 10/article-11.html). 255 Booz & Company Inc. 2007. 256 Amir A. Khaliq, “The Saudi Healthcare System: A View from the Minaret” World Health and Population, 13(3) April 2012 (http://www.longwoods.com/content/22875). 257 World Health Organization, “Health care system in Saudi Arabia: an overview,” Eastern Mediterranean Health Journal (http://www.emro.who.int/emhj-volume-17/volume-17-issue- 10/article-11.html). 258 Ministry of Health. (2014). Protection against Violence and Abuse Program (http://www.moh.gov.sa/endepts/psychiatric/Depts/Pages/003.aspx). 259 UNICEF, Gulf Area sub-regional programme, Executive Board, Second regular session 2013 (3-6 September 2013).

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260 UNESCO, Country Profiles, Saudi Arabia (http://www.uis.unesco.org/DataCentre/Pages/country- profile.aspx?code=SAU&regioncode=40525). UNESCO also indicates that the Gross intake ratio into the last grade of primary (%) increased from 85.9 percent in 2005 to 102.7 percent in 2013. This increase benefited both females and males with the percentage for females increasing from 87.3 in 2005 to 105 in 2013, and for males from 84.5 in 2005 to 100.6 in 2013. 261 UNICEF (http://www.unicef.org/infobycountry/saudiarabia_statistics.html). 262 UNESCO, Country Profiles, Saudi Arabia (http://www.uis.unesco.org/DataCentre/Pages/country- profile.aspx?code=SAU&regioncode=40525). UNICEF indicates that the Gross Enrolment Ratio (%) in primary school participation for males during 2008-2012 was 106.3 and for females 105.8 for the same period. It also records 96.6 percent males in primary school participation as net enrolment ratio (%) during 2008-2012 and 96.5 percent for females for the same period. UNICEF (http://www.unicef.org/infobycountry/saudiarabia_statistics.html). The MDG Report 2013 indicates that total primary school enrollment, in 2012, amounted to about 3.44 million registered in 13,845 schools spread all over the Kingdom. In the same year, the number of new students in primary education amounted to about 423.5 thousand. The average annual growth rate of enrolment over the period 2007-2012 amounted to 0.66 percent. Moreover, the gross enrolment ratio in primary education increased from 82 percent in 1990 to 106.1 percent in 2012; and the net enrolment ratio in primary education increased from 76.8 percent in 1990 to 96.6 percent in 2012; finally, the proportion of students starting grade 1 who reach grade 5 increased from 74.5 percent in 1990 to 98.4 percent in 2012. UNDP and the Ministry of Economy and Planning, Millennium Development Goals Report, 2013, p. 39. 263 UNICEF (http://www.unicef.org/infobycountry/saudiarabia_statistics.html). 264 Central Department of Statistics & Information, Number of male and female students at public education stages for 2013 A.D. 265 UNESCO, Country Profiles, Saudi Arabia (http://www.uis.unesco.org/DataCentre/Pages/country- profile.aspx?code=SAU&regioncode=40525). 266 UNESCO, Country Profiles, Saudi Arabia (http://www.uis.unesco.org/DataCentre/Pages/country- profile.aspx?code=SAU&regioncode=40525). 267 UNDP and the Ministry of Economy and Planning, Millennium Development Goals Report, 2013, p. 59. 268 World Bank, Data (http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SH.IMM.IDPT/countries/1W- SA?display=graph). 269 UNICEF (http://www.unicef.org/infobycountry/saudiarabia_statistics.html). 270 UNDP and the Ministry of Economy and Planning, Millennium Development Goals Report, 2013, p. 65. 271 UNICEF (http://www.unicef.org/infobycountry/saudiarabia_statistics.html). Must be noted that the Millennium Development Goals Report 2013 indicates a rate of 18.7 for 2012; and 44.0 deaths per 1,000 live births for 1990. 272 UNICEF (http://www.unicef.org/infobycountry/saudiarabia_statistics.html). Same figure is given by UNESCO (UNESCO, Country Profiles, Saudi Arabia (http://www.uis.unesco.org/DataCentre/Pages/country- profile.aspx?code=SAU&regioncode=40525). ) Must be noted that the Millennium Development Goals Report 2013 indicates a rate of 34.0 (1990) and 16.2 (2012), p. 59. And the latest from

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national figures put infant mortality rate (per thousand live births for 2014) at 15.5. Central Department of Statistics and Information (http://cdsi.gov.sa/english/index.php). 273 World Health Organization (http://www.who.int/topics/millennium_development_goals/child_mortality/en/). 274 UNICEF, Gulf Area sub-regional programme, Executive Board, Second regular session 2013 (3-6 September 2013). 275 Please check: UNICEF, Information by Country/Saudi Arabia (http://www.unicef.org/infobycountry/saudiarabia_statistics.html). 276 UNICEF, Revised country programme document, Gulf Area sub-regional programme (2014- 2017), 18 October 2013 (http://www.unicef.org/about/execboard/files/2013-PL17- Gulf_Area_CPD-Revised-English.pdf) 277 On 28 June 2010, the Kingdom acceded to: The Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography; and The Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the involvement of children in armed conflict, both of which were adopted by General Assembly resolution 54/263 of 25 May 2000. Additionally, on 28 May 2013, it also acceded to The International Labor Organization (ILO) Convention No. 138 on the minimum age for admission to employment and work, adopted in 1973. United Nations, General Assembly Human Rights Council Working Group on the Universal Periodic Review, National report submitted in accordance with paragraph 5 of the annex to Human Rights Council resolution 16/21: Saudi Arabia. Seventeenth session, Geneva, 21 October–1 November 2013. (A/HRC/WG.6/17/SAU/1Distr.: General, 5 August 2013). 278 UNICEF, Gulf Area sub-regional programme, Executive Board, Second regular session 2013 (3-6 September 2013). 279 Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) is a viral respiratory illness that is new to humans. It was first reported in Saudi Arabia in 2012 and has since spread to several other countries, including the United States. Most people infected with MERS-CoV developed severe acute respiratory illness, including fever, cough, and shortness of breath. Many of them have died. Center for Disease Control and Prevention (http://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/mers/index.html). 280 CBS News, Respiratory disease MERS kills three more in Saudi Arabia, May 30, 2013 (http://www.cbsnews.com/news/respiratory-disease-mers-kills-three-more-in-saudi-arabia/) 281 CBS News, Respiratory disease MERS kills three more in Saudi Arabia, May 30, 2013 (http://www.cbsnews.com/news/respiratory-disease-mers-kills-three-more-in-saudi-arabia/) 282 World Health Organization, WHO Report On The Global Tobacco Epidemic: The MPOWER Package 2008 (http://www.who.int/tobacco/mpower/en/). 283 Taha Abdullah Kumosani, Mohamed Nabil Alama and *Archana Iyer, Cardiovascular diseases in Saudi Arabia, Prime Research on Medicine, 22 April 2011(http://www.primejournal.org/PROM/pdf/2011/May/Taha%20et%20al.pdf). 284 See Al-Malki JS, Al-Jaser MH, Warsy AS (2003). Overweight and obesity in Saudi females of childbearing age. Inter. J. Obesity. 27: 134-139. 285 Taha Abdullah Kumosani, Mohamed Nabil Alama and *Archana Iyer, Cardiovascular diseases in Saudi Arabia, Prime Research on Medicine, 22 April 2011(http://www.primejournal.org/PROM/pdf/2011/May/Taha%20et%20al.pdf). 286 Memish ZA, El Bcheraoui C, Tuffaha M, Robinson M, Daoud F, Jaber S, et al. Obesity and Associated Factors — Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, 2013. Prev Chronic Dis 2014;11:140236. Cited in

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Center for Disease Control and Prevention ( http://www.cdc.gov/pcd/issues/2014/14_0236.htm). 287 Ministry of Health, The Crude Birth Rate by Sex and Nationality (Saudi / Non Saudi) In Saudi Arabia for Years (2004 To 2014). 288 Ministry of Health, National AIDS Programme (http://napksa.com/program.php). 289 Ministry of Health, Global AIDS Response Country Progress Report 2014 (March 31, 2014), p. 9 (http://www.unaids.org/sites/default/files/country/documents//SAU_narrative_report_201 4.pdf) 290 S.M. Filemban, Z. Memish, A. Rao, “HIV/AIDS Trends: Saudi Arabia 2000-2009,” Ministry of Health/National AIDS Program, (http://napksa.com/downloads/MOH_AIDS_TrendsPosterOL2012.pdf). 291 Ministry of Health, Global AIDS Response Country Progress Report 2014 (March 31, 2014). (http://www.unaids.org/sites/default/files/country/documents//SAU_narrative_report_201 4.pdf) 292 Ministry of Health, National AIDS Programme, M&E, Surveillance and Research (http://napksa.com/program.php#Research). 293 Ministry of Health, Global AIDS Response Country Progress Report 2014 (March 31, 2014), p. 8 (http://www.unaids.org/sites/default/files/country/documents//SAU_narrative_report_201 4.pdf) 294 Ministry of Health, Global AIDS Response Country Progress Report 2014 (March 31, 2014), p. 8 (http://www.unaids.org/sites/default/files/country/documents//SAU_narrative_report_201 4.pdf) 295 Ministry of Health, Global AIDS Response Country Progress Report 2014 (March 31, 2014), p. 8 (http://www.unaids.org/sites/default/files/country/documents//SAU_narrative_report_201 4.pdf). 296 Ministry of Health, Global AIDS Response Country Progress Report 2014 (March 31, 2014), p. 8 (http://www.unaids.org/sites/default/files/country/documents//SAU_narrative_report_201 4.pdf). 297 Ministry of Health, Global AIDS Response Country Progress Report 2014 (March 31, 2014), p. 8 (http://www.unaids.org/sites/default/files/country/documents//SAU_narrative_report_201 4.pdf). 298 Ministry of Health, Global AIDS Response Country Progress Report 2014 (March 31, 2014), p. 27. (http://www.unaids.org/sites/default/files/country/documents//SAU_narrative_report_201 4.pdf). 299 Ministry of Health, Global AIDS Response Country Progress Report 2014 (March 31, 2014), p. 22. (http://www.unaids.org/sites/default/files/country/documents//SAU_narrative_report_201 4.pdf). 300 Ministry of Health, Global AIDS Response Country Progress Report 2014 (March 31, 2014), p. 33.

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(http://www.unaids.org/sites/default/files/country/documents//SAU_narrative_report_201 4.pdf). 301 Ministry of Health, Global AIDS Response Country Progress Report 2014 (March 31, 2014), p. 34. (http://www.unaids.org/sites/default/files/country/documents//SAU_narrative_report_201 4.pdf). 302 United Against Malaria, “A Country on the Verge of Malaria Elimination – The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia”, Malaria.com September 24, 2014 (http://www.malaria.com/research/malaria -elimination-saudi-arabia). 303 Global Health Sciences, Country Briefing, “Eliminating malaria in Saudi Arabia,” (http://globalhealthsciences.ucsf.edu/sites/default/files/content/ghg/country- briefings/SaudiArabia2015-FINAL.pdf). 304 Global Health Sciences, Country Briefing, “Eliminating malaria in Saudi Arabia,” (http://globalhealthsciences.ucsf.edu/sites/default/files/content/ghg/country- briefings/SaudiArabia2015-FINAL.pdf). 305 UNDP and the Ministry of Economy and Planning, Millennium Development Goals Report, 2013, p. 73. 306 United Against Malaria, “A Country on the Verge of Malaria Elimination – The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia”, Malaria.com September 24, 2014 (http://www.malaria.com/research/malaria -elimination-saudi-arabia). 307 World Health Organization, World Malaria Report 2014 (http://www.who.int/malaria/publications/country -profiles/profile_sau_en.pdf ). 308 World Health Organization, World Malaria Report 2014 (http://www.who.int/malaria/publications/country -profiles/profile_sau_en.pdf ). 309 United Against Malaria, “A Country on the Verge of Malaria Elimination – The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia”, Malaria.com September 24, 2014 (http://www.malaria.com/research/malaria -elimination-saudi-arabia). 310 World Health Organization, World Malaria Report 2014 (http://www.who.int/malaria/publications/country -profiles/profile_sau_en.pdf ). 311 Global Health Sciences, Country Briefing, “Eliminating malaria in Saudi Arabia,” (http://globalhealthsciences.ucsf.edu/sites/default/files/content/ghg/country- briefings/SaudiArabia2015-FINAL.pdf). 312 United Against Malaria, “A Country on the Verge of Malaria Elimination – The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia”, Malaria.com September 24, 2014 (http://www.malaria.com/research/malaria- elimination-saudi-arabia). SEE ALSO, Coleman M, Al-Zahrani MH, Coleman M, Hemingway J, Omar A, et al. (2014) A Country on the Verge of Malaria Elimination – The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. PLoS ONE 9(9): e105980. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0105980 313 Global Health Sciences, Country Briefing, “Eliminating malaria in Saudi Arabia,” (http://globalhealthsciences.ucsf.edu/sites/default/files/content/ghg/country- briefings/SaudiArabia2015-FINAL.pdf). 314 Al-Hamidhi S, Mahdy MAK, Idris MA, Bin Dajem SM, Al-Sheikh AAH, Al-Qahtani A, et al. The prospect of malaria elimination in the Arabian Peninsula : A population genetic approach. Infect Genet Evol 2014; 27: 25–31. 315 Sahal Al-Hajoj and Bright Varghese, Tuberculosis in Saudi Arabia: the journey across time, the Journal of Infection in Developing Courtiers, V. 9, No. 7 (http://www.jidc.org/index.php/journal/index).

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316 Dye C, Maher D, Weil D, Espinal M, Raviglsone M. Targets for global tuberculosis control. Int J Tuberc Lung Dis. 2006;10:460–2 (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16602414). 317 Sahal Al-Hajoj and Bright Varghese, Tuberculosis in Saudi Arabia: the journey across time, the Journal of Infection in Developing Courtiers, V. 9, No. 7 (http://www.jidc.org/index.php/journal/index). 318 Ministry of Health; KSA. Annual statistical report 2011 (http://www.moh.gov.sa/Ministry/MediaCenter/News/Documents/healthybook.pdf). 319 Al-Kahtani NH, Al-Jeffri MH. Manual of the National TB Control Program. Ministry of Health. 2003 320 Ibrahim Al-Orainey, Mogbil A. Alhedaithy, Awad R. Alanazi, Mazin A. Barry, and Fahad M. Almajid, “Tuberculosis incidence trends in Saudi Arabia over 20 years: 1991-2010,” US National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health, Annals of Thoracic Medicine, V. 8(3), July- Sept. 2013 (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3731856/). 321 UNDP and the Ministry of Economy and Planning, Millennium Development Goals Report, 2013, p. 74. 322 Sahal Al-Hajoj and Bright Varghese, Tuberculosis in Saudi Arabia: the journey across time, the Journal of Infection in Developing Courtiers, V. 9, No. 7 (http://www.jidc.org/index.php/journal/index). 322 Ministry of Health; KSA. Annual statistical report 2011 323 Ibrahim Al-Orainey, Mogbil A. Alhedaithy, Awad R. Alanazi, Mazin A. Barry, and Fahad M. Almajid, “Tuberculosis incidence trends in Saudi Arabia over 20 years: 1991-2010,” US National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health, Annals of Thoracic Medicine, V. 8(3), July- Sept. 2013 (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3731856/ 324 Sahal Al-Hajoj and Bright Varghese, Tuberculosis in Saudi Arabia: the journey across time, the Journal of Infection in Developing Courtiers, V. 9, No. 7 (http://www.jidc.org/index.php/journal/index). 324 Ministry of Health; KSA. Annual statistical report 2011 325 Sahal Al-Hajoj and Bright Varghese, Tuberculosis in Saudi Arabia: the journey across time, the Journal of Infection in Developing Courtiers, V. 9, No. 7 (http://www.jidc.org/index.php/journal/index). 325 Ministry of Health; KSA. Annual statistical report 2011 326 According to Sami Al-Abbood, Director General of Urban Planning at The Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs (MMRA) based on estimates by the Central Department of Statistics and Information. 88 percent urbanization forecast by 2025, Arab News, 14 May 2013 (http://www.arabnews.com/news/451566). 327 UNICEF (http://www.unicef.org/infobycountry/saudiarabia_statistics.html). 328 Population Distribution, Saudi/non-Saudi 2013, Figure 2, Central Department of Statistics and Information. Statistical Yearbook, 49th Issue, 2013 (http://www.cdsi.gov.sa/yb49/Pages/MixPageOne.htm). 329 The other areas include Al-Madinah Al-Monawarah, Al-Qaseem, Aseer, Tabouk, Hail, Northern Borders, Jazan, Najran, Al-Baha, and Al-Jouf. The fastest expansion outside of the three areas of Riyadh, Makkah and the Eastern Region was in Jazan, Aseer and Al-Qaseem. Central Department of Statistics and Information. Statistical Yearbook, 49th Issue, 2013 (http://www.cdsi.gov.sa/yb49/Pages/MixPageOne.htm). 330 Urban Observatories data various years, provided by UNHABITAT. They also noted that The number of cities, towns and villages has reached 285 in 2015, more than four times of that in 1968.

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331 UNHABITAT, Future Saudi Cities, 2015. 332 Food and Agricultural Organization (2006), Urban and Peri-Urban Forestry and Greening in West and Central Asia. 333 Ministry of Economy and Planning, National Spatial Strategy (http://www.mep.gov.sa/themes/Dashboard/index.jsp#1447685355356) 334 “88 percent urbanization forecast by 2025,” Arab News, 14 May 2013 (http://www.arabnews.com/news/451566). 335 “Saudi Arabia to implement a new transportation policy,” April 3, 2008, Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia, Washington, D.C. (http://www.saudiembassy.net/latest_news/news04030803.aspx) 336 Zainab Fattah, “Saudi Arabia’s Affordable Housing Shortage,” Bloomberg Business, March 28, 2013 (http://www.bloomberg.com/bw/articles/2013-03-28/saudi-arabias-affordable- housing-shortage). 337 According to Adnan Ghosheh, an adviser to the Housing Ministry. Zainab Fattah, “Saudi Arabia’s Affordable Housing Shortage,” Bloomberg Business, March 28, 2013 (http://www.bloomberg.com/bw/articles/2013-03-28/saudi-arabias-affordable-housing- shortage). 338 Ibid. 339 According to Mohammad Alwazir, senior economist at National Commercial Bank. Zainab Fattah, “Saudi Arabia’s Affordable Housing Shortage,” Bloomberg Business, March 28, 2013 (http://www.bloomberg.com/bw/articles/2013-03-28/saudi-arabias-affordable-housing- shortage). 340 Ministry of Economy and Planning, Brief Report on the Ninth Development Plan. 341 Zainab Fattah, “Saudi Arabia’s Affordable Housing Shortage,” Bloomberg Business, March 28, 2013 (http://www.bloomberg.com/bw/articles/2013-03-28/saudi-arabias-affordable- housing-shortage). 342 Zainab Fattah, “Saudi Arabia’s Affordable Housing Shortage,” Bloomberg Business, March 28, 2013 (http://www.bloomberg.com/bw/articles/2013-03-28/saudi-arabias-affordable- housing-shortage). 343 Ibid. 344 United Nations General Assembly, “The Habitat Agenda: Chapter IV: C. Sustainable human settlements development in an urbanizing world,” 14 June 1996 (http://www.un- documents.net/ha-4c.htm). 345 Ministry of Foreign Affairs. (http://www.mofa.gov.sa/sites/mofaen/ServicesAndInformation/aboutKingDom/SaudiGov ernment/Pages/BasicSystemOfGovernance35297.aspx). 346 United Nations Economic Commission for Europe, Climate Neutral Cities How to make cities less energy and carbon intensive and more resilient to climatic challenges, 2011. 347 Ranked at 15.8 tons per capita. UNDP, Human Development Report, 2010. 348 U.S. Energy Information Administration, International Energy Statistics (http://www.eia.gov/cfapps/ipdbproject/iedindex3.cfm?tid=90&pid=44&aid=8). 349 In December 2006 the six member states of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) – Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Qatar and Oman – announced that the Council was commissioning a study on the peaceful use of nuclear energy. France agreed to work with them on this, and Iran pledged assistance with nuclear technology. Together they produce 520 billion kWh per year (2012), all from oil and gas and with 5-7% annual demand growth. They have total installed capacity of over 90 GWe, with a common grid apart from

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Saudi Arabia. There is also a large demand for desalination, currently fueled by oil and gas. In February 2007 the six states agreed with the IAEA to cooperate on a feasibility study for a regional nuclear power and desalination program. Saudi Arabia was leading the investigation and thought that a program might emerge about 2009. World Nuclear Association, Nuclear Power in Saudi Arabia, June 2015 (http://www.world-nuclear.org/info/Country- Profiles/Countries-O-S/Saudi-Arabia/). 350 Ministry of Economy, Chapter 14, Environmental Management, p. 237 (http://www.google.jo/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=12&ved=0CCMQFjABO ApqFQoTCJai3cXAmccCFYS9FAod6ZgJmw&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mep.gov.sa%2Finetfo rms%2Fthemes%2Fclasic%2Ffile%2Fdownload.jsp%3Bjsessionid%3DCB95ED4716120F7AE4145 DB33D67F99A.beta%3FDownloadTranslation.ObjectID%3D612%26FileAttribute%3DDownload Translation.Content%26TableName%3DDownloadTranslation&ei=WPjFVZaWKoT7UumxptgJ &usg=AFQjCNEPGX0b58SjK3-K3_jISkqy15zpbw&sig2=fzwldZRuzPJ5Q7zXXdAj6g). 351 On the other hand SABIC, in its capacity as a member of the Gulf petrochemicals and chemicals association, led the way to adopt the initiative of Responsible Care which is considered an international initiative adopted by the international council of chemical associations. This initiative aims at the continuous improvement of environmental performance side by side with contact with the sector of the general public to directly evaluate companies’ performance as regards health, safety, and the environment. In 2012 SABIC won (RC1SO14001) certificate for all its facilities inside the Kingdom. Winning this certificate is regarded as a significant achievement at the level of petrochemical companies both regionally and internationally. Moreover, SABIC participates, on account of its expertise, in the international technical committees that addresses the issues of management of chemical materials, climate change, and responsible care with its international counterparts so as to achieve sustainable development. 352 MDG Report 2013, p. 77. 353 MDG Report 2013, p. 77. 354 MDG Report 2013, p. 77. 355 MDG Report 2013, p. 77. 356 UNICEF (http://www.unicef.org/infobycountry/saudiarabia_statistics.html). 357 UNDP and the Ministry of Economy and Planning, Millennium Development Goals Report, 2013, p. 22. 358 Saudi Arabia Energy Policy, Laws and Regulations Handbook Volume 1 Strategic ... (https://books.google.jo/books?id=iZh0CQAAQBAJ&pg=PA177&lpg=PA177&dq=non- renewable+groundwater+resources+to+meet+growing+demand&source=bl&ots=k8BUFSKNu B&sig=vti4qm4- SFCdO1oM1LCPKJJw08A&hl=ar&sa=X&ved=0CE4Q6AEwBWoVChMIrfKI5JmnxwIVxLQaCh 26sQFQ#v=onepage&q=non- renewable%20groundwater%20resources%20to%20meet%20growing%20demand&f=false). 359 UNDP, Human Development Report 2006, p. 145 (http://hdr.undp.org/sites/default/files/reports/267/hdr06-complete.pdf). 360 The number of dams increased from 210 in 2004 to 302 in 2009, with storage capacity increased from 832 million to 1,354 million cubic meters, which constitutes 117 percent of the Eighth Plan target. More than 240 million cubic meters of treated wastewater from these dams is being reused annually for landscape and crop irrigation purposes.

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361 Ministry of Water and Electricity, National Water Strategy (http://www.sawea.org/pdf/waterarabia2013/Tue_Panel_Discussion/National_Water_Strate gy.pdfin Saudi Arabia). 362 SALIC, Background (http://www.salic.com/English/aboutus/Pages/Background.aspx). 363 In April 2015, SALIC, in partnership with Bunge, established a joint venture company in Canada, G3 Global Grain Group (G3). G3 has acquired a 50.1 percent stake in prestigious Canadian wheat and barley marketing organization CWB. In 2013, Saudi Arabia’s United Farmers Holding Company (UFHC), in which SALIC is a partner, acquired the Continental Farmers Group Plc (CFG), Ukraine. CFG is an agricultural and agribusiness player in Europe with a significant land bank in Poland and Ukraine. In addition, SALIC has established two wholly owned overseas ventures that will help facilitate the company’s investments in international projects and ventures: SALIC UK Ltd. and SALIC Canada Ltd. (http://www.salic.com/English/pages/FAQ.aspx). 364 SALIC is a joint stock company owned by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF). It was created on the basis of Saudi Royal Decree No. M/22 of April 2009. With an initial capital of SR 3 billion (US$ 800 million), SALIC operates as an independent corporate pursuing a global agribusiness and investment strategy (http://www.salic.com/English/aboutus/Pages/AboutUsinfo.aspx). 365 Hasin U. Khan, Tahir Husain and Suhail M. Khan. “Solid Waste Management Practices in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia,” Environmental Management, Vol. 11, No. 6, 1987. 366 Ministry of Economy and Planning, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The Ninth Development Plan (2010–2014). 367 General Assembly Resolution 57/277 On Public Administration & Development, Fifty- seventh session Agenda item 12, 7 March 2003. 368 UNDP, Public Administration Reform-Practice Note. 369 The Corruption Index measures the perceived levels of public-sector corruption in a given country. This year's index includes 177 countries, and the score indicates the perceived level of public sector corruption on a scale of 0-100. 0 means that a country is perceived as highly corrupt and 100 is perceived as very clean. Transparency International, The Corruption Perceptions Index (http://countryeconomy.com/government/corruption-perceptions-index). 370 The government of the kingdom of Saudi Arabia attaches great importance to transformation to e-Government, due to the enormous benefits of e-Government concepts to the national economy. Pursuant to Royal Decree (7/B/2427) dated 16/1/1424 H, Ministry of Finance has been instructed to proceed with establishing an e-Government program (http://www.yesser.gov.sa/en/ProgramDefinition/Pages/Overview.aspx). 371 Central Department of Statistics and Information, National Strategy for Statistical Development (Draft), (2014-2030). 372 Other Government strategies aiming at balanced regional development include the National Transportation Strategy, the National Strategy for Social Development, the Health Care Strategy, the National Industry Strategy, the National Tourism Development Strategy, and the National Strategy for Development of Handicrafts and Traditional Industries. 373 The major municipalities of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia are: The Holy City of Makkah; Al- Madinah Al-Munawarah; Riyadh Region; Jeddah Province; the Eastern Region; Asir Region; Al- Qasim Region; Jazan Region; Al-Jouf Region; Tabuk Region; Hail Region; the Northern Border

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Region; Al-Baha Region, and Najran Region (http://www.saudinf.com/display_news.php?id=1109). 374 “All Set for Saudi Municipal Elections,” Al-Arabiya News, 4 August 2015 (http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle-east/2015/08/04). 375 F. Mubarak (2004), “Urban Growth Boundary Policy and Residential Suburbanization: Riyadh, Saudi Arabia,” Habitat International, 24: 567-591. The need for strengthening national capacity in urban planning also is discussed in W. Al-Hemaidi (2001), “The Metamorphosis of the Urban Fabric in an Arab-Muslim City: Riyadh, Saudi Arabia,” Journal of Housing and the Built Environment, 16: 179-201. 376 United Nations Economic Commission for Europe, Resilience to disasters for sustainable development (http://www.unece.org/fileadmin/DAM/trade/wp6/AreasOfWork/StandardsAndNorms/_ notes/Standards_and_DRR/Brochure_FINAL_WEB.pdf). 377 Saudi Arabia: Statement made at the Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction (2013) (http://www.preventionweb.net/english/professional/policies/v.php?id=33309). 378 The World Bank, “Disaster Risk Management in the Arab World is Critical and Cost Effective”, November 17, 2013 (http://www.worldbank.org/en/news/press- release/2013/11/17/disaster-risk-management-in-the-arab-world-is-critical-and-cost-effective). 379 Permeant Mission of Saudi Arabia to the United Nations, “A summary of Measures Taken by the Meteorological and Environmental Protection Agency for National Disaster Reduction.” (http://www.preventionweb.net/files/32522_endidndrassessmentsaudiarabia.pdf) 380 United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (UNISDR), Factsheet, Overview of Disaster Risk Reduction in the Arab Region. 381 United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNISDR). 382 League of Arab States, The Arab Strategy for Disaster Risk Reduction 2020. Final version adopted by the Council of Arab Ministers Responsible for the Environment, resolution # 345, in its 22nd session held at the League of Arab States 19-20 December 2010. 383 The Convention on Environmental Impact Assessment in a Transboundary Context (Espoo Convention) and its Protocol on Strategic Environmental Assessment (Protocol on SEA). 384 The Basic Law of Governance, Article 1: The kingdom of Saudi Arabia is a sovereign Arab Islamic state. Its religion is Islam, and its constitution is the Holy Qur'an and the prophet's (peace be upon him) Sunnah (traditions). Its language is the Arabic language, and its capital city is Riyadh.” Ministry of Foreign Affairs (http://www.mofa.gov.sa/sites/mofaen/ServicesAndInformation/aboutKingDom/SaudiGov ernment/Pages/BasicSystemOfGovernance35297.aspx). 385 Article 26, Basic Law, Ministry of Foreign Affairs (http://www.mofa.gov.sa/sites/mofaen/ServicesAndInformation/aboutKingDom/SaudiGov ernment/Pages/BasicSystemOfGovernance35297.aspx). 386 Article 26: The state shall protect human rights in accordance with Islamic Shari'ah; Article 27: The state shall guarantee the right of its citizens and their families in an emergency of in case of disease, disability and old age. Likewise it shall support the social security system and encourage individuals and institutions to contribute to charitable pursuits; and Article 28: The state shall provide job opportunities to all able-bodied people and shall enact laws to protect both the employee and the employer. 387 International Labor Organization, Boost for workers' rights in Saudi Arabia (http://www.ilo.org/global/about-the-ilo/media-centre/press-releases/WCMS_007782/lang-- en/index.htm).

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388 United Nations, Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW/C/SAU/2), 29 March 2007. 389 To safeguard Islamic teachings and values, enhance national unity and security, guarantee human rights, maintain social stability, and consolidate the Arab and Islamic identity of the Kingdom. Ministry of Economy and Planning, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The Tenth Development Plan (2015–2019). 390 University of Minnesota, Human Rights Library, Human Rights Commission Regulation - Saudi Arabia (http://www1.umn.edu/humanrts/research/saudiarabia/HRC- regulation.html). 391 The National Society for Human Rights, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (http://nshr.org.sa/en/). 392 The Universal Periodic Review (UPR) is a unique mechanism of the Human Rights Council (HRC) aimed at improving the human rights situation on the ground of each of the 193 United Nations (UN) Member States. Under this mechanism, the human rights situation of all UN Member States is reviewed every 4.5 years. The result of each review is reflected in an “outcome report” listing the recommendations the State under review (SuR) will have to implement before the next review. The Institutional- building text of the Human Rights Council, as set out in resolution A/HRC/RES/5/1 of 18 June 2007, indicates that the review shall assess to what extent States respect their human rights obligations contained in: The Charter of the United Nations; The Universal Declaration of Human Rights; Human Rights instruments to which the State is party (human rights treaties ratified by the State concerned); Voluntary pledges and commitments made by the State (including those undertaken when presenting the candidature for election to the Human Rights Council); and Applicable international humanitarian law. The review is based on: A National Report of 20 pages prepared by the State concerned on the human rights situation in the country; A compilation of ten pages prepared by the Office of the High Commissioner on Human Rights (OHCHR) containing information from treaty bodies, special procedures and UN agencies such as UNDP and UNICEF; and a summary of ten pages prepared by the OHCHR containing information from the civil society, United Nations, OHCHR, Universal Periodic Review (http://www.upr-info.org/en/upr-process/what-is-it). 393 Universal Periodic Review, Database of UPR Recommendations. 394 International Labor Organization, C189 - Domestic Workers Convention, 2011 (No. 189) (http://www.ilo.org/dyn/normlex/en/f?p=1000:12100:0::NO::P12100_ILO_CODE:C189). 395 Human Rights Council Working Group on the Universal Periodic Review, Seventeenth session, 21 October–1 November 2013. Compilation prepared by the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights in accordance with paragraph 15 (b) of the annex to Human Rights Council resolution 5/1 and paragraph 5 of the annex to Council resolution 16/21 (http://www.upr-info.org/sites/default/files/document/saudi_arabia/session_17_- _october_2013/a_hrc_wg.6_17_sau_2_e.pdf). 396 2RP: Responses to Recommendations & Voluntary Pledges. SAUDI ARABIA Second Review Session 17, Review in the Working Group: 21 October 2013, Adoption in the Plenary: 19 March 2014, Saudi Arabia’s responses to recommendations (as of 14.07.2014) (http://www.upr- info.org/sites/default/files/document/saudi_arabia/session_17_- _october_2013/recommendations_and_pledges_saudiarabia_2014_0.pdf). 397 2RP: Responses to Recommendations & Voluntary Pledges. Saudi Arabia, Second Review Session 17, Review in the Working Group: 21 October 2013, Adoption in the Plenary: 19 March 2014, Saudi Arabia’s responses to recommendations (as of 14.07.2014): http://www.upr-

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info.org/sites/default/files/document/saudi_arabia/session_17_- _october_2013/recommendations_and_pledges_saudiarabia_2014_0.pdf). 398 B. The Trafficking in Persons (Offences) Act: 10. Derived from sharia principles, which forbid all forms of trafficking in persons, the Trafficking in Persons (Offences) Act, promulgated pursuant to Royal Decree No. M/40 of 14 July 2009, is consistent with the international and regional standards in place for combating such trafficking, which it defines as “the employment, recruitment, transfer, harboring or receipt of persons for the purpose of exploitation” (art. 1). The Act prohibits all forms of trafficking in persons described in the Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children, in addition to other forms not covered under the Protocol, i.e., for the purpose of medical experimentation or begging (art. 2). It also defines a child as “anyone under 18 years of age” (art. 1). The Act describes the various kinds of trafficking in persons offences, for which it also prescribes penalties of up to 15 years’ imprisonment and a fine of up to 1 million riyals. These penalties are increased in certain cases where the victim is one of a particularly vulnerable group. The Act further underlines the principle that no consideration can be given to a plea that the victim consented to any of the offences for which it provides in article 5. National report submitted in accordance with paragraph 5 of the annex to Human Rights Council resolution 16/21, UN General Assembly, A/HRC/WG.6/17/SAU/1* (http://www.upr- info.org/sites/default/files/document/saudi_arabia/session_17_- _october_2013/a_hrc_wg.6_17_sau_1_e.pdf). 399 Human Rights Watch, Background on the Criminal Justice System (https://www.hrw.org/reports/2008/saudicrd0308/4.htm). 400 National report submitted in accordance with paragraph 5 of the annex to Human Rights Council resolution 16/21, UN General Assembly, A/HRC/WG.6/17/SAU/1* (http://www.upr-info.org/sites/default/files/document/saudi_arabia/session_17_- _october_2013/a_hrc_wg.6_17_sau_1_e.pdf). 401 UNESCO submission to the UPR on Saudi Arabia, 2013 pp. 7, 11. Human Rights Council Working Group on the Universal Periodic Review, Seventeenth session, 21 October–1 November 2013. Compilation prepared by the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights in accordance with paragraph 15 (b) of the annex to Human Rights Council resolution 5/1 and paragraph 5 of the annex to Council resolution 16/21 (http://www.upr- info.org/sites/default/files/document/saudi_arabia/session_17_- _october_2013/a_hrc_wg.6_17_sau_2_e.pdf). 402 UN Human Rights, Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (http://www.ohchr.org/EN/ProfessionalInterest/Pages/OPCAT.aspx). 403 Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organize Convention, 1948 (No. 87) Adopted on 9 July 1948 by the General Conference of the International Labor Organization at its thirty-first session Entry into force: 4 July 1950, in accordance with article 15. UN Human Rights, Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (http://www.ohchr.org/EN/ProfessionalInterest/Pages/FreedomOfAssociation.aspx). 404 C098 - Right to Organize and Collective Bargaining Convention, 1949 (No. 98). (http://www.ilo.org/dyn/normlex/en/f?p=NORMLEXPUB:12100:0::NO::P12100_ILO_CODE: C098). 405 C138 - Minimum Age Convention, 1973 (No. 138) (http://www.ilo.org/dyn/normlex/en/f?p=NORMLEXPUB:12100:0::NO::P12100_ILO_CODE: C098).

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406 2RP: Responses to Recommendations & Voluntary Pledges. SAUDI ARABIA Second Review Session 17, Review in the Working Group: 21 October 2013, Adoption in the Plenary: 19 March 2014, Saudi Arabia’s responses to recommendations (as of 14.07.2014) (http://www.upr- info.org/sites/default/files/document/saudi_arabia/session_17_- _october_2013/recommendations_and_pledges_saudiarabia_2014_0.pdf). 407 UNHCR, The 1951 Refugee Convention (http://www.unhcr.org/pages/49da0e466.html). 408 UNHCR submission to the UPR on Saudi Arabia, 2013 pp. 2, 4. Human Rights Council Working Group on the Universal Periodic Review, Seventeenth session, 21 October–1 November 2013. Compilation prepared by the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights in accordance with paragraph 15 (b) of the annex to Human Rights Council resolution 5/1 and paragraph 5 of the annex to Council resolution 16/21 (http://www.upr- info.org/sites/default/files/document/saudi_arabia/session_17_- _october_2013/a_hrc_wg.6_17_sau_2_e.pdf). 409 The KSA status with UN HR machinery indicates the following: 1) KSA did not ratify ICCPR, ICESCR, CMW, CPED and Rome Statute of the ICC, neither did it ratify refugees and stateless protection mechanisms; CEDAW (first review of initial report in 2008; First periodic report is due since 2013); CAT (second periodic report that was due since 2010 was submitted in January 2015 and will be reviewed in April 2016); etc. Source Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights. 410 The international recognition of the importance of establishing and strengthening independent, pluralistic national institutions for the promotion and protection of human rights in accordance with the Principles relating to the Status of National Institutions for the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights (“the Paris Principles”). General Assembly, Human Rights Council Twentieth session, Agenda item 8, Follow-up and implementation of the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action, 29 June 2012. 411 Interesting to note that the World Bank indicates a decrease in the female (% of total) from 44.3 in 2005 to 42.1 in 2014. World Bank, Data (http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SP.POP.TOTL.FE.ZS/countries/1W- SA?display=graph). 412 Based on the Census of 2010 projected estimates. Central Department of Statistics and Information. Statistical Yearbook, 49th Issue, 2013 (http://www.cdsi.gov.sa/yb49/Pages/MixPageOne.htm). 413 Source: Central Department of Statistics and Information (http://cdsi.gov.sa/english/index.php?option=com_docman&Itemid=160). 414 Central Intelligence Agency, World Fact Book (https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/sa.html). 415 Central Intelligence Agency, World Fact Book (https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/sa.html). 416 Central Intelligence Agency, World Fact Book (https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/sa.html). 417 Ministry of Foreign Affairs. (http://www.mofa.gov.sa/sites/mofaen/ServicesAndInformation/aboutKingDom/SaudiGov ernment/Pages/BasicSystemOfGovernance35297.aspx) 418 Article 13: The goal of education is to instill the Islamic faith in the brains of the young generation and to impart them with knowledge and skills so that they become useful members in building their society, who love their homeland and be proud of its history. Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

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(http://www.mofa.gov.sa/sites/mofaen/ServicesAndInformation/aboutKingDom/SaudiGov ernment/Pages/BasicSystemOfGovernance35297.aspx) 419 UNDP, Outcome Evaluation of UNDP Support for: Social Empowerment and institutional Strengthening with Emphasis on Youth, Country Programme 2012-2016 (Draft July 2014). 420 Ministry of Economy and Planning, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Ninth Development Plan, Women and the Family, Chapter 19 (www.mep.gov.sa). 421 Aljazeera, “Saudi women take seats in Shura Council,” 19 Feb 2013 (http://www.aljazeera.com/news/middleeast/2013/02/2013219201637132278.html). 422 Al-Arabiya News, “Breakthrough in Saudi Arabia: women allowed in parliament,” 11 January 2013 (http://www.alarabiya.net/articles/2013/01/11/259881.html). But the decrees stipulated strict guidelines for allowing women into the once all-male enclave, saying men and women will be segregated inside the council. 423 Aljazeera, “Saudi women take seats in Shura Council,” 19 Feb 2013 (http://www.aljazeera.com/news/middleeast/2013/02/2013219201637132278.html). 424 AlJazeera, “Saudi women given voting rights,” 25 Sep 2011 (http://www.aljazeera.com/news/middleeast/2011/09/2011925124652136164.html). 425 Ibid. 426 “All Set for Saudi Municipal Elections,” Al-Arabiya News, 4 August 2015 (http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle-east/2015/08/04). 427 “Eighty women to run for Saudi Arabia’s Eastern Province council” Al-Arabiya News, 10 June 2015 (http://english.alarabiya.net/en/perspective/features/2015/06/10/80-women-to- run-for-Saudi-Arabia-s-Eastern-Province-council.html). 428 Arab News, “IDs a must for Saudi women,” March 26, 2013 (http://www.arabnews.com/news/446108). 429 Gulf News, “Saudi women get ID cards,” Dec. 11, 2001 (http://gulfnews.com/news/uae/general/saudi-women-get-id-cards-1.432185). 430 Reuters, “Wider world opened to Saudis studying abroad,” June 6, 2012 (http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/06/06/uk-saudi-scholarships- idUSLNE85502H20120606). 431 G20.Org, “Employment Plan 2014: Saudi Arabia,” (https://g20.org/wp- content/uploads/2014/12/g20_employment_plan_saudi_arabia.pdf). 432 Universal Periodic Review, Halah M. Eldoseri and Naseema Al-Sadah, Stakeholder Report for the Universal Periodic Review of Saudi Arabia 2013, “Unfulfilled Promises”, p. 2 (http://www.upr-info.org/sites/default/files/document/saudi_arabia/session_17_- _october_2013/js4_upr17_sau_e_main.pdf). 433 Freedom House, Eleanor Abdella Doumato, Saudi Arabia, p. 1 (https://freedomhouse.org/sites/default/files/inline_images/Saudi%20Arabia.pdf). 434 UNDP, HDR 2013, p. 176 435 UNDP, HDR 2013, p. 176 436 UNDP, HDR 2013, p. 176 437 UNDP, HDR 2013, p. 172. 438 UNDP, HDR 2013, p. 172. 439 UNDP, HDR 2013, p. 176 440 UNDP, HDR 2013, p. 172. 441 Saudi Women for Reform, “The Shadow Report for CEDAW,” The Executive Summary, December 2007. 442 Ibid.

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443 Maternal mortality ratio (modeled estimate, per 100,000 live births): is the number of women who die from pregnancy-related causes while pregnant or within 42 days of pregnancy termination per 100,000 live births. The data are estimated with a regression model using information on the proportion of maternal deaths among non-AIDS deaths in women ages 15- 49, fertility, birth attendants, and GDP. World Bank, Data (http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SH.STA.MMRT/countries). 444 World Health Organization, Trends in Maternal Mortality: 1990 to 2013. Estimates by WHO, UNICEF, UNFPA, The World Bank and the United Nations Population Division 2014. Estimates of maternal mortality ratio number of (MMR, maternal deaths per 100 000 live births), maternal deaths, lifetime risk and percentage of AIDS-related indirect maternal deaths, 2013, p. 34 (http://www.unfpa.org/sites/default/files/pub-pdf/9789241507226_eng.pdf). See Also World Bank, Data which provides the same figure of 16 (http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SH.STA.MMRT/countries). 445 World Health Organization, Trends in Maternal Mortality: 1990 to 2013. Estimates by WHO, UNICEF, UNFPA, The World Bank and the United Nations Population Division 2014, p. 41. (http://www.unfpa.org/sites/default/files/pub-pdf/9789241507226_eng.pdf). 446 World Health Organization, Trends in Maternal Mortality: 1990 to 2013. Estimates by WHO, UNICEF, UNFPA, The World Bank and the United Nations Population Division 2014, p. 44. (http://www.unfpa.org/sites/default/files/pub-pdf/9789241507226_eng.pdf). 447 UNICEF, The State of the World’s Children 2015 Country Statistical Tables [Excel] (http://www.unicef.org/infobycountry/saudiarabia_statistics.html#120). 448 UNDP and the Ministry of Economy and Planning, Millennium Development Goals Report, 2013, p. 65. 449 World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory Data Repository, (http://apps.who.int/gho/data/view.main.680?lang=en). UNICEF provides a figure of 75.3 for 2012. UNICEF, http://www.unicef.org/infobycountry/saudiarabia_statistics.html. UNDP provides the following figures: increasing from 73.3 years in 2010 to 75.5 years in 2013. UNDP (2014). Human Development Report 2014 - Sustaining Human Progress: Reducing Vulnerabilities and Building Resilience, New York (http://hdr.undp.org/sites/default/files/hdr14-report-en-1.pdf), p. 160. See also UNDP, Human Development Report 2010. Government figures tend to be lower standing at 73.8 for 2012. UNDP and the Ministry of Economy and Planning, Millennium Development Goals Report, 2013, p. 25. 450 World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory Data Repository, (http://apps.who.int/gho/data/view.main.680?lang=en). The World Bank provides the following figures: for males 72.2 percent in 2005 to 73.9 in 2013, and for females from 75.8 in 2005 to 77.6 in 2013. World Bank, Data (http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SP.DYN.LE00.MA.IN/countries/1W-SA?display=graph 451 UNICEF, The State of the World’s Children 2015 Country Statistical Tables [Excel] (http://www.unicef.org/infobycountry/saudiarabia_statistics.html#120). 452 UNICEF< http://www.unicef.org/infobycountry/saudiarabia_statistics.html 453 Ministry of Health, The Crude Birth Rate by Sex and Nationality (Saudi / Non Saudi) In Saudi Arabia for Years (2004 To 2014). 454 UNICEF< http://www.unicef.org/infobycountry/saudiarabia_statistics.html 455 Ministry of Health, The Crude Birth Rate by Sex and Nationality (Saudi / Non Saudi) In Saudi Arabia for Years (2004 To 2014).

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456 The singulate mean age at marriage (SMAM) is the average length of single life expressed in years among those who marry before age 50. UN Population Division/DESA; Fertility and Family Planning Section. 457 Ministry of Economy and Planning, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The Tenth Development Plan (2015–2019). 458 Statistics as of 2007, no recent statistics are found in the Central Department of Statistics and Information or the Ministry of Planning and Economy. 459 Ministry of Labor. (2015). Ministerial Declarations on the Organization of Women in the Workplace. 460 Ministry of Social Affairs, Beneficiaries of Programs of Girls’ Houses and Women’s Activity at National Committees Working under Supervision of Social Development Centers at end of 1434A.H. 461 Alarabiya. (16 February 2013). Breakthrough: Saudi women can pass on citizenship rights to their children (http://www.alarabiya.net/articles/2013/02/16/266668.html). 462 Al-Arabiya News, “Saudi women join Olympics opening ceremony for first time,” 28 July 2012 (http://www.alarabiya.net/articles/2012/07/28/228787.html). See also (BBC News: Middle East, 2012). 463 Arab News. Domestic violence laws take effect on Dec. 23”. 15 November 2014 (http://www.arabnews.com/saudi-arabia/news/660366). 464 Arab News. Domestic violence laws take effect on Dec. 23”. 15 November 2014 (http://www.arabnews.com/saudi-arabia/news/660366). 465 On the basis of Royal Decree no. 25 (28 August 2000) with the following wording: “1. The Kingdom’s accession to the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination against Women adopted by United Nations General Assembly resolution 34/180 (18 December 1979), in the attached wording, is approved with the reservation that, in case of contradiction between any term of the Convention and the norms of Islamic Law, the Kingdom is not under the obligation to observe the contradictory terms of the Convention. United Nations, Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW/C/SAU/2), 29 March 2007. 466 Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women, Concluding Comments, Fortieth Session, 14 January-1 February 2008, CEDAW/C/SAU/CO/2, paras. 12, 18, 20, 22, 24, 34, 36, 38 (http://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/cedaw/docs/CEDAW.C.SAU.CO.2_en.pdf) 467 Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women, Concluding Comments, Fortieth Session, 14 January-1 February 2008, CEDAW/C/SAU/CO/2, para 20, p. 4. (http://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/cedaw/docs/CEDAW.C.SAU.CO.2_en.pdf) 468 Ibid. 469 United Nations, General Assembly Human Rights Council Working Group on the Universal Periodic Review, National report submitted in accordance with paragraph 5 of the annex to Human Rights Council resolution 16/21: Saudi Arabia. Seventeenth session, Geneva, 21 October–1 November 2013. (A/HRC/WG.6/17/SAU/1, Distr.: General, 5 August 2013)- GE.13- 16088 (E)260813-030913 470 Royal Decree No. A/44 of 12 January 2013, article 3 of the Shura Council Act was amended to enable women’s participation in the Shura Council. The members of the new session of the Shura Council were designated pursuant to Royal Decree No. A/45, promulgated on 12 January 2013, and included 30 women. United Nations, General Assembly Human Rights Council Working Group on the Universal Periodic Review, National report submitted in accordance with

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paragraph 5 of the annex to Human Rights Council resolution 16/21: Saudi Arabia. Seventeenth session, Geneva, 21 October–1 November 2013. (A/HRC/WG.6/17/SAU/1Distr.: General, 5 August 2013). 471 The Working Group on the Universal Periodic Review, established in accordance with Human Rights Council resolution 5/1 of 18 June 2007, held its seventeenth session from 21 October to 1 November 2013. The review of Saudi Arabia was held at the 1st meeting on 21 October 2013. The delegation of Saudi Arabia was headed by His Excellency Dr. Bandar bin Mohammed Aleiban, Chairman of the Human Rights Commission. At its 1st meeting held on 1 November 2013, the Working Group adopted the report on Saudi Arabia. United Nations, General Assembly, Human Rights Council, Universal Periodic Review, Report of the Working Group on the Universal Periodic Review: Saudi Arabia (A/HRC/25/3. Distr.: General 26 December 2013). Twenty-fifth session, Agenda item 6. 472 United Nations, General Assembly, Human Rights Council, Universal Periodic Review, Report of the Working Group on the Universal Periodic Review: Saudi Arabia (A/HRC/25/3. Distr.: General 26 December 2013). Twenty-fifth session, Agenda item 6. See also, Human Rights Council Working Group on the Universal Periodic Review, Seventeenth session, 21 October–1 November 2013. Compilation prepared by the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights in accordance with paragraph 15 (b) of the annex to Human Rights Council resolution 5/1 and paragraph 5 of the annex to Council resolution 16/21. 473 United Nations, General Assembly, Human Rights Council, Universal Periodic Review, Report of the Working Group on the Universal Periodic Review: Saudi Arabia (A/HRC/25/3. Distr.: General 26 December 2013). Twenty-fifth session, Agenda item 6. 474 Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women, Concluding Comments, Fortieth Session, 14 January-1 February 2008, CEDAW/C/SAU/CO/2, para 20, p. 4. (http://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/cedaw/docs/CEDAW.C.SAU.CO.2_en.pdf) 475 Human Rights Watch, Saudi Arabia: New Law to Criminalize Domestic Abuse, Sept. 3, 2013 (https://www.hrw.org/news/2013/09/03/saudi-arabia-new-law-criminalize-domestic-abuse). 476 Human Rights Watch, Saudi Arabia: New Law to Criminalize Domestic Abuse, Sept. 3, 2013 (https://www.hrw.org/news/2013/09/03/saudi-arabia-new-law-criminalize-domestic-abuse). 477 Human Rights Council, Universal Periodic Review, Human Rights Council Working Group on the Universal Periodic Review, “Compilation prepared by the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights in accordance with paragraph 15 (b) of the annex to Human Rights Council resolution 5/1 and paragraph 5 of the annex to Council resolution 16/21, Saudi Arabia,” Seventeenth session, 21 October–1 November 2013 (http://www.upr- info.org/sites/default/files/document/saudi_arabia/session_17_- _october_2013/a_hrc_wg.6_17_sau_2_e.pdf). 478 2RP: Responses to Recommendations & Voluntary Pledges. SAUDI ARABIA Second Review Session 17, Review in the Working Group: 22 October 2013, Adoption in the Plenary: 19 March 2014, Saudi Arabia’s responses to recommendations (as of 14.07.2014) (http://www.upr- info.org/sites/default/files/document/china/session_17_- _october_2013/recommendations_and_pledges_china_2014.pdf). 479 2RP: Responses to Recommendations & Voluntary Pledges. SAUDI ARABIA Second Review Session 17, Review in the Working Group: 21 October 2013, Adoption in the Plenary: 19 March 2014, Saudi Arabia’s responses to recommendations (as of 14.07.2014). 480 Freedom House, Women’s Rights in the Middle East and North Africa: Saudi Arabia, 2009.

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481 There is nothing clear about preventive laws of trafficking in women or exploitation of prostitution of women. Saudi Women for Reform, “The Shadow Report for CEDAW,” The Executive Summary, December 2007. 482 World Bank Indicators http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SE.ADT.LITR.FE.ZS?order=wbapi_data_value_2013+wb api_data_value+wbapi_data_value-last&sort=asc). UNICEF states that the adult literacy rate for females as a percentage of males reaching 90.5 during the years 2008-2012. UNICEF (http://www.unicef.org/infobycountry/saudiarabia_statistics.html). The illiteracy rate (% age 15 and above for 2001) stood at 22.9. UNDP, Human Development Report. Millennium Development Goals: A compact among nations to end human poverty, UNDP 2003, p. 261. 483 World Bank Indicators (http://search.worldbank.org/all?qterm=adult+literacy+rate+saudi+arabia&title=&filetype=). It also provides a rate of 94.4 for 2013 (http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SE.ADT.LITR.ZS/countries/SA?display=graph). UNICEF provides a figure of 94 between 2009-2013. UNICEF, State of The World’s Children 2015 Country Statistical Analysis (http://www.unicef.org/infobycountry/saudiarabia_statistics.html). 484 UNICEF, http://www.unicef.org/infobycountry/saudiarabia_statistics.html 485 World Bank, Data (http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SE.ADT.1524.LT.FE.ZS/countries). 486 World Bank, Data (http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SE.ADT.1524.LT.FE.ZS/countries). The Millennium Development Goals 2013 provides different figures noting that adult literacy (15 years old and above) reached 92.6 percent while youth literacy (15-24 years old) increased from 85.9 percent in 1990 to 99.3 percent in 2012. 487 UNDP, HDR 2013, p. 176 488 (HDR 2013, p. 192). 489 UNDP, HDR 2013, p. 172. 490 Hunt, Jordan N. (2013). Saudi Arabia is Expanding Women’s Political Freedoms (http://borgenproject.org/saudi-arabia-is-expanding-womens-political-freedoms/) 491 Ministry of Economy and Planning, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The Ninth Development Plan (2010–2014). 492 AlMunajjed, M., (2009), Women’s Education in Saudi Arabia: The Way Forward, New York: Booz & Company Inc. 493 AlMunajjed, M., (2009), Women’s Education in Saudi Arabia: The Way Forward, New York: Booz & Company Inc. 494 AlMunajjed, M., (2009), Women’s Education in Saudi Arabia: The Way Forward, New York: Booz & Company Inc. 495 The World Bank, Data, Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages 15+) (modelled ILO estimate) (http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SL.TLF.CACT.FE.ZS/countries). The Central Department of Statistics notes that for 2014, females constituted 16.4%.that the total employed (out of the 4,926,184 or 88, 3% of the total labor force of whom 4,120,467 males or 83,6%). Central Department of Statistics and Information, Labor Force Survey, 2014, Round 2, p. 17. (http://www.cdsi.gov.sa/english/index.php?option=com_docman&task=cat_view&gid=243& Itemid=162 496 Central Department of Statistics and Information, Labor Force Survey, 2014, Round 2, p. 17. (http://www.cdsi.gov.sa/english/index.php?option=com_docman&task=cat_view&gid=243& Itemid=162. The HDR for 2014 indicates that labor force participation rate (% ages 15 and older)

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for 2012 stood at 18.2 percent for females as opposed to 75.5 percent for males. UNDP, HDR 2013, p. 172. 497 Central Department of Statistics and Information, Labor Force Survey, 2014, Round 2, p. 16). (http://cdsi.gov.sa/english/index.php?option=com_docman&task=cat_view&gid=243&Itemid =162). 498 Central Department of Statistics and Information, Labor Force Survey, 2014, Round two, p. 16. (http://cdsi.gov.sa/english/index.php?option=com_docman&task=cat_view&gid=243&Itemid =162). 499 The World Bank, Data, Unemployment, female (% of female labor force) (modeled ILO estimate) (http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SL.UEM.TOTL.FE.ZS/countries). 500 Index Mundi, Saudi Arabia - Labor force participation rate (Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, female (%) (national estimate) http://www.indexmundi.com/facts/saudi- arabia/labor-force-participation-rate#SL.TLF.ACTI.1524.FE.ZS). 501 Youth unemployment refers to the share of the labor force ages 15-24 without work but available for and seeking employment. The World Bank, Data, Unemployment, youth male (% of male labor force ages 15-24) (modeled ILO estimate), (http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SL.UEM.1524.MA.ZS/countries). 502 The World Bank, Data, Unemployment, youth female (% of female labor force ages 15-24) (modeled ILO estimate) http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SL.UEM.1524.FE.ZS/countries) 503 The World Bank, Data, Unemployment, youth male (% of male labor force ages 15-24) (modeled ILO estimate) (http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SL.UEM.1524.MA.ZS/countries). 504 World Bank. 2014. World Development Indicators, Saudi Arabia, The World Bank, Washington DC (http://data.worldbank.org/country/saudi-arabia). 505 UNDP Saudi Arabia. 2011b. Project Document: Women Empowerment in Saudi Arabia, Riyadh, p.1. 506 Al Fanar Media, “Women in the Gulf: Better Educated but Less Employed”, 16 Oct 2013 (http://www.al-fanarmedia.org/2013/10/women-in-the-gulf-better-educated-but-less- employed/). 507 UNDP, Outcome Evaluation of UNDP Support for: Social Empowerment and institutional Strengthening with Emphasis on Youth, Country Programme 2012-2016 (Draft July 2014). 508 Saab, Maria and Joshua Haber (2014), The slow pace of female empowerment in the Gulf (https://www.opendemocracy.net/arab-awakening/maria-saab-joshua-haber/slow-pace-of- female-empowerment-in-gulf). 509 Al Fanar Media, “Women in the Gulf: Better Educated but Less Employed”, 16 Oct 2013 (http://www.al-fanarmedia.org/2013/10/women-in-the-gulf-better-educated-but-less- employed/). 510 Al Fanar Media, “Women in the Gulf: Better Educated but Less Employed”, 16 Oct 2013 (http://www.al-fanarmedia.org/2013/10/women-in-the-gulf-better-educated-but-less- employed/). 511 UNDP and the Ministry of Economy and Planning, Millennium Development Goals Report, 2013, p. 50. 512 UNDP and the Ministry of Economy and Planning, Millennium Development Goals Report, 2013, p. 50. 513 Forbes. (2015). #67 Lubna S. Olayan (http://www.forbes.com/profile/lubna-s-olayan/).

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514 Human Resources Development Fund – Youth, Female employment initiatives in the private sector. Employment initiatives and Services in Saudi Arabia, 2013. 515 Human Resources Development Fund – Youth, Female employment initiatives in the private sector. Employment initiatives and Services in Saudi Arabia, 2013. 516 Arab News, “Unemployment Rates Among Saudi Women hits 34%”, 23 April 2014 (http://www.arabnews.com/news/560096). 517 Zoepf, Katherine. (2013). Shop girls in Saudi Arabia (http://pulitzercenter.org/reporting/middle-east-saudi-arabia-shopgirls-women-jobs-labor). 518 Robehmed, Natalie. (2013). Saudi Startup Finding Women Jobs Acquired For $16M (http://www.forbes.com/sites/natalierobehmed/2013/09/10/a-saudi-startup-finding- women-jobs-acquired-for-16m/). 519 Al-Arabiya News, “Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Oman lag behind world in women employment,” 22 July 2012 (http://www.alarabiya.net/articles/2012/07/22/227815.html). 520 Human Rights Council Working Group on the Universal Periodic Review, Seventeenth session, 21 October–1 November 2013. Compilation prepared by the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights in accordance with paragraph 15 (b) of the annex to Human Rights Council resolution 5/1 and paragraph 5 of the annex to Council resolution 16/21. 521 The ILO Committee noted reported cases of children trafficked from a third country to work as camel jockeys, in addition to women under the age of 18 who were trafficked from another third country for the purpose of commercial sexual exploitation. It urged the Government to ensure that legislation specifically prohibiting the use, procuring or offering of children under 18 years for prostitution and for the production of pornography or pornographic performances is adopted in the near future. ILO Committee of Experts on the Application of Conventions and Recommendations, Observation concerning the worst forms of child labor, 1999 (No. 182) adopted 2011, published 101st ILC session (2012), third and fourth paragraphs (http://www.ilo.org/dyn/normlex/en/f?p=1000:13100:0::NO:13100:P13100 _ COMMENT_ID:2700662), see also ILO Committee of Experts on the Application of Conventions and Recommendations, Observation concerning the Worst Forms of Child Labor, 1999 (No. 182) adopted 2009, published 99th ILC session (2010), third paragraph (http://www.ilo.org/dyn/normlex/en/f? p=1000:13100:0::NO:13100:P13100_COMMENT_ID:2310424). Human Rights Council Working Group on the Universal Periodic Review, Seventeenth session, 21 October–1 November 2013. Compilation prepared by the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights in accordance with paragraph 15 (b) of the annex to Human Rights Council resolution 5/1 and paragraph 5 of the annex to Council resolution 16/21 (http://www.upr- info.org/sites/default/files/document/saudi_arabia/session_17_- _october_2013/a_hrc_wg.6_17_sau_2_e.pdf). A/HRC/11/6/Add.3, paras. 47 and 74 522 UNICEF (http://www.unicef.org/infobycountry/saudiarabia_statistics.html). Of the 12 million children younger than 18 in five Persian Gulf countries, 80 percent live in Saudi Arabia. UNICEF Gulf Area Office, Sub-Regional Programme Document 2010-2012. 523 According to the Ninth Development Plan (2010), Saudi Arabia classifies its “youth” as its population segment aged between 15-24 years. It further divides this segment into two sub- segments: 15-19 years and 20-24 years. Figures are taken from the 2009 government census. The median age is 19 years - implying half of the youth are under 19 years of age. Ministry of Economy and Planning, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The Ninth Development Plan (2010–2014). 524 Ministry of Economy and Planning. (2015). Objectives of the Tenth Development Plan (2015- 2019).

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525 Ibid. 526 Assaad R, Parlapiano A, Stanton L. 2011. Youth movement, Washington DC. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/special/world/middle-east-youth-population/. 527 Assaad R, Parlapiano A, Stanton L. 2011. Youth movement, Washington DC. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/special/world/middle-east-youth-population/. 528 Ministry of Economy and Planning, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The Ninth Development Plan (2010–2014); Central Department of Statistics and Information, General Census of Population and Households, 2004. 529 Distribution of Youth in and out of the Workforce as a Percentage (2004). Ministry of Economy and Planning, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The Ninth Development Plan (2010–2014); Central Department of Statistics and Information, General Census of Population and Households, 2004. 530 Distribution of Youth in and out of the Workforce as a Percentage (2004). Ministry of Economy and Planning, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The Ninth Development Plan (2010–2014); Central Department of Statistics and Information, General Census of Population and Households, 2004. 531 Distribution of Employed Saudis by Age Group (2014). Central Department of Statistics and Information. (2014). Labor Force Survey. 532 Distribution of Unemployed Saudis by Age Group (2014). Central Department of Statistics and Information. (2014). Labor Force Survey. 533 Ministry of Economy and Planning, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The Tenth Development Plan (2015–2019). 534 Ibid. 535 ECOSOC. (2015). Kingdom of Saudi Arabia - Contribution to the 2015 United Nations Economic and Social Council Integration Segment (http://www.un.org/en/ecosoc/integration/2015/pdf/saudi_arabia.pdf). 536 WHO. (2013). Country Cooperation Strategy for WHO and Saudi Arabia 2012–2016 (http://www.who.int/countryfocus/cooperation_strategy/ccs_sau_en.pdf). 537 Schlaffer, E and Kropiunigg, U. (2011). Saudi Youth: Unveiling the Force for Change (http://www.women-without- borders.org/files/downloads/111104_Gulf_Analysis_Saudi_Youth.pdf). 538 Students Registered and Nominated for Work and Training during Summer Holiday (2012). Human Resources Development Fund, Statistics Yearbook, Forty-Ninth Issue, 2013. 539 ECOSOC. (2015). Kingdom of Saudi Arabia - Contribution to the 2015 United Nations Economic and Social Council Integration Segment (http://www.un.org/en/ecosoc/integration/2015/pdf/saudi_arabia.pdf). 540 Gulf Competitiveness Forum 2015 (http://www.gcf.org.sa/ar/Pages/default.aspx) 541 Alturki F, Khan A and Alsheikh R. (2014). Saudi Arabia's 2015 fiscal budget (http://susris.com/wp-content/uploads//2015/01/2015-Budget.pdf). 542 UNDP. (2008). Report on Youth Forums 2008 - Arab Human Development Report 2008 (http://www.arab-hdr.org/publications/other/ahdr/activities/youth-forum-genreport-e.pdf). 543 Ministry of Economy and Planning. (2015). Objectives of the Tenth Development Plan (2015- 2019). 544 Hildebrandt J, El Abbouri M and Alibraheem M. (2014). What Matters Most to Saudi Arabia's Youth? (https://www.bcgperspectives.com/content/articles/public_sector_community_economic_de velopment_what_matters_most_saudi_arabias_youth/?chapter=5).

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545 Hildebrandt J, El Abbouri M and Alibraheem M. (2014). What Matters Most to Saudi Arabia's Youth? (https://www.bcgperspectives.com/content/articles/public_sector_community_economic_de velopment_what_matters_most_saudi_arabias_youth/?chapter=5). 546 Ibid. 547 Ibid. 548 Ministry of Economy and Planning, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The Ninth Development Plan (2010–2014). 549 Ibid.; Central Department of Statistics and Information, Results of the 2007 Demographic Survey. 550 Ministry of Economy and Planning, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The Ninth Development Plan (2010–2014). 551 Central Department of Statistics and Information. Statistical Yearbook, 49th Issue, 2013. 552 Hildebrandt J, El Abbouri M and Alibraheem M. (2014). What Matters Most to Saudi Arabia's Youth? (https://www.bcgperspectives.com/content/articles/public_sector_community_economic_de velopment_what_matters_most_saudi_arabias_youth/?chapter=5). 553 Al-Nujaidi, Abdulkarim. (2013). Youth employment initiatives and services in Saudi Arabia. Human Resources Development Fund. 554 Schlaffer, E and Kropiunigg, U. (2011). Saudi Youth: Unveiling the Force for Change (http://www.women-without- borders.org/files/downloads/111104_Gulf_Analysis_Saudi_Youth.pdf). Women without Borders, a Vienna-based non-governmental organization. 555 Boston Consulting Group, Hildebrandt J, El Abbouri M and Alibraheem M. (2014). What Matters Most to Saudi Arabia's Youth? (https://www.bcgperspectives.com/content/articles/public_sector_community_economic_de velopment_what_matters_most_saudi_arabias_youth/?chapter=5). 556 Hildebrandt J, El Abbouri M and Alibraheem M. (2014). What Matters Most to Saudi Arabia's Youth? (https://www.bcgperspectives.com/content/articles/public_sector_community_economic_de velopment_what_matters_most_saudi_arabias_youth/?chapter=5). 557 Schlaffer, E and Kropiunigg, U. (2011). Saudi Youth: Unveiling the Force for Change (http://www.women-without- borders.org/files/downloads/111104_Gulf_Analysis_Saudi_Youth.pdf 558 Ministry of Economy and Planning, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The Ninth Development Plan (2010–2014). 559 Ibid. 560 Ibid. 561 Hildebrandt J, El Abbouri M and Alibraheem M. (2014). What Matters Most to Saudi Arabia's Youth? (https://www.bcgperspectives.com/content/articles/public_sector_community_economic_de velopment_what_matters_most_saudi_arabias_youth/?chapter=5). 562 Al-Saggaf, Y. (2009). Social Media and Political Participation in Saudi Arabia: The case of the 2009 Floods in Jeddah (http://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/12237604.pdf). 563 According to the sixth Arab Social Media Report launched by the Governance and Innovation Program at the Mohammed bin Rashid School of Government in 2014. Abdurabb, K. (2014). Saudi Arabia has highest number of active Twitter users in the Arab world

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(http://www.arabnews.com/news/592901); Arab Social Media Report. (2014). Citizen Engagement and Public Services in the Arab World: The Potential of Social Media (http://www.mbrsg.ae/getattachment/e9ea2ac8-13dd-4cd7-9104-b8f1f405cab3/Citizen- Engagement-and-Public-Services-in-the-Arab.aspx). No specific statistics could be found for the 15-24 age group but we can assume they are one of the majority users. Hebblethwaite, C. (2014). #BBC trending: Why Twitter is so big in Saudi Arabia (http://www.bbc.com/news/blogs- trending-25864558). 564 Al-Saggaf, Yeslam, Kenneth Einar Himma & Radwan Kharabsheh, “Political Online Communities in Saudi Arabia: the Major Players,” Journal of Information, Communication and Ethics in Society, 6 (2): 127-140 (2008). 565 Al-Saggaf, Y. (2009). Social Media and Political Participation in Saudi Arabia: The case of the 2009 Floods in Jeddah (http://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/12237604.pdf). 566 Data was collected by a team of seven undergraduate students who were trained in thematic analysis to collect and analyze qualitative data and assigned to a number of different social media sites including Twitter and Facebook. Al-Saggaf, Y. (2009). Social Media and Political Participation in Saudi Arabia: The case of the 2009 Floods in Jeddah (http://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/12237604.pdf). 567 UNDP (2013). Human Development Report 2013 - The Rise of the South: Human Progress in a Diverse World, New York (http://hdr.undp.org/sites/default/files/reports/14/hdr2013_en_complete.pdf). 568 United Nations Economic and Social Council, Trends in South-South and Triangular Development Cooperation, April 2008. 569 Global Humanitarian Assistance, Saudi Arabia (http://www.globalhumanitarianassistance.org/countryprofile/saudi-arabia). 570 Global Humanitarian Assistance, Saudi Arabia (http://www.globalhumanitarianassistance.org/countryprofile/saudi-arabia). Its 2008 level where it stood at US$5,564 million, estimated at 1.5 of GNI, and about 40% of total South-South Development Cooperation Special Report on South-South Cooperation 2010, South-South Cooperation: A Challenge to the Aid System?, IBON Books, 2010. 571 This is according to official data, which excludes substantial unreported resource transfers made by Saudi ruling families coursed through official channels for building mosques, schools, hospitals, etc. Espen Villanger, Arab Foreign Aid: Disbursement Patterns, Aid Policies and Motives. Bergen: Chr. Michelsen Institute (CMI Report R 2007: 2). 572 Ibid., p. 96. 573 UNDP and the Ministry of Economy and Planning, Millennium Development Goals Report, 2013, p. 95. 574 Ibid., p. 96. 575 This included US$1 billion pledged to the World Bank for energy and poverty programming in Africa and Asia; US$500 million to World Food Programme food security activities globally; US$100 million for International Fund for Agricultural Development activities globally; US$100 million for United Nations security activities in Pakistan; and US$50 million for the 2010 Haiti earthquake disaster. 576 For example, emergency relief has been extended in recent years to Bangladesh, China, Comoro Islands, Djibouti, Haiti, Indonesia, Iran, Kenya, Lebanon, Occupied Palestine Territory, Philippines, Sri Lanka and Yemen.

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577 Global Humanitarian Assistance, Saudi Arabia (http://www.globalhumanitarianassistance.org/countryprofile/saudi-arabia). 578 Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 26 May 2015, http://www.mofa.gov.sa/sites/mofaen/ServicesAndInformation/news/GovernmentNews/P ages/ArticleID2015524111258112.aspx. 579 Arab News, “Relief center to streamline Saudi aid,” 26 May 2015 (http://www.arabnews.com/news/746556?quicktabs_stat2=1). 580 Arab News, “Relief center to streamline Saudi aid,” 26 May 2015 (http://www.arabnews.com/news/746556?quicktabs_stat2=1). 581 Ibid. 582 Special Report on South-South Cooperation 2010, South-South Cooperation: A Challenge to the Aid System? IBON Books, 2010. 583 Saudi Fund for Development, Annual Report, 2012. 584 Lead sector is transport & communication (45 percent), then health (22 percent), education (20 percent) and agriculture (10 percent). Energy only 3 percent. United Nations Economic and Social Council, Trends in South-South and Triangular Development Cooperation, April 2008. 585 UNDP and the Ministry of Economy and Planning, Millennium Development Goals Report, 2013, p. 98. 586 UNDP and the Ministry of Economy and Planning, Millennium Development Goals Report, 2013, pp. 100-107. 587 UNDP and the Ministry of Economy and Planning, Millennium Development Goals Report, 2013, pp. 100-107. 588 Relief Web, South-South Cooperation: A Challenge to the Aid System? Special Report on South-South Cooperation (2010) (http://reliefweb.int/sites/reliefweb.int/files/resources/E7CA78D6C6C901D0C125775400224 AA6- ROApercent20SSDCpercent20Specialpercent20Reportpercent28Englishpercent29percent5B1per cent5D.pdf) 589 UNDP and the Ministry of Economy and Planning, Millennium Development Goals Report, 2013, p.99. 590 States are required to work progressively on the realization of the human rights – as laid down in Article 2 of the International Covenant on Economic Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR). 591 The main duties of the State include a) Respect - Derogate laws and stop the application of policies that discriminate and limit the exercise of rights; b) Protect - Regulate and control the activities of the public and the private sector; Establish judicial and administrative mechanisms of redress and compensation; Facilitate the investigation work of national institutions; and c) Fulfil: Formulate and implement policies and strategies aiming at the progressive realization of rights; Provide public services effectively; and Assist populations in situations of emergency or vulnerability 592 UNDP Public Administration Reform (http://intra.undp.org/bdp/PAR/index.htm). 593 UNDP, Public Administration Reform-Practice Note 594 United Nations Economic Commission for Europe, Fostering Innovative Entrepreneurship: Challenges and Policy Options, 2012 (http://www.unece.org/fileadmin/DAM/ceci/publications/fie.pdf). 595 A. Lopez-Claros, the Innovation for Development Report 2010-2011: Innovation as a driver of Productivity and economic growth (Palgrave Macmillan, 2010).

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596United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE Capacity Building for Public Private Partnership). Training Module: Introduction to Public-Private Partnerships - Can public- private partnerships improve infrastructure and deliver better public services? 2012. 597 PPPs are a method by which the public sector can procure the design, construction, operation and maintenance of public capital assets from the private sector at a cost that represents value for money. Rather than the public sector directly procuring a capital asset and providing a service using that asset, the private sector establishes and finances a business which designs and constructs the required asset and uses it to provide services to the public sector. The public sector benefits from the private sector's expertise in designing, building, financing and operating the asset and the transfer of risk to the private sector. United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE Capacity Building for Public Private Partnership). Training Module: Introduction to Public-Private Partnerships - Can public-private partnerships improve infrastructure and deliver better public services? 2012. 598 United Nations Economic Commission for Europe, Fostering Innovative Entrepreneurship: Challenges and Policy Options, 2012 (http://www.unece.org/fileadmin/DAM/ceci/publications/fie.pdf).