Qatar home to highest proportion of employed women in the Gulf

Qatar has the highest percentage of women in the workforce out of all the Gulf states, according to a new survey.

A total of 51 percent of women in Qatar over the age of 15 years old were found to be working, compared to less than 30 percent in Saudi Arabia and Oman, the study Power Women in Arabia: Shaping the Path for Regional Gender Parity found.

Compiled by management consultants AT Kearney and B20 Employment Taskforce, the report looked at trends and figures for women in education and employment, and the opportunities for female entrepreneurs in the region.

The survey found that across the GCC, there are more women in work and education now than two decades ago. Additionally, opportunities for businesswomen are improving, although at a slower rate than in other parts of the world. In the 20 years from 1993 to 2013, the report found that the number of women working in Qatar has risen by 19 percent.