Poverty in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia: An Exploratory Study of Poverty and Female-headed Households in Jeddah City

This article reports an exploratory study in Jeddah City, Saudi Arabia, which assembled data and information from government and non-governmental organizations about poverty and poverty alleviation policies. A list of poor families which were receiving benefits from the Social Security Department and charitable associations in Jeddah City was constructed, from which female-headed households were identified and classified depending on the circumstances of the female head. The article describes the social, cultural and demographic characteristics of poor female-headed households in Jeddah. The article also uses the results of interviews with 13 poor female heads of households to analyse aspects of their everyday lives. This evidence is used to discuss the ability of the Saudi state's income support system to address poverty as the country undergoes economic and social modernization.