Saudi Arabia's chronically high unemployment rates have finally started to show a significant decrease as 2019 comes to an end. The unemployment rate among nationals has gone down to 12.3 percent after reaching a record high 12.9 percent last year. 

Speaking at the 2020 Budget Meeting Sessions in Riyadh, Minister of Economy and Planning Mohammed Al-Tuwaijri said he expects the numbers to fall even further by the end of the year. 

The recent improvement, according to the Saudi minister, is the result of huge efforts being made by the Ministry of Economy and the Ministry of Labor and Social Development. Al-Tuwaijri added that several plans are now in place "to create jobs in tourism, culture, entertainment and hospitality as part of the government's Vision 2030."

In his address at the event, Ahmed Al-Rajhi, the Minister of Labour and Social Development, explained that his ministry aims to create 1.5 million jobs by 2030.

The government entity has made strides in efforts to meet this goal. These improvements include supporting the launch of 2,843 non-profit organizations in the past few months. 

The ministry has also Saudized over 175,500 jobs so far and continues to encourage the participation of women in the local workforce. The proportion of their joining in recorded a 25.3 percent increase this year. 

Saudi women have been taking the country's job market by storm for a while now. The most recent official statistics revealed that the number of Saudi women working in both public and private sectors reached a total of 596,700 in the first quarter of 2019, rising by 282.5 percent. This year, 440,700 women started working compared to 156,000 in 2018.

A report released in January revealed that the kingdom's unemployment rate went down from 12.9 to 12.8 percent in the third quarter of 2018. 

Despite the recent drops, the percentage of unemployment, especially among younger Saudis, is still considered to be relatively high. 

As efforts to Saudize more of the kingdom's industries continue, some are questioning their effectivity given that the exit of over 900,000 expats hasn't significantly affected unemployment rates. 

Experts in the kingdom believe rates are more prone to be affected by the development of new industries in fields like technology and artificial intelligence rather than focusing on existing ones run by expats, namely the retail sector. That's because most Saudis are uninterested in jobs usually taken by expats and consider them low-wage. 

Going out to a restaurant in Saudi Arabia was quite a unique experience up until this week. 

The kingdom, known for being ultra-conservative, previously had rules that require eateries to provide separate entrances and areas for "women and families" and "singles" (aka men dining alone). Even though some local cities had turned the blind eye on the matter, allowing anyone hungry to simply step in and take a chair, the atmosphere wasn't this relaxed across the country.

In a recent turn of events, Sunday witnessed the end of this segregation. From now on and despite the time it will take almost 33 million people to get accustomed to the dismantling of a decades-old rule, unrelated men and women will be able to dine together.

How will the removal of gender segregation in restaurants affect people in the country and what do they think of it? We spoke to a few Saudis about that and here's what they told us.

"You know when you do something and constantly keep worrying about getting caught for it because it's banned?" Saudi entrepreneur Jana asked rhetorically. "It's the worst feeling ever because it ruins whatever it is you're experiencing. This is exactly how I felt breaking the segregation rule in restaurants with friends and co-workers." 

The 27-year-old was never able to make sense of the rule, especially as she always mingled with men as part of her work and when she studied abroad. As the sorting out rule is now out of the way, Jana believes many lives in the kingdom will be changed.

"It's thrilling. I am so relieved I no longer have to sneak around," she told us when asked how the reversal of gender segregation will affect her life.

As many are excited for the change to take shape, others thought it took too long for the achievement to happen.

"I honestly don't know what stopped them from making this change years back? I mean they could see all the changes happening in Gulf countries around us and we were still stuck in these little rules that don't make any difference. Anyways, better late than never," Abdullah, a Saudi banker, explained to StepFeed. 

The 31-year-old questioned how the change will be implemented given that some restaurants might not want to adhere to the new rule. 

He observed that many restaurant owners are also worried about the application of the decision. Whether we're talking about international or local eateries, owners have already spent too much money on designing their businesses according to the rule with special entrances and all. 

The decision doesn't only affect single men and women, as families also could use this opportunity to expand their outings to people not from within the family.

"Imagine, my husband couldn't invite his closest friend out with us as a family. We've known him for years and he's like an uncle to our kids but we never went out for a meal because of this rule," Lamya'a, a Saudi mother of two, explained to us. 

The woman said so many people she knew just didn't follow this rule but risked legal problems if they got caught. This is something she and her husband didn't want to do because they would always have their kids with them at restaurants. 

"I am thrilled our struggle with this is finally over and I am proud that my country is finally taking steps to reverse rules that aren't based on our religion in any way," Lamya'a said. 

Contrary to popular belief, this rule has nothing to do with Islam. It rather stems from a cultural notion that needs time to change. Despite that, many Saudis believe this kind of separation between men and women is a religious requirement. This viewpoint was put on display after a local cleric criticized the laws that segregate men and women during prayers in mosques earlier this year. 

"We're used to this system and it works better in line with our values. Not everyone in Saudi Arabia wants this because it goes against what we believe in which is that men and women who are not related to each other shouldn't spend time alone together even if it's in public," Fahad, a 25-year-old Saudi graduate, commented.

When we told Fahad the rule doesn't force him to go out with anyone but allows others to practice their personal freedom, he argued that "sticking with the kingdom's traditions is more important than freedom of choice." He also added that people who want to host mixed events could do so at their homes rather than meet up in restaurants. 

The man's view is not uncommon in the Gulf nation, where people are often highly criticized for taking part in mixed-gender events. 

Regardless, the rule is now applicable in Saudi Arabia. For the first time in decades, men and women will be able to enter public eateries using one door. They will also no longer have to sit in closed booths or segregated areas. 

Gender segregation is still upheld in many public spaces in the kingdom; however, the latest decision shatters one of the most visible restrictions in place.

Though the kingdom has been slowly loosening its gender segregation regulations, especially during the month-long events such as Jeddah Season and Riyadh Festival, it's going to take time for some to absorb this change. 

The process won't be that easy because until very recently anyone found to be hosting or taking part in any mixed-gender event was punished. 

Two years ago, Saudi Comic-Con, the geek convention that garnered much praise when it concluded, was penalized over a "violation," which some claimed came to light due to intermingling between the opposite sexes.

At the time, a witness revealed that he saw young men and women talking in one of the dark halls of the venue where Comic Con was being held.