سياسة الأمومة

SDG 5: Gender Equality — Policy 5.6.3.

Contents

1. Policy statement and purpose

2. Legal framework and mandate

3. Scope and applicability

4. Maternity provisions for faculty and staff

5. Maternity provisions for students

6. Support for women’s participation

7. Protection and reporting

8. Monitoring and review

1. Policy statement and purpose

1.1. Qassim University is dedicated to upholding the highest standards of equality, fairness, and inclusion, and to actively supporting women’s participation in all aspects of university life.

1.2. This document — Qassim University’s maternity policy (hereinafter: Policy) — establishes the framework for providing comprehensive maternity leave, support, and protection for female students, faculty, and staff, ensuring their professional and academic continuity and promoting their well-being during and after pregnancy and childbirth.

1.3. The university affirms its commitment to actively eliminate gender bias and ensure that women can fully access and participate in all educational, research, employment, and administrative opportunities.

1.4. This Policy specifically aims to support women’s participation by ensuring that maternity provisions do not result in academic or professional disadvantage.

2. Legal framework and mandate

2.1. This Policy is established in alignment with the highest legal and strategic directives of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, which uphold the principles of fairness and non-discrimination. The directives and their provisions are listed below in this section.

2.2. Saudi Vision 2030 — Directly supports the objectives of empowering women and increasing their participation in the national workforce, particularly in higher education and knowledge sectors.

2.3. Labour Law (Royal Decree No. M / 51, amended) — Mandates specific entitlements for working women:

• A female worker is entitled to ten weeks of fully paid maternity leave, which may be allocated flexibly, with a maximum of four weeks before the expected delivery date. However, six weeks immediately following childbirth are mandatory;
• The worker is entitled to full pay if she has served for three years or more, or half pay if her service is one year or more;
• The female worker may extend her maternity leave for an additional one month without pay;
• The employer must provide medical care for female workers during pregnancy and childbirth;
• The employer may not terminate the employment of a female worker or give her a warning of the same while on maternity leave.

2.4. Anti-Harassment Crime Law — Aims to combat and prevent harassment, and protect victims.

3. Scope and applicability

3.1. This Policy applies universally to all female students, faculty, and staff across all colleges, departments, research centres, and administrative units affiliated with Qassim University.

4. Maternity provisions for faculty and staff

4.1. Leave entitlement:

• Duration — A female employee is entitled to twelve weeks of paid maternity leave, with the allocation being flexible, provided that six weeks immediately following the delivery are mandatory;
• Extension — An employee may extend the leave for an additional one month without pay;
• Pay — Entitlement is full pay if the employee has completed three or more years of service, or half pay if service is one year or more, as of the date the leave commences;
• Special circumstances — In the event of the birth of a sick child or a child with special needs whose health condition requires constant companionship, the female worker is entitled to a one-month leave with full pay starting after the end of the maternity leave, and has the right to extend the leave for an additional month without pay.

4.2. Protection and return to work:

• Protection from termination — The university shall not terminate the employment of a female employee or warn her of termination while she is pregnant or on maternity leave;
• Nursing break — Upon return to work after maternity leave, the employee shall have the right to take a rest period or periods, not exceeding a total of one hour per day, for the purpose of breastfeeding her newborn. This is in addition to the rest periods granted to all workers, and this period is counted as actual working time for 24 months from the date of delivery;
• Medical care — Female workers will be offered medical care services by the university during pregnancy and childbirth.

5. Maternity provisions for students

5.1. The university shall implement the following measures to ensure academic continuity and non-discrimination for female students during and after pregnancy:

• Female students may be granted a temporary leave of absence for childbirth and recovery, based on a certified medical report, not exceeding two weeks. If a longer period is required, the student may apply for study deferment in accordance with the university’s academic regulations;
• Coursework and assessments — Alternative arrangements, such as postponing examinations, extending deadlines, or providing remote access to lectures and course materials, shall be made for students during the mandatory post-delivery period;
• Academic support — The student’s right to academic support, including access to the Learning Management System (LMS) and library resources, shall remain unimpaired;
• Financial aid and scholarships — Students on approved maternity-related leave shall not be deprived of scholarships, grants, or financial aid, and their eligibility will be preserved upon their return to study.

6. Support for women’s participation

6.1. Qassim University is committed to fostering an environment that actively supports women’s participation in all university activities without penalty due to family responsibilities. This includes the following measures:

• Research continuity — Female faculty members shall be provided with equitable access to research funding and the opportunity to serve as Principal Investigators (PIs). Maternity leave shall not be a basis for negative decisions regarding research allocation, promotion, or tenure-track progression;
• Professional development — All female employees shall have equal access to professional development, training, administrative mentorship, and executive leadership pipelines;
• Childcare facilities — In compliance with the Labour Law, the university shall assess the need for, and establish, suitable childcare and nursery facilities for children under the age of six, if the number of female employees exceeds fifty and the number of children exceeds ten;
• Equitable resources — Where separate facilities exist in adherence to cultural norms, their quality, accessibility, and utility must be fully equivalent, ensuring that women are not disadvantaged in accessing classrooms, research labs, or student services.

7. Protection and reporting

7.1. The university maintains a zero-tolerance policy towards all forms of gender-based discrimination, harassment, bullying, or retaliation against any woman who uses her entitlements under this Policy or reports a breach.

7.2. A specialised, confidential, and easily accessible channel for women to submit complaints shall be established within the relevant administrative structure (i.e., Deanship of Student Affairs for students, or Human Resources for faculty and staff).

7.3. All complaints will be investigated promptly, objectively, and impartially, paying particular attention to the safety and comfort of the woman who submitted the complaint.

8. Monitoring and review

8.1. The university shall regularly monitor Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) related to gender equality and women’s rights, including the maternity provisions and the satisfaction of female students / faculty / staff with the provisions.

8.2. This Policy shall be reviewed every two years by the University Council.

8.3. The President of Qassim University holds the ultimate responsibility for the implementation and enforcement of this Policy.