Riyadh, January 20, 2019, SPA -- The National Center for Public Opinion Polls conducted 59 surveys during the last year 2018 related to issues of public affairs, at a growth rate of 2.5% over 2017. The Center achieved significant progress in the results of 2018 performance indicators. The Center telephoned more than 183,000 citizens, including 77,000 citizens, in the public opinion polls with a response rate of 43%, which is higher than the rate of response in international surveys. The participation of women in public opinion polls represented about 24% of the total number of citizens participating in these surveys, while the low participation rate indicates that some of the surveys that were carried out are often related to topics that are closer to men's concerns, in spite of women participate in fewer numbers in such types of topics. The National Center for Public Opinion Polls is one of the main activities in the King Abdulaziz Center for National Dialogue, as it is the first national center specialized in conducting official public opinion surveys in the Kingdom. It aims to support the culture of dialogue in the society on various issues of concern. --SPA 14:22 LOCAL TIME 11:22 GMT 0008 www.spa.gov.sa/w823131