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Promoting Women’s Empowerment in the Middle East and North Africa
A Rapid Evidence Assessment of Labour Market Interventions
MENA Region Coverage: Algeria, Bahrain, Djibouti, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Syria, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates, West Bank and Gaza, and Yemen.
Inclusive ALMPs (Active Labor Market Programs):
- Training and skills development programs
- Employment services
- Wage subsidies and public employment programs
- Enterprise development programs
- Promote a culture of equality and shared responsibility between men and women in paid and unpaid care work.
Key Messages
- Women contribute substantially to economic and social development but face discrimination in the world of work.
- Invest in gender equality and women’s economic empowerment for more jobs and decent work for women, as it is not only the right thing to do but also promotes sustainable growth and development.
- Implement development strategies, policies, and programs to generate more jobs and ensure decent work for women, particularly in the informal sector.
- Promote women’s leadership in public and corporate economic decision-making and within employer’s and worker’s organizations.
- Promote a culture of equality and shared responsibility between men and women in paid and unpaid care work.
“No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.”
“A woman with a voice is, by definition, a strong woman.”
Challenges in MENA: Career opportunities are limited for women in MENA countries. On average, the unemployment rate of women with finalized tertiary education in the region is still over 50 percent after one year of job search. Additionally, MENA has the lowest rates of women in management positions worldwide. Even in the occupied Palestinian territory and Tunisia, which rank highest within the region, only 15 percent of women hold management positions—less than half of the global average.
Uncovering the Evidence through Rapid Evidence Assessment: To provide an overview of the existing evidence on “what works” in promoting gender equality in the MENA region, this brief presents results from a rapid evidence assessment (REA) of ALMPs. Through structured mapping of available evidence, the REA helps identify knowledge gaps where future research might be needed. Furthermore, by analyzing ten impact evaluations, it provides an overview of how gender equality aspects of ALMPs are typically measured, including the indicators used to gather information on gender and labor market outcomes. Based on the assessment’s findings, recommendations are formulated for improved measurement to better inform program planning and implementation.