Women’s Economic Participation in Iraq, Jordan and Lebanon
Female labor force participation in the Mashreq is exceptionally low, a problem likely to be exacerbated by the Coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. This report calls for action in the following areas: stronger economic growth, effective policy ac...
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| Language: | English |
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World Bank, Washington, DC
2020
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| Online Access: | http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/933641600751429640/Middle-East-and-North-Africa-Women-s-Economic-Participation-in-Iraq-Jordan-and-Lebanon http://hdl.handle.net/10986/34535 |
| Summary: | Female labor force participation in the
Mashreq is exceptionally low, a problem likely to be
exacerbated by the Coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.
This report calls for action in the following areas:
stronger economic growth, effective policy action to close
legal gaps, promotion of more egalitarian attitudes, access
to quality childcare, and the provision of safe
transportation. The main focus of the report is women’s
economic opportunities, as opposed to the broader issue of
women’s empowerment. The report analyzes other aspects of
female empowerment, but in particular as those aspects
influence, determine, and are affected by women’s
participation in paid economic activities. Economic
opportunities encompass the availability and possibility of
taking advantage of earnings opportunities as well as the
existence of an enabling environment in terms of the
appropriate legal, institutional setting. The report is
structured as follows: chapter one provides a description of
women’s economic opportunities in Mashreq countries and
highlights differences in labor participation across
critical life stages. Chapter two presents evidence on the
different barriers faced by women toward participating in
the labor market, related to legal aspects, informal
institutions, and markets. Chapter three provides a brief
description of international experiences with sizeable
increases in female participation in the labor market,
chapter four expands to explore important areas where
policies can be improved in the Mashreq countries to lower
these barriers and close participation gaps, as well as an
emerging opportunity that, if used well, can accelerate this
process. Chapter five concludes and reflects on how the
COVID-19 outbreak and the measures to contain it may
exacerbate some of the barriers faced by women. |
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