 |
| Empowering Women in MENA Economies: World Bank's Call for Untapped Growth in 2025 |
Across the bustling souks of Marrakech to the high-rises of Doha, a quiet revolution simmers in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA)—one where women's economic inclusion could unlock $2.7 trillion in regional GDP by 2030, according to fresh analysis. The World Bank's October 7, 2025, MENAAP Economic Update, titled "Jobs and Women: Untapped Talent, Unrealized Growth," spotlights this potential amid an improved growth canvas of 2.8 percent for 2025, up from 2.3 percent last year. Yet, with only one in five working-age women in the labor force—the world's lowest rate—this women economic empowerment in MENA report isn't mere advocacy; it's an economic imperative, urging reforms to shatter norms, laws, and market barriers that sideline half the talent pool. As Gulf diversification accelerates and conflicts wane, empowering women stands as the linchpin for equitable prosperity, transforming households into engines of innovation and stability.
Launch into the lived landscape: In Jordan, a seamstress juggling family duties forgoes factory shifts; in Saudi Arabia, a coder eyes remote gigs but lacks digital training. The report dissects these hurdles—social expectations confining 70 percent of women to homes, legal codes barring spousal consent for jobs in 18 countries, and private sectors offering scant flexible roles. Yet, projections dazzle: Closing the gap could add 1.5 percentage points to annual growth, creating 27 million jobs by 2030.
This ties to broader upticks. GCC oil windfalls and Egypt's remittance boom underpin the 3.3 percent 2026 forecast, but without gender lenses, gains skew male—exacerbating 30 percent female unemployment.
Barriers to Breakthrough: Household and Societal Chains
Women's paths are paved with invisible walls. Household dynamics dominate: 60 percent of MENA women cite childcare as a deterrent, per household surveys, while cultural norms deem paid work "unnecessary" for married mothers. Legal thickets compound this—guardian approvals in Kuwait delay contracts, stalling 40 percent of applicants.
Economically, it's a drag. Forgone wages cost $575 billion yearly, equivalent to Lebanon's entire GDP. The report spotlights Egypt: Doubling female participation from 22 percent could lift GDP 10 percent, funding schools and clinics.
read more about: Middle East Economic Outlook 2025: IMF's Upbeat Projections Amid Geopolitical Clouds
Legal and Normative Hurdles in Focus
Laws lag life. Tunisia's progressive codes allow equal pay, yet enforcement falters, with women earning 30 percent less. Reforms ripple: UAE's 2023 maternity leave extensions boosted retention 15 percent, per labor ministry stats.
Norms evolve slowly. Media campaigns in Morocco shifted attitudes, raising approval for working wives to 65 percent from 50 percent in 2020.
Market Realities: Private Sector's Role in Inclusion
Businesses hold keys. Sluggish private sectors, reliant on male networks, shun women—only 10 percent of SMEs have female managers. Yet, success stories abound: Jordan's Intaj garment co-op, 80 percent women-led, exports $50 million annually, blending flexible hours with skills training.
Digital frontiers open doors. E-commerce platforms like Noon employ 100,000 women remotely, up 25 percent post-pandemic. The report urges incentives: Tax breaks for gender-diverse firms could spur 5 million jobs.
In fragile spots, it's tougher. Yemen's conflict displaces 4 million women, slashing participation to 6 percent; targeted microfinance, as in World Bank pilots, has revived 20,000 enterprises.
Case Studies: From Co-ops to Corporates
Spotlight Bahrain's Tamkeen program: Subsidies for female hires created 50,000 roles, lifting household incomes 20 percent. Contrast with Iran, where sanctions and conservatism cap participation at 15 percent, costing 2 percent GDP annually.
Data drives: ILO models show every 10 percent participation rise correlates to 0.5 percent poverty drop.
Global Echoes: Europe's Models, Asia's Lessons for MENA
Europe offers blueprints with bite. Sweden's parental leave equity, shared 480 days, inspires UAE trials—early results show 12 percent male uptake, easing women's loads. Yet, Brussels' gender quotas face pushback in conservative MENA, where 70 percent of surveys favor voluntary paths.
Asia's agility shines. Bangladesh's garment reforms, mandating creches, tripled female workers to 4 million, boosting exports 30 percent—a template for Egypt's textiles, potentially adding $3 billion.
Europe's regulatory rigor tempers Asia's scale: While Stockholm enforces audits, Dhaka focuses incentives, gifting MENA a hybrid—quotas for boards, subsidies for startups—to suit cultural soils.
Pathways to Parity: Inclusive Policies Ahead
Action blueprints abound. Governments must overhaul: Equal pay laws in Oman, enforced via fines, could close 20 percent wage gaps. Private pacts—Qatar's with multinationals for mentorship—target 100,000 trainees yearly.
Invest in enablers: $10 billion in childcare infrastructure, per Bank estimates, unlocks 5 million workers. Track progress: Annual gender audits, as in Morocco, ensure accountability.
Multilaterals mobilize. EU's €4 billion Egypt package ties funds to inclusion metrics, while ADB's women-led SME loans in Pakistan hit $500 million.
As 2025's growth whispers promise, women economic empowerment in MENA isn't optional—it's the spark for a $2 trillion renaissance. From Amman's ateliers to Abu Dhabi's boardrooms, unleashing this talent reweaves social fabrics, fortifying economies against shocks. The horizon? Not distant dreams, but deliberate strides—where policies propel parity, and untapped potential powers a MENA that leads, not lags, in the global race for resilient, radiant progress.
