Problem Background:

Social indicators and gender statistics reveal that women in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) are on average more disadvantaged economically, politically, and socially than women in other regions. In particular, Yemen, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Morocco, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, Algeria and Lebanon performed the worst in the World Economic Forums’ (WEF) 2021 Global Gender Gap (GGG) index. MENA countries were also amongst the poorest performers in the Women Peace and Security (WPS) Index.

Economic Disadvantage

Data from the International Labour organisation (ILO) showed that in 2019, women in the MENA regions had an average share of 29.2% of formal non-agricultural employment, which was 18% below the global average of 47.3%. Low labour participation of women has been in spite of rising literacy and educational attainment rates for women, which has been termed the “MENA Paradox”. Furthermore, sex-based division of labour is particularly resilient in MENA countries, where women are associated primarily with family roles such as rearing children and doing housework. As a result, gender based discrimination is highly prevalent in work places in MENA countries.

Political disadvantage

Additionally, women are underrepresented in governmental positions as evidenced by women holding an average of only 116.7% of seats in legislative bodies in MENA countries, compared to a global average of 25.8% of seats held by women.

Social disadvantage

Lastly, most, if not all MENA countries have laws that give women a lower status than men in matters such as pursuing professions, travelling, marriage, divorce, and inheritance. In line with the institutionalised designation of a lower standing to women, a survey on women’s rights conducted in 12 MENA states by Arab Barometer found that the majority of respondents believed that men were better leaders; men should have a greater say family decisions; and that women should not be allowed to travel independently or have an equal share of family inheritance.

The economic, political and social status of women in MENA countries calls for intervention that would result in a change in the status of women. Therefore Genesis Analytics is inviting solutionists to propose practical ways in which gender discrimination in the workplace specifically can be reduced and even alleviated using Behavioural Economics techniques and principles.

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