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 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