Female labor force participation in the Middle East and North African Countries: constraints and levers

Despite the importance of the subject, few researches have attempted to explain the female labor force participation (FLFP) in MENA region. This research tries to exploring the geopolitical, social, ethnic and economic levers or constraints that facilitate or bloc women’s access to the labor market. A quantitative approach based on data analysis was performed through the review of the World Bank statistics related to women participation in the labor market in MENA region. Data analysis revealed that the studied labor market was marked by an overall positive progress of the presence of female workers. However, this evolution is still considered very low and slow in comparison with world standards. The research also revealed huge disparities in the level of progress of the FLFP among the studied countries. The disparities observed were interpreted in correlation with the religious, economic, political, social and cultural aspects.