Arab women need more economic empowerment

Female workers have also increased in private institutions, such as banks and financial companies, service companies, and hospitality facilities and hotels. 

In 2021, World Bank data showed that females make up 48.3% of the total population in the Arab world. In some Arab countries, this rate is slightly higher. It is crucial, then, to understand how Arab societies deal with women and how their social and economic impact is defined. 

The World Bank estimates that the population in the Arab world is currently 456.5 million people, of which 220.5 million are females.

Young population

The majority of citizens in Arab countries are young. Those under the age of 30 are estimated to make up 60% of the total population, and a significant percentage of this group has received proper education. 

However, job opportunities are modest and sluggish in most Arab countries that have large populations, such as Egypt, Algeria, Sudan, Morocco, Tunisia, and Iraq. The opportunities available to women in these societies are still limited given prevailing social norms and values.
Gulf states offer better job opportunities for women

In comparison, women may have better access to work opportunities in Gulf states, which are generally labor-importing countries with relatively small populations.

Gulf countries are more capable of employing women given their stronger financial capabilities and more favourable economic conditions — despite their more conservative social culture.

The World Bank estimates, based on 2021 figures from the International Labour Organization, that the unemployment rate among women in the Arab world stands at 20.2%, while it does not exceed 8.7% among males.

The service sector employs around 54.4% of the total labour force in Arab countries, and the majority of women work in this sector. 

Therefore, growth in this sector provides more jobs for women, while stagnation leads to a higher unemployment rate.

Obstacles in rural communities

However, women still face obstacles when it comes to access to work, which is impeding their participation in the productive process.

Gender roles and value systems in rural or marginalised areas in many Arab cities restrict women's activities to the home, raising children and serving the family. 

Despite the fact that most girls are nowadays receiving proper education with state support, several educated women, including university graduates, are forced to stay at home.

Some broader economic factors may also hinder women's employment. 

United Nations organisations are trying to encourage women empowerment and enhance women's economic role in various countries worldwide, including Arab countries. 

However, a United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) report indicates high levels of economic or security difficulties in the past few years.

The report says the decline in global oil prices since 2014 is partly responsible for the fewer job opportunities, due to the consequent slump in economic growth in both the wealthy Arab oil-exporting countries and the countries that depend on their support and funding. 

However, economic reasons are not the only impediments to women's economic empowerment.

The United Nations says the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) still faces pushback from a number of Arab governments. Some of this pushback is economic in nature, such as those related to equality in the rights to sign contracts and manage property.

Arab women entrepreneurs have come a long way with some leading economic institutions in vital sectors, such as banking, oil, and real estate.

The percentage of women in leadership positions in economic establishments may not be that high, or meet equality ambitions yet, or at the very least represent appropriate empowerment for working women. Still, current developments reinforce optimism in the future. 

In many institutions, women have inherited their positions from their fathers or husbands. This confirms that the social environment has a strong influence on the administrative and economic role of women.

In small and medium-sized enterprises that do not employ a large number of workers, women have proved to play an essential role, after Arab countries, especially in the Gulf, encouraged the establishment of such enterprises and provided funding support. 

These companies operate across various sectors, and women have emerged as active players in their establishment, especially in the food and beverage, leisure and tourism, beauty, and clothing and household manufacturing sectors. 

Many young girls are actively enrolling in the culinary arts or fashion design, which confirms an important turning point in the professional orientations of Arab women during the past years, and their agile adaptation to economic changes and labour market needs.

Women's participation in the labour market has become a reality in the Arab world and only seems to be growing.

Economic independence brings more freedom

Women now have more freedom and economic independence after receiving education that qualified them to join public or private sector institutions or establish their own independent enterprises.

Needless to say, women's economic independence gives them more freedom in their social choices, enhances their role as wives and mothers, and allows them to become independent.  

Women's participation in the economy will support the investment that many Arab countries are making in human development if such programmes are designed on solid scientific foundations that take into account technological changes and labour market requirements. 

However, the laws and regulations governing economic activities, employment, and retirement must also be adapted to lead to better investment in women's economic role. 

There are laws, for instance, that impose the retirement of women at the early age of 50, hindering the benefit from women who have gained valuable experience in their fields of work. There are also requirements that prevent women from engaging in certain professions, such as construction or security. 

Gulf countries face social obstacles that impede women's participation in vital professions and jobs, such as nursing. Despite having specialised institutes that teach this profession to women from the Gulf, these countries rely heavily on foreign female nurses. 

In conclusion, the role of women in the Arab world's economies remains subpar. Therefore, we must strive to ensure the success of women's economic empowerment programmes.