Female labor force participation rate remains low in Egypt

The crises have affected almost all the countries of the world, particularly Egypt. Although there is an increase in female employment in some sectors in Egypt, the female labor force participation rate still remains low in Egypt.

ASMAA FATHÎ

Cairo- The regional research report published by the Arab Women’s Organization in collaboration with the UN Women reveals the problems faced by Egyptian women and the impact of global crises on women. In the first article of our article series, we focus on some information given in the report entitled, “The Impact of Global Crises on Women in Arab Countries”. In this article, we focus on the impact of global crises on Egypt.

Egypt has the highest labor force participation rate

The crises that have affected the world economy have shown their effects in almost all countries of the world, including Egypt. The economic slowdown of Egypt's trading partners has caused a slowdown in exports, constituting 20 percent of domestic production. Egypt has the highest labor force participation rate in North Africa and the Middle East with a 27.6 million labor force. The secondary and higher graduates represent 59 percent of workers, including 21 percent of women in agriculture. The women's employment rate in the export industry sector is 7% and in the wholesale and retail trade sector is 14%.

The unemployment rate among women

In Egypt, the unemployment rate among women is almost three times higher than men. The female unemployment rate was 21.4% in 2018 while the unemployment rate among men was 6.8%. The youth unemployment rate increases in the country.

The impact of Covid-19 on the unemployment rate

Women make up 15.4% of the employment rate in the manufacturing industry. According to the research report, women make up 26.4% of the workforce in the web and industrial production industry and 10% of the workforce of exporting firms. The textile industry accounts for about 26.4% of the total industrial production. The Covid-19 pandemic had a negative impact on the economy due to declining global demand and sales. Some businesses were either closed or had to downsize. For this reason, workers were either fired or sent on unpaid leave. More women have lost jobs in the country due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Agriculture sector

Agriculture is a major component of the Egyptian economy, contributing 11.3 percent of the country's gross domestic product. This sector is also affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. The decrease in demand from restaurants, hotels, and fast food businesses and restrictions caused problems for suppliers to deliver products to the markets. Farmers faced logistical problems due to the lockdowns and restrictions. Demand for vegetables and fruits fell by 20 percent. In the agricultural sector, there was a sharp increase of 42.8 percent in 2010. However, between 2010 and 2018, the employment rate among men decreased by 2% and among women by 50% in the agriculture sector.

Tourism sector

The tourism industries employ more female workers than men in Egypt. Women make up 54% of the workforce in this sector. This sector incorporates many industries, including lodging, transport, attractions, travel companies, and more. The Covid-19 pandemic affected this sector, too. And many women lost their jobs.

81 thousand women, 188 thousand men

Many studies have been conducted to analyze the post-pandemic information technology and communication sector's potential to create job opportunities for women. This sector is one of the most growing sectors, providing employment opportunities to 270,000 people, including 81 thousand women and 188 thousand men, every year.

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