Does Microcredit Reduce Gender Inequality? An Application of Decomposition Analysis to Egypt

Although Egypt has achieved relatively high economic growth with an annual growth rate of around 5%, poverty rate remains high and gender inequality still is a serious problem. To reduce poverty and empower women, Egypt has implemented microcredit programs. This project investigates whether access to microcredit can help empower women and reduce gender inequality in Egypt. Additionally, it examines the policy implications for microcredit programs so that these programs can be more effective. The study relies on data from Egypt Labor Market Panel Surveys in 2006 and 2012.