Policy Briefs

Lebanon’s Untapped Potential: The Persistent Challenge of High Economic Inactivity among Young Women

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No.

PB 125

Publisher

ERF

Date

December, 2023

Topic

J1. Demographic Economics

O1. Economic Development

In a nutshell

Unique data on young women in Lebanon is available through a recent nationally representative survey exploring their employment, education, migration and family outcomes and aspirations.
The data reveals a substantial and rising proportion of young women not in education or economic activity, with the proportion increasing from one in four women in 2019 to about one in three in 2022.
The highest rates of economic inactivity are observed among married young women, mothers, those having lower levels of education, and those who live in less affluent households.
In terms of aspirations, the proportion of women who do not want to work remains persistently high.
While the challenges faced by women in accessing employment opportunities are not new, most have been exacerbated by the severe economic crisis.
There is an urgent necessity to prioritize and address this issue as an integral component of any comprehensive recovery plan for Lebanon.