Policy Briefs
Occupational Segregation and the Gender Wage Gap in Egypt
No.
PB 153
Publisher
ERF
Date
February, 2025
In a nutshell
- Egypt’s chronically low female labor force participation and gender pay gaps can be partly attributed to the systematic downsizing of public sector employment and the channeling of women into lower-paying sectors and occupations.
- Labor market surveys from 1998 to 2023 reveal that women, despite overtaking men in educational attainment, are predominantly concentrated in narrow teaching, nursing and clerical roles. This occupational segregation contributes to gender wage gaps, especially at the lower end and middle of the wage distribution in the private sector, where women face greater wage penalties.
- Addressing this segregation and the gender pay gap requires empowering women to access equal opportunities in diverse sectors, firms, and occupations, thus ensuring that they can compete on equal terms with men.
Research Fellows
Shireen AlAzzawi
Teaching Professor, Economics Department, Leavey School of...
Authors
Vladimir Hlasny
Economic Affairs Officer, UN Economic and Social...