Policy Briefs
Promoting Family-friendly Jobs and Labor Market Policies in Egypt in the Context of COVID-19 and Beyond
No.
PB 82
Publisher
ERF
Date
July, 2022
In a nutshell
It has been well established in the literature that one of the primary barriers to women employment in Egypt resides in them assuming a disproportionate share of childcare and household responsibilities. The ability to reconcile domestic and market work is hence a primordial determinant of a female’s decision (a) to participate in the labor force, and/or (b) to accept/remain in a particular job. In this policy brief, we provide evidence to the impact of COVID-19 on female’s employment, time-use and work preferences. The health crisis worsens the persistent situation and accrues the barriers to females’ participation even further through the increased burden of domestic work and unpaid work imposed on women with children, through the restrictions, measures and closure of daycares and schools. The outbreak of the virus and the related restrictions led to
- Substantial decreases in employment, and increases of unemployment, at relatively larger magnitudes for females (especially in the private wage sector) compared to their male peers
- Workers in general – females with children in particular- restructuring their time use
- Substantial changes in workers’ (especially females with children) job preferences and how they value non-monetary job attributes (such as job stability, working hours, commuting time, …etc.)
- Family-friendly Policies: Financing care-related leaves and making quality childcare accessible, available and affordable
- A welcoming and accommodating Labor Demand: Promoting the creation of formal private sector jobs with flexible work arrangements
Research Associates
Shaimaa Yassin
Research Director, Institute for Research on Public...
Research Fellows
Rana Hendy
Assistant Professor of Economics and Director of...