Introduction

While Egypt has recently seen women surpass their male counterparts in higher education enrolment, statistics suggest that this has not translated into equivalent participation in the formal workplace. The World Bank predicts that closing the gender unemployment gap could boost the Egyptian economy by 56% – so why is the discrepancy between the rate of education and the rate of formal female employment in Egypt so stark?

Employment Discrepancies

According to the National Strategy for the Empowerment of Egyptian Women 2030 (NSEEW), the percentage of women in informal employment is 50%. As a result, statistics regarding women’s contribution to the economy can be misleading, only documenting formal positions. Informal employment can decrease job security, placing women at greater risk regarding access to essential workers’ rights, salaries and a secure pension. Moreover, although labour laws guarantee equal pay for the same work, women are often overlooked for promotion in the formal workplace, meaning male counterparts in the same line of work earn EGP 168 more per month, according to the NSEEW. Only 29% of women in the Arab region own bank accounts in 2025, according to the UN, meaning most entrepreneurial endeavours are regulated by a male counterpart.

Domestic Barriers

In 2019, female enrolment in tertiary education was 1.8% higher than male enrolment, according to the World Bank. While this increase is widely celebrated, its purpose is often narrowly defined. In a recent Nes2alak survey, 83% of respondents agreed that female education primarily improves marriage opportunities. Education is frequently framed not as a pathway to a career for women, but as a form of social capital within the domestic sphere, while male education remains rooted in the professional. Moreover, the average age of a first-time Egyptian mother in 2024 was between 22.6 and 22.9 years old. Without infrastructure to support childcare, entry into motherhood disrupts the transition between graduating university and entering the workplace. Despite the obligation of Egyptian organisations to provide paid maternity leave, equivalent requirements do not exist for paternity leave, leaving women the burden of childcare.

Looking Forward

The NSEEW has announced measures to increase the number of educated women entering the formal workplace. This includes the 2014 criminalisation of sexual harassment in the workplace and on public transport, with punishments ranging from fines to prison sentences. However, restrictive measures remain, such as the administrative directive mandating prior travel authorisation for women of a lower socio-economic status seeking to travel. Moreover, the 30,000 teachers competition launched in 2022 favoured male applicants due to the requirement to pass physical tests, and discrimination on grounds of pregnancy or recent births.

Conclusion

Egypt’s progress regarding female education is undeniable, but education alone has not delivered economic equality. Egypt placed 140th out of 148 countries in the World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap Report 2025 concerning women’s access to economic participation and opportunity. Closing the gap will transform educational qualifications into formal careers; dismantling workplace discrimination, investing in childcare provision and treating women’s employment as essential will reshape the lives of half of the population, and the nation’s economic future.

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