This report therefore aims to understand the significance of women’s voice, agency and participation in Egypt, Jordan, Morocco, Tunisia and Turkey, offering recommendations that should enable the Bank to design its operations and investments and engage in meaningful international policy dialogue on the advancement of gender equality in these countries. Egypt, Jordan, Morocco, Tunisia and Turkey – though diverse countries with many differences – share cultural similarities and an Islamic heritage. Countries of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region have struggled to translate considerable reductions in gender gaps with respect to education – as well as health – into equal participation in aspects of social and economic life; the World Bank (2012) has dubbed this the “MENA Paradox”. This study explores the disconnect between these indicators following the conceptual definition of agency in the World Bank’s 2012 World Development Report (WDR 2012), specifically to examine the extent to which plural legal frameworks and social norms affect the “five expressions of women’s agency”, which are: 1 Access to and control over resources; 2 Freedom from the risk of violence; 3 Freedom of movement; 4 Decision-making over family formation; and 5 Having a voice in society and influencing policy.

CAWTAR | 2019-02-04 15:27:33

Studies

​/Gender equality/ /Women and economic participation//Women empowerment//Women rights// Women’s Labour force// women entrepreneurs //Indicators//Islam///Legislations// Middle East and North Africa // Egypt//Jordan// Morocco// Tunisia // Turkey/​