Efforts toward closing the gender gap: Lessons from two decades of reform in Egypt Julia BraunmillerMahmoud ElsamanMirey Ovadiya October 22, 2026 This page in: English

https://blogs.worldbank.org/en/developmenttalk/efforts-toward-closing-the-gender-gap--lessons-from-two-decades- In many countries, women get left behind in the labor market. With one of the largest gender gaps in labor force participation in the world and a sweeping new labor law enacted in 2025, Egypt is a good place to analyze what its reforms have set in motion and the lessons other countries can draw from its trajectory. In Egypt, 20 percent of women participate in the labor force, compared to 74 percent of men. Closing that gap could do more than advance women's rights: World Bank estimates suggest it could increase Egypt's GDP per capita by 41 percent by 2050, and by as much as 56 percent in the long run.