When it comes to issues of women’s empowerment, the Middle East & North Africa (MENA) is heavily scrutinized. Within it, paradoxes abound: Although ranking highest for women in tertiary education, it is also the lowest in terms of their participation in the labor force. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) estimates a 20% to 40% gain in per capita GDP if women throughout MENA participated fully in economic activities . It says Egypt alone would see an estimated increase of 34% if female labor force participation rates matched that of male.
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