2011年-世界发展银行全球_Gender_in_the_Middle_East_and_North_Africa___Progress_and_Remaining_Challenges_3页_612kb

MENA Knowledge and Learning: Gender in the Middle East and North Africa

Core Content

The MENA Knowledge and Learning series provides an overview of gender progress and challenges in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. The document outlines the region's achievements in reducing gender gaps in human development and highlights the remaining challenges in economic and political inclusion. It also details the Regional Gender Strategy and MENA's Regional Gender Action Plan (RGAP), which aim to address these gaps through policy development, analytical work, and operational learning.

Main Points

Progress in Human Development

• The ratio of girls to boys in primary and secondary education is 0.96, indicating near gender parity.
• Women are more likely than men to attend university.
• Maternal mortality has decreased significantly, with around 200 deaths per 100,000 live births, compared to a global average of 400.
• Fertility rates have declined over the past decade.

Remaining Challenges

• Economic and Political Inclusion: Significant gender gaps persist in employment and political participation.
  • Female labor force participation is only 25% on average.
  • Young women face high unemployment rates (up to 40% in Egypt and Jordan).
• Labor Market Issues: Women encounter limited mobility, skill mismatches, and legal or cultural barriers.
• Entrepreneurship: Opportunities for female entrepreneurship remain limited.
• Demographic Transition: The rising youth population exacerbates employment challenges, particularly for women.

Regional Gender Strategy

• The strategy includes:
  • Rigorous analytical products to generate new evidence on effective policies.
  • Experimental policy pilots with evaluations to test interventions.
  • Gender-focused lending operations to support women's economic inclusion.
• Emphasis is placed on mainstreaming gender in all Bank operations and policy dialogues.
• A system of regular reporting on core gender indicators is being established.

Key Initiatives and Country Updates

Regional Gender Action Plan (RGAP)

• The RGAP aims to:
  1. Improve the diagnosis of gender issues at regional and country levels.
  2. Establish priorities for policy dialogue with governments, non-state actors, and development partners.
  3. Strengthen the mainstreaming of gender in Bank operations.
  4. Define clear roles and responsibilities for implementation.
  5. Set up a set of indicators and targets to monitor progress.
  6. Provide capacity-building and technical support to country teams.

Country-Specific Updates

• Jordan: The Jordan Adolescent Girls Initiative (AGI) pilot is in progress. A baseline report has been completed, and a follow-up survey is planned for August 2011. Funding has been secured for a Poverty and Social Impact Analysis.
• Egypt: The 2010 Egypt Gender Report will be released to inform the upcoming Egypt Country Assistance Strategy (FY12). A USD 300 million project includes an impact evaluation of a credit line for disadvantaged women through rural post offices.
• Yemen: A qualitative assessment on Gender and Economic Decision Making is underway, combining with quantitative data from the Yemen Household Budget Survey (HBS). A new AGI pilot is being designed.
• West Bank and Gaza: A Poverty and Inclusion Assessment Report is near completion and will support the upcoming Interim Strategy Note. A qualitative assessment is also being conducted, leading to a policy note on Youth, Women, and Conflict.
• Morocco: The Morocco Household and Youth Survey informs an ongoing report on employment, with a focus on youth and women. A Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) pilot addresses gender issues by offering higher transfers to girls to reduce dropout rates.
• Tunisia: The "Turning Theses into Enterprises" program provides coaching to students for business planning, with an evaluation measuring gender-disaggregated impacts.

Contact Information

• Director, MNA Operational Core Services Unit: Emmanuel Mbi
• Regional Quick Notes Team: Omer Karasapan, Roby Fields, Hafed Al Ghwell
• Tel: (202) 473 8177
• Website: http://www.worldbank.org/mena-quicknotes

Conclusion

The MENA region has made notable progress in reducing gender disparities in education and health, but challenges remain in economic and political participation. The Regional Gender Strategy and RGAP are designed to address these gaps through evidence-based policy development, operational learning, and inclusive lending. Country-specific initiatives highlight the region's commitment to integrating gender into development strategies and improving the livelihoods of women and youth.