Childcare, not culture, is the biggest barrier for women working in Egypt

A new study used machine learning to find out what stops women from working in Egypt. It turns out that access to childcare is the most important factor, more than traditional gender norms. This means that providing more childcare could significantly increase women's participation in the workforce.

For years, many assumed that cultural beliefs were the main reason women in Egypt did not work outside the home. This paper shows that a practical barrier, childcare, is actually more decisive. This means that efforts to increase female labor force participation can focus on concrete infrastructure rather than trying to change deeply held beliefs. It also suggests that similar dynamics might be at play in other countries with low female labor force participation.