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G²LM|LIC Policy Brief No. 37

The Impact of COVID-19 on Poor Households in Egypt: Preliminary Results from the Pilot

COVID-19
Assessing the Labour Market Impact of COVID-19 on Women with Young Children in Egypt

Despite rising educational attainment, female labor force participation (FLFP) has declined in Egypt; in 2018, only 17% of women were employed (Krafft, Assaad, and Keo 2019). There are three main explanations as to why FLFP globally and in Egypt remains low: women’s high opportunity cost of time (determined by childcare responsibilities), weak labor demand and restrictive gender norms. The Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL) in collaboration with IZA will evaluate the impact of access to nurseries on FLFP using a randomized control trial. The evaluation was designed to investigate whether the cost of childcare discourages female employment and how this interacts with two other potential barriers to female employment: limited access to jobs and restrictive gender norms. Women with young children are doubly challenged by the pandemic. Disproportionately responsible for caregiving, yet faced with the loss of child care options in light of the pandemic and lockdowns, they will face particular difficulties in retaining or gaining work and may face increased stress and pressures within the household. Our plan is to ask a number of questions on the economic and social impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic to assess the gendered impact of the pandemic on households as well as policy responses.

G²LM|LIC Policy Brief No. 37

The Impact of COVID-19 on Poor Households in Egypt: Preliminary Results from the Pilot

  • Stefano Caria
  • Caroline Krafft
  • Bruno Crepon
  • Abdelrahman Nagy
  • Noha Fadl
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Established in 1998 in Bonn, Germany, IZA is an independent, non-profit research institution supported by the Deutsche Post Foundation with a focus on the analysis of global labour markets. It operates an international network of about 1,500 economists and researchers spanning across more than 50 countries.

Based on academic excellence and an ambitious publication strategy, IZA serves as a place of communication between academic science and political practice.

The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) leads the UK's work to end extreme poverty. We're ending the need for aid by creating jobs, unlocking the potential of girls and women, and helping to save lives when humanitarian emergencies hit.

FCDO is a ministerial department, supported by 12 agencies and public bodies.

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