Country: Arab region, Arab Republic of Egypt, Republic of Iraq, Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, Lebanese Republic, Syrian Arab Republic
Publication Type: Information material
Cluster: Gender Justice, Population and Inclusive Development
Focus Area: Gender equality, Inclusive development
Initiatives: Reducing inequalities, Women’s economic empowerment
SDGs: Goal 5: Gender Equality, Goal 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth, Goal 10: Reduced Inequalities
Keywords: Arab countries, Economic aspects, Economic crisis, Egypt, Gender discrimination, Informal sector, Iraq, Jordan, Labour market, Lebanon, Private sector, Public sector, Recommendations, State of palestine, Syrian arab republic, War, Women, Employment
Women's employment at risk in the Arab States: Unequal exposure to the 2026 Middle East crisis and implications for policy in six countries
June 2026
The 2026 Middle East crisis is generating severe economic shocks across the region and beyond. Given existing structural inequalities, women in the Arab region bear a disproportionate share of its socioeconomic consequences. The present policy brief, jointly prepared by the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN-Women) and the Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA), examines the gendered labour market impacts of the crisis in six Arab countries: Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, the State of Palestine, and the Syrian Arab Republic.
Drawing on International Labour Organization (ILO) labour market data and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) scenario-based gross domestic product projections, the policy brief estimates that between 34,000 and 56,000 women's jobs may be at direct risk due to reduced demand in the private and informal sectors. Medium-term fiscal pressures on key sectors such as education, health and public administration could also have significant implications for women employed in these sectors. The brief concludes with targeted policy recommendations urging Governments and partners to prioritize income protection for informal workers, safeguard social sector budgets, prevent blanket public sector hiring freezes, and ensure that crisis financing mechanisms explicitly reach women, before employment losses reverse years of progress towards gender equality and inclusion.
Related content
Gender equality, Inclusive development
The 2026 Middle East crisis is generating severe economic shocks across the region and beyond. Given existing structural inequalities, women in the Arab region bear a disproportionate share of its socioeconomic consequences. The present policy brief, jointly prepared by the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN-Women) and the Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA), examines the gendered labour market impacts of the crisis in six Arab countries: Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, the State of Palestine, and the Syrian Arab Republic.
Drawing on International Labour Organization (ILO) labour market data and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) scenario-based gross domestic product projections, the policy brief estimates that between 34,000 and 56,000 women's jobs may be at direct risk due to reduced demand in the private and informal sectors. Medium-term fiscal pressures on key sectors such as education, health and public administration could also have significant implications for women employed in these sectors. The brief concludes with targeted policy recommendations urging Governments and partners to prioritize income protection for informal workers, safeguard social sector budgets, prevent blanket public sector hiring freezes, and ensure that crisis financing mechanisms explicitly reach women, before employment losses reverse years of progress towards gender equality and inclusion.
