Gender Equality and Inclusion in MENA: Bridging Gender Gaps in Energy and MSMEs

The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region continues to grapple with entrenched gender disparities, particularly in labor market participation, economic empowerment, and access to energy. Women and youth in MENA face systemic barriers that limit their ability to engage in entrepreneurship, participate in the energy transition, and fully integrate into the micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) sector. Despite progress in education, where female enrollment in tertiary education often surpasses that of men, women’s participation in the workforce remains among the lowest globally. Female business participation in MENA stands at only 19%, significantly below the global average of 34%, with stark variations across the region. Countries such as Tunisia and Bahrain report relatively higher levels of female entrepreneurship, whereas others, such as Yemen and Jordan, exhibit alarmingly low female business ownership rates. While some MENA nations have made policy advancements to promote gender equality, others remain constrained by legal and socio-cultural barriers that hinder women’s economic participation.

Energy access and the clean energy transition are critical components of sustainable economic development in MENA, yet they remain highly gendered. Women disproportionately bear the burden of energy poverty, primarily due to their roles in domestic labor, while also being underrepresented in the formal energy sector. Research suggests that renewable energy (RE) could provide new opportunities for women’s employment and entrepreneurship, yet the gender gap in STEM education, cultural biases, and limited access to finance prevent women from fully participating in this transition. MSMEs, which account for a substantial portion of economic activity in MENA, play a crucial role in fostering economic growth, job creation, and innovation. However, MSMEs owned by women and youth face unique challenges, including financial exclusion, legal restrictions, and a lack of targeted support mechanisms. Given the interconnections between gender, MSMEs, and energy, this study aims to provide a cross-thematic analysis of gender equality and inclusion in six MENA countries—Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Sudan, and Tunisia—highlighting both the barriers and opportunities for integrating women and youth into the clean energy and MSME sectors.