A PwC report indicates that women returning from career breaks in the MENA region could contribute a substantial $385B to the GDP.
Despite 49% of surveyed women expressing concerns about career gaps affecting job applications, over 80% believe they can advance to top-level positions upon returning to work.
The study, titled “Navigating the path back: Women returners in MENA,” draws insights from over 1,200 women across nine MENA countries, including the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Egypt, Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, and Oman. Key findings reveal that 44% of women in MENA have taken career breaks, often due to family and caregiving responsibilities, and 68% of them have experience beyond entry-level positions.
Facilitating women’s return to the workforce is seen as a crucial step to unlock their significant economic potential. The report suggests that implementing supportive measures, such as alternative work models like flexi- or remote working, can help balance work and home responsibilities. Allowing women flexibility in working hours could potentially lead to GDP gains of up to $4.3B across the studied countries, according to Arabian Business.
To encourage female re-entry into the workforce, PwC recommends more equitable parental leave policies and well-designed returnship programmes. The study underscores the importance of tapping into women’s potential for the future success of the region.
