Context
In Egypt, the labour market participation rate among women currently stands at just 16 per cent. This reflects traditional gender roles, in which men pursue paid work while women are responsible for (usually unpaid) care work at home.
The paid care services available cannot meet the current demand among vulnerable individuals such as children, persons with disabilities or the elderly. On top of this, the sector is largely unregulated and unorganised. Care workers therefore often have no access to state social security.
Objective
Working conditions for care workers have improved, they have access to social insurance and the sector is more attractive to both clients and employees.
Approach
The project is assisting the Egyptian Government in making its social protection systems gender equitable by improving working conditions in the care sector and ultimately enhancing the availability and quality of care services. It is developing the capacity of public authorities to shape evidence-based, participatory and inclusive policy.
The project supports research in the field of gender equality, social protection and care work. It is generating a sound evidential basis for policy reform. It also conducts consultations with care workers, clients and intermediary organisations from the private sector and civil society. The project is specifically examining how to make social insurance more accessible to care workers.
Finally, the project raises awareness of labour rights among care workers and of gender-equitable redistribution of care work among the general public.
Last update: May 2025