When you think of modern, oil-rich Gulf states like Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates ( UAE), you may picture a life of luxury. However, there is a worrying fact hidden beneath the images of breathtaking skyscrapers and stunning great malls: women are frequently forgotten about.
Even though birthrates seem standard, with approximately 96 baby ladies born for every 100 infant kids, a dramatic change occurs in adulthood. For every 100 people in the Gulf, there are only 58 people. Qatar presents the most extraordinary situation, with only 38 people per every 100 people.
This disparity is largely brought on by an international worker flow. In certain Gulf states, foreign workers make up as much as 95 % of the workforce, and most of these are men.
Amartya Sen, a Nobel laureate and economist, coined the phrase “missing people” in 1990 to define populations where ladies are socioeconomically underrepresented. Our estimates, which use data from the World Bank on the world average sex ratios, suggest that about 13 million women are “missing” in full from the Gulf states.
The origins of this sex imbalance are seriously entangled in the country’s cultural traditions. Despite recent reforms, some Gulf nations also have guardianship laws that require women to get adult consent before obtaining important rights, such as getting married, starting a business, or taking a flight.
Additionally, social conventions frequently confine women to household chores, which severely limits their chances of finding employment.
This does not mean that all people in the Gulf have jobs; 40 % of women in the workforce do so right now. However, those that are in employment generally receive smaller wages than their female acquaintances, primarily because they are not expected to remain breadwinners.
Additionally, research has revealed that women are generally unable to access in-person education. Some employers in the area are unwilling to support women’s professional development because they fear they may leave their jobs for family reasons.
holding their economy in check
Millions of women are kept from the work for a significant financial cost. According to a 2013 study, removing barriers to women’s employment was substantially increase growth in southern Mediterranean nations.
A higher percentage of workers may increase the wage gap, which makes it easier for companies to export their goods worldwide. Additionally, having more people at work leads to more money spent and more firm investments.
However, a review from 2015 by British consulting firm McKinsey &, Company found that improving women’s justice may include an , estimated US$ 600 billion to annual GDP in the Middle East and North Africa region by 2025, compared with a business-as-usual scenario.
Gulf nations are denying themselves new insights that are essential for diversifying beyond crude by sidelining educated women. New research in the Gulf place suggests that having more gender diversity at work makes for better financial decisions.
And the Gulf’s heavy emphasis on foreigners is made even more dire by the restrictions on female work. Workers return a significant portion of their income house, which is a significant drain on Gulf economy. Remittances from Gulf states amounted to$ 669 billion in 2023, according to the World Bank.
Despite the deep-rooted obstacles that lady experience, change is on the horizon. The UAE, for instance, has achieved gender fairness at the political level. Saudi Arabia also lifted its long-standing ban on women driving in 2019, which may improve their flexibility and potential employment prospects.
Many Gulf nations are appointing women to top government jobs, giving clear examples of feminine accomplishment. For example, Shihana Alazzaz was appointed deputy secretary-general of the council of ministers in Saudi Arabia in 2022, becoming the first woman to hold the place.
Women in the Gulf are now home to the majority of university students in the area, creating a powerful talent network.
Both Bahrain and Qatar allow women to serve as magistrates, which is also changing the criminal system. Additionally, the private sector is beginning efforts to motivate people and provide more flexible employment options.
As Gulf nations grapple with the need to expand their markets beyond oil, financial need did undoubtedly speed up the pace of shift. However, these advancements are still insufficient due to the ingrained social norms and persistent legal obstacles that continue to prevent women from engaging in full economic activity.
A dedicated and thorough strategy is required to bring the missing women into the workforce. Legitimate reforms may replace the care regulations that still exist in the workplace. And education and training programs need to align children’s skills with market needs, as well as providing qualified growth possibilities.
A broader social change is also necessary, challenging traditional gender roles through the media, education and open discourse. Additionally, office plans need to be updated to include family-friendly practices and open career development opportunities for women.
This change may be accelerated by financial incentives like government grants or tax breaks for businesses that meet gender diversity goals.
Gulf places ‘ towering skyscrapers are a sign of rapid development. Real progress should not be measured in the benefits that are available to all citizens, but rather in the opportunities that are available to them. The key is today to create societies that harness the potential of both sexes for development, growth, and cultural development.
At Sheffield Hallam University, Amr Saber Algarhi is the head of finance, and Konstantinos Lagos is the head of business and economics.
The Conversation has republished this essay under a Creative Commons license. Read the original post.