Gender-Based Differences Among Entrepreneurs and Workers in Lebanon
Lebanon has faced a continuous series of economic setbacks fueled by mounting political uncertainties and war over the decades. The current global financial crisis compounds the levels of uncertainty and anxiety facing households with regards to th...
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| Format: | Country Gender Assessment (CGA) |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
World Bank
2012
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| Online Access: | http://www-wds.worldbank.org/external/default/main?menuPK=64187510&pagePK=64193027&piPK=64187937&theSitePK=523679&menuPK=64187510&searchMenuPK=64187283&siteName=WDS&entityID=000334955_20100210015116 http://hdl.handle.net/10986/3164 |
| Summary: | Lebanon has faced a continuous series of
economic setbacks fueled by mounting political uncertainties
and war over the decades. The current global financial
crisis compounds the levels of uncertainty and anxiety
facing households with regards to their future security. The
need for earned income and employment is therefore higher
than ever and an increasing number of women are entering the
labor market as a means of generating additional income for
themselves and their families. Women in Lebanon enjoy high
social indicators both in education and health. The female
to male ratios in secondary and tertiary enrollment are 110
and 116 percent respectively. However, women's
participation in the economy whether in the labor market or
private sector investment is relatively low, especially when
compared to their female counterparts in other similar
middle income countries. Female labor force participation in
Lebanon is 37 percent compared to 84 percent for men and
according to the Lebanese national survey of household
living condition (2004), which includes information on
20,000 individuals across Lebanon, female employers account
for only one percent of total economically active females
compared to almost seven percent of males who are
categorized as employers. There are some clear indications
that women business owners contribute positively to private
sector employment in addition to investment. However, there
remain limited availability of in depth information about
women entrepreneurs and the dimensions that male and female
entrepreneurs play on private sector employment,
particularly for women. Chapter one covers the
characteristics of female and male entrepreneurs. Chapter
two focuses on the workers and their characteristics in
terms of age, experience, education, skills, and marital
status. Chapter three quantifies the level of the gender gap
and identifies its sources in view of the different
demographic characteristics of the worker. Finally, chapter
four lays down the conclusions, examines the related policy
and regulatory environment, and provides recommendations. |
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