The study surveyed 2,400 Jordanian men and women aged 18-59, from 12 governorates across Jordan, as well as 512 Syrian men and women living in Amman, Zarqa, Irbid and Mafraq. The research also includes a qualitative component that involved 110 men and women who participated in 12 focus group discussions and 17 in-depth interviews.

The objective of this regional assessment is to look at the implications of the macroeconomic response to the COVID-19 pandemic in the Arab region. The regional mapping allows for identification of the dominant trends and policy priorities across different areas of interventions and looks at the potential implications of [largely] gender-blind macroeconomic responses and investments during the first six months of the pandemic.

Developed jointly by REACH and UN Women, this report identifies, discusses, and analyses the range of enabling factors and challenges faced by working Jordanian and Syrian refugee women. Generously supported by the European Union, through the EU Regional Trust Fund in response to the Syria Crisis, the EU MADAD Fund, as well as the Governments of France and Japan.

The report also describes how the determinants of low female labour force participation in the region have been discussed in scholarly literature, prepares economic and gender profiles of 17 Arab countries and puts forward a synthesis of policy recommendations for female-inclusive growth in the future.

This study seeks to generate a sound understanding of women’s financial inclusion, and more specifically in conflict and post-conflict situations in selected Arab States; it assesses prospects for and challenges to the achievement of women’s financial inclusion and documents good practices and lessons learned to inform UN Women’s future interventions in this area.

This report outlines how women’s economic empowerment can be used as a strategic tool to assist policy-makers and companies to reach their growth-related goals.