مرصد المرأة المصرية

Egyptians’ perception regarding women’s social and economic role

2022

On the occasion of Women’s Month, Baseera center issued a bulletin containing the most important figures related to the Perceptions of Egyptians about the economic and social role of women. The bulletin included the statistics that were published through the “Number of the day” service, under the umbrella of the Egypt National Observatory for Women (ENOW) project, which is implemented in cooperation with the National Council for Women and the World Bank.

The following are the most important numbers included in the bulletin:

44% of Egyptians in 2018 viewed that married-woman’s work negatively impacts families, 25% believed it has no effect, and 23% viewed it positive.
83% of Egyptian men in 2018 believed that men should be given priority when there are limited employment opportunities, compared to 72% of women.
68% of Egyptian men vs 49% of women in 2018 believed that women should be allowed to work only in specific jobs deemed appropriate.
37% of Egyptians in 2018 thought that it’s acceptable for women to stay late at work, the percentage rose from 28% among males to 46% among females.
51% of rural women believed in 2018 that employment opportunities in urban centers are better for urban residents than rural even if they are equally qualified.
40% of Egyptians men in 2018 found it unacceptable for a women’s workplace to be full of male colleagues, comapred to 36% of women.
57% of Egyptian in 2018 thought that women working far from home as socially acceptable, the percentage increased from 45% among males to 69% among females.
21% of Egyptian men and 28% of women in 2018 approved having a female president.
46% of rural women believed in 2018 that employers prefer male labor to female labor even if they are equally qualified.
59% of Egyptians believed in 2018 if a wife's income is more will cause problem, the percentage increased from 57% in rural areas to 61% in urban areas.
92% of Egyptians believed that woman's true success is at home with her kids, according to 2018 data.
61% of Egyptians believed that men should get higher because they are the main responsible for the family, according to 2018 data.
48% of Egyptians believed A that females should be educated until they obtain a university degree, according to 2018 data.
71% of Egyptians said that newspapers, TV, and radio help encourage women to work, according to 2018 data.
18% of Egyptians in 2018 found it unacceptable to work under a female supervisor even if she is qualified and appropriate for the position, the percentage rose from 13% among females to 22% among males.
Only 8% of Egyptians in 2018 were working under a female supervisor and 55% under a male supervisor.
39% of Egyptian women in 2018 preferred a female supervisor compared to 7% of men.
36% of women in Egypt in 2018 were indifferent to gender of supervisor compared to 41% of men.
34% of Egyptian men and 27% of women in 2020 refused hiring caregivers for elderly parents even if the respondent is unable to care for the elderly themselves.
36% of Egyptian men in 2020 considered women who send their children to nurseries as negligent, compared to 31% of women.
97% of Egyptians who live in families with children refused to rely on child care providers, according to 2020 data.
80% of Egyptians believed that it is a shame that their father or mother enters a nursing home for the elderly, according to 2018 data.
46% of Egyptians thought that people who work in childcare cannot be trusted according to 2020 data.
86% of Egyptians believed that working women should have different work hours after childbirth, according to 2018 data.
71% of Egyptians said that having a suitable person to take care of their children could make them change the nature of their work, according to 2020 data.
34% of Egyptian males said that women's work at home is considered work that should be paid, compared to 27% of females, according to 2018 data.
30% of Egyptian men in 2018 and 22% of women believed that only competence should be a factor in determining salaries for the same position at the same place and not gender.
35% of Egyptian males and 50% of females believed that if the wife has an income, she should participate in the basic expenses of the house, according to 2018 data.
20% of rural women’s households in Egypt in 2018 owned agriculture land; among which 34% of women at least sometimes work in this land.
82% of Egyptians refused to marry their daughters without a list of furniture "Qayma" and the refusal was higher in rural areas (88%) compared to urban areas (73%), according to 2018 data.

More statistics and policy papers on the social and economic role of women can be obtained through “Egypt National Observatory for Women” portal www.enow.gov.eg .