(MENAFN- Iraq Business News) By Soraya El-Khalil and Tala Ismail, for the World Bank . Any opinions expressed are those of the author(s), and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News .

Navigating social norms to empower Iraq's female workforce

As we mark International Women's Day this month, we spotlight the main hurdles to women's labor force participation in Iraq to shape future programs and policies for enhanced equality in the labor market for all individuals.

Iraq has one of the lowest female labor force participation (FLFP) rates (11%) among countries in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region.

This figure does not just represent disparities between women and men; it is a missed opportunity to spur economic development.

In fact, a projected 5 percentage points (pp) increase in Iraq's FLFP by 2025, in line with the Government of Iraq's policy objective, could boost its GDP by an estimated 1.6 pp, driving economic rejuvenation and poverty reduction.

Click here to read the full report.

The post Navigating Social Norms to Empower Iraq's Female Workforce first appeared on Iraq Business News .

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