Brussels – Europe and the Arabs
The European Commission has launched a new initiative to boost women's employment in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. The "Women's Employment Initiative"—a flagship project under the "Mediterranean Pact"—will mobilize €25 million in funding, including a €10 million contribution from the European Union, to help create 500,000 additional jobs for women. The initiative aims to increase the female employment rate in the region by 5% by 2030.
According to a European statement issued in Brussels, the initiative was announced by Dubravka Šuica, the EU Commissioner for the Mediterranean, during a joint event with UN Women held on the sidelines of the High-Level Week of the 81st UN General Assembly in New York. The Commissioner stated: "Women's economic empowerment is not just about achieving equality; it is about unlocking talent, driving growth, and building more prosperous societies across the Mediterranean region. Through the 'Mediterranean Pact,' we are turning this ambition into a tangible reality; the initiative aims to help create 500,000 jobs for women and increase their employment rate by 5% by 2030 by investing in skills, entrepreneurship, and opportunity creation."
Women's labor market participation in the MENA region has remained stagnant at an average of around 20% for more than two decades. Narrowing the gender employment gap could boost the region's GDP by up to 60%, while also enhancing productivity, innovation, and economic resilience.
Through the "Women’s Employment Initiative," the European Union will collaborate with UN Women and other partners to expand economic opportunities for women, focusing on skills, entrepreneurship, and job creation. The initiative will support reforms aimed at private sector-led growth, engage businesses in scaling up women's employment, and create new jobs in promising sectors—including care, the green economy, and science and technology.
This initiative is one of several projects under the "Mediterranean Pact," the Commission’s plan to place investment in people, skills, and economic opportunities at the heart of strong relations between the EU and its Mediterranean partners.
The "Women’s Employment Initiative" complements growing efforts to boost women's economic participation across the region. More than 900 companies have signed the "Women’s Empowerment Principles," while UN Women and its partners have contributed to reforming 20 laws across Arab countries that support women's economic participation.
Equality and women's empowerment are overarching priorities within the "Mediterranean Pact" and an integral part of the EU’s external action in the Middle East and North Africa region.