Mashreq Gender Facility: Facilitating Women’s Economic Transformation The Republic of IRAQ

Years of conflict and insecurity have posed significant challenges for . Only 13 percent of working The Mashreq Gender Facility (MGF) is a 5- age women in Iraq seek employment or work. This is considerably lower than the share of men who are partici- year Facility (2019-2024) that provides tech- pating in the labor market (76 percent). Unemployment rates are also higher for women (12 percent) compared to nical assistance to Iraq, Jordan and Lebanon men (7 percent), with wide disparities across the country. to enhance women’s economic empower- ment and opportunities as a catalyst to- A range of different factors con- wards more inclusive, sustainable, and tributes to the low labor force par- peaceful societies, where economic growth ticipation of women, such as legal benefits all. Through collaboration with the barriers, lack of safe and adequate private sector, civil society organizations and transport, lack of affordable quality development partners, the Facility supports child care and low levels of finan- government-led efforts, country level priori- cial inclusion. Preferences for pub- ties and strategic regional activities that: 1. Strengthen the enabling environment lic sector jobs and attitudes around for women’s economic participation; women’s traditional role in the 2. Improve women’s access to economic household prevail. opportunities.

The Government of Iraq aims to increase the Female Labor Force Participation Rate by 5 percentage points over The MGF is a World Bank Group-facilitated the next 5 years and has developed a Women’s Economic Empowerment Action Plan to lay out the path forward. inter-agency initiative that works in partner- ship with units across the WBG, aid agencies The Mashreq Gender Facility is supporting the implementation of the Action Plan based on a government-led 18- and donors, governments, NGOs, private month country work plan developed within the context of Iraq, inclusive of the Kurdistan region. In the first period sector firms, and researchers. The MGF is of implementation, the focus is on capacity building: of government on, among other, legal reform and gender sen- supported through the WBG's Umbrella Fa- cility for Gender Equality (UFGE) . sitive budgeting; of through incubators; of rural women through targeted vocational train- ing; and, of NGOs to fully participate in activities on women’s economic empowerment. Restrictive social norms is a At the regional level, the MGF Steering Com- focus across the plan, by leveraging other projects to operationalize activities. mittee is a high-level advisory group that provides overall strategic direction and guid- There are five pillars of work: ance. It counts on two government repre-  Policy & legislative reform sentatives per country, regional directors of  Gender responsive public sector the World Bank and the IFC and selected  Private sector employment Data sources: development partners and private sector WDI latest available donors with strong commitment to wom-  & access to finance Iraq Central Statistical en’s economic opportunities in the Mashreq.  Organizations Annual Social environment Statistical Abstract 2017 The Republic of IRAQ Mashreq Gender Facility Country Work Plan Pillars

Policy & legislative Gender responsive Private sector Entrepreneurship & Social environment reform public sector employment access to finance

 Propose two legislative re-  Establish preferential  Facilitate incentives for  Strengthen the capacities forms to close legislative agreements within govern- private sector to hire and of women entrepreneurs gaps and remove con- ment ministries to market support women and fami- and business incubators. straints on women’s em- and procure products lies at the workplace.  Enhance knowledge and ployment in the private made by women or wom- sector.  Improve family-friendly awareness among invest- en-owned firms. and discrimination-free ment funds, small inves-  Enhance awareness,  Embed a gender perspec- work environments in the tors, incubators and accel- strengthen advocacy and tive in the preparation of private sector. erators on gender-lens facilitate policy reforms federal and local budgets. investing in women and that increase women’s em-  Explore modalities for in- gender-diversity strategies ployment in the private  Equip Education Ministry creasing the supply of sector and ownership of staff with tools and train- childcare facilitates in start-up support.  agricultural land. ing to promote women in through sector and policy  Increase the capacities of Enhance awareness of the value of women's economic  Increase capacities of gov- the economy and facilitate analysis, and multi- early-stage women-led inclusion and on importance ernment agencies to identi- enhancements to curricu- stakeholder dialogue. start-ups to design busi- of sharing household & fy and address constraints lum designs and teaching  ness plans, pitch to inves- Enhance employability and family responsibilities be- to women’s economic em- strategies. tors and access finance. productivity of women tween men and women. powerment and to through capacity building  Facilitate increased  strengthen enforcement that strengthen their skills knowledge sharing and Enhance women’s and fami- mechanisms. in computer literacy, digi- connectivity by establish- lies’ knowledge of legal  Enable knowledge genera- tal tools, and modern agri- ing a network of women rights and access to justice tion and formulation cultural practices. entrepreneurs to share  Build the capacities of local of solutions to increase experiences, lessons NGOs to successfully imple- women’s economic oppor- learned and the benefits of ment initiatives for women’s tunities. leveraging technology. economic empowerment.

The MGF is a WBG initiative in collaboration with the governments of Canada and Norway. It is support- [email protected] ed by the Umbrella Facility for Gender Equality (UFGE) with generous contributions from the govern- ments of , Canada, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Iceland, Latvia, Netherlands, Norway, Spain, , Switzerland, the United Kingdom, the United States, and The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.