This paper examines the reasons for the persistently low participation of women in the Egyptian
labor market over time and across the different economic sectors, using the Egypt Labor Market
Panel Survey (ELMPS) 2012. This panel dataset allows for an examination of the period
leading up to and including the revolution, as it covers three different points in time: 1998,
2006 and 2012. Despite the remarkable increase in women’s educational attainment, which has
become higher for women than their male counterparts, participation in the labor market
remains relatively low. Confirming widespread opinion, the findings indicate that the January
25 Revolution has had a negative effect on women’s status in the labor market. Labor force
participation has decreased, and unemployment has increased. It is thus important to analyze
the different determinants of low female labor force participation. These include factors related
to the supply of female labor, relating to family circumstances such as marriage, fertility and
time use, women’s preferences and reservation wages; as well as the factors related to the
demand side, such as the shrinking public sector and discrimination in the private sector.