Harassment and Female Labor Force Participation: Micro-Level Evidence in Egypt

Marina Hesham (), Ariane Dupont-Kieffer (), Racha Ramadan and Hanan Nazier
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Marina Hesham: Cairo University
Ariane Dupont-Kieffer: University of Paris 1 Panthéon Sorbonne

No 1790, Working Papers from Economic Research Forum

Abstract: Sexual harassment is a pervasive form of violence against women (VAW) worldwide. In Egypt, women frequently encounter harassment in public spaces such as streets and public transportation. Despite its prevalence, harassment remains an underexplored barrier to women’s access to economic opportunities. This study examines the impact of public space harassment on female labor force participation (FLFP) in Egypt, drawing on data from the Egypt Economic Cost of Gender-Based Violence Survey (ECGBVS) and the 2018 wave of the Egyptian Labor Market Panel Survey (ELMPS). Using discrete choice models, the analysis reveals that the effects of harassment vary significantly according to women's characteristics, particularly marital status. The findings indicate that married women, those aged 25 to 44, and urban residents are disproportionately negatively affected, with higher likelihoods of labor market withdrawal following harassment. The robustness of these results is confirmed through Two-Stage Least Squares (2SLS) and reduced-form regressions. Furthermore, mediation analysis highlights the critical role of husbands’ controlling behavior in shaping women’s responses to harassment. The paper concludes with a set of policy recommendations aimed at addressing these gendered barriers to labor force participation.

Pages: 43
Date: 2025-08-20, Revised 2025-08-20
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Published by The Economic Research Forum (ERF)

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