International Women's Day: Conference on Women's Economic Participation and Contribution to Sustainable Development
On the occasion of International Women's Day, the Savoirs éco project, funded by the European Union and implemented by Expertise France, organized a conference-debate in partnership with the SMU Foundation, dedicated to women's economic participation and their contribution to sustainable and inclusive development. This event brought together researchers, economists, and experts to discuss the main challenges and levers promoting women's economic integration in Tunisia. The discussions were based on the policy briefs of the Economic Knowledge-Producing Structures (SPSE) supported by the project, which provide scientific analyses to inform public policies.
Expert Interventions
- Leila Baghdadi, Senior Economist at the Office of the Chief Economist for the MENA, Afghanistan, and Pakistan region at the World Bank, presented the main conclusions of the report "Women and Jobs: Untapped Talent, Unrealized Growth" published in October 2025. She emphasized that removing barriers limiting women's access to jobs matching their skills could increase GDP per capita by 20 to 30% in countries such as Egypt, Jordan, and Pakistan.
- Pr. Habib Zitouna, President of the Tunisian Economists Association (ASECTU), presented the results of his policy brief on the links between women and employment in the context of the Tunisian economic model.
- Anissa Hanifa, Assistant Professor of Rural Economics, presented an analysis of the functioning and autonomy of women's development organizations in the Siliana governorate.
- Nesrine Abassi, researcher at the Laboratory of Economics and Rural Societies, shared the results of her work on the role of women in oasis regions and their contribution to resilience and sustainable development.
Key Findings
The discussions highlighted several major findings:
- The models of employability and employment policies remain insufficiently adapted to the realities and constraints of women, particularly in terms of work organization and balance between professional and family life. Overcoming these challenges requires a comprehensive political response that takes into account the legal, social, and economic constraints faced by women, while positioning the private sector as a catalyst for job creation.
- Certain regulatory and structural constraints continue to influence women's economic participation, particularly with regard to mobility, security, and certain legal and social frameworks.
- The discussions also highlighted the persistence of sectoral inequalities, with a high concentration of women in sectors that are often less paid or less valued, which contributes to maintaining gaps in employment and income.
- Participants also emphasized the importance of strengthening parental leave policies, flexible work arrangements, and sharing family responsibilities to facilitate women's access to and retention in the labor market.
- Another major challenge raised is the lack of gender-disaggregated economic statistics. The insufficient availability of detailed data, particularly on salaries or economic participation by gender, limits today's analytical capacity and the development of adapted public policies. In this context, international indicators such as those developed by the World Bank under the Women, Business and the Law program are valuable tools for measuring progress and identifying necessary reforms.
- The interventions also highlighted the central role of women in territorial dynamics, particularly in rural and oasis areas. The evolution of social norms and the strengthening of local governance appear to be key factors in improving the structuring and performance of agricultural development organizations. Similarly, women's territorial anchoring constitutes an important lever for local development and territorial resilience.
Conclusion
Through this debate, the Savoirs éco project reaffirms the importance of supporting the production of economic knowledge and strengthening the dialogue between researchers, public decision-makers, and development actors to better inform public policies and promote more inclusive growth.
