The Status of Working Women in the Middle East

YouGov and Bayt.com conducted a survey online amongst the working women in the MENA region with the objective of understanding the perceptions and attitudes of working women pertaining to their role and experience in the work place. This study also delves into the motivations for employment.

The survey was conducted online with a sample of 2,185 respondents between the 17th and the 30th of May, 2012.

Survey Highlights:

• Financial independence is the key motivation to start work, according to 57% of the region’s working women. 
• Salary takes the top spot when it comes to benefits of working. Three in five claim higher salary as an extremely important benefit, followed by ‘Opportunities for long term career growth’ (31%) and health insurance (28%).
• Majority of women (74%) claim to be working in a mixed-gender environment. 69% of those who work in mixed-gender environments assert that they are comfortable with it.
• 28% working women say that they would prefer a male manager and only 4% would prefer a female manager.

Respondents' Profile: The exercise was conducted amongst working women, aged over 18, across the region including UAE, KSA, Kuwait, Qatar, Oman, Bahrain, Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Algeria, Egypt, Morocco and Tunisia. The survey was conducted online with a sample of 2,185 respondents between the 17th and the 30th of May, 2012.