A Puzzling Dichotomy in the GCC: Where are all the Educated Women?

Women?s participation in the workforce is significant for the economic growth of the GCC states. The GCC states have significantly invested in human capital development through providing free school education and various opportunities for higher education both in the GCC states and abroad for both males and females equally. The GCC states have also enforced nationalization targets and programs to incorporate more of its human capital in the workforce. Throughout the years, the GCC have made remarkable progress in both increasing literacy and employment rates of its nationals both men and women. Interestingly, however, the GCC states now have on average higher female to male enrollment ratios in higher education states equivalent to 173% which is much higher than world?s female to male ratio of 107% (World Bank, 2013). Higher education attainment by females however is not fully translated in the GCC workforce as the workforce despite significant efforts of gender equality still remains male dominated. This in turn raises an important question on why such dichotomy between female education and female economic participation exists which is essentially the theme of the study. The short-term goal of this proposed study is to understand and interpret the reasons underlying this dichotomy. Whereas, the long-term goal is to develop policy recommendations to incorporate more of these educated women in the workforce.