Although the position of women in the MENA region's labor market has improved in recent years, female participation in the MENA region is still ranked as the lowest in the world (World Bank 55). Many reasons behind this delay have been highlighted in the readings. Although numerous structural reforms have been implemented, the phenomenon of limited participation of women persists. It therefore seems that the problem does not lie in the demand side of female labor or in the structure of the institutions, but rather in the supply side. In other words, the decrease in women's participation is due to stereotypes and social and cultural norms prevalent in the region. Such norms that prevent many women from being active in the labor market have prevailed for so long, shaping the expectations of both employers and women regarding the demands of the labor market, making occupational sex segregation inevitable in the MENA region . Gender progress and diversity varies significantly from country to country and tends to reflect how women are viewed in a region's society. The Gender Gap Index, which examines “the gap between men and women based on economic, political, educational and health criteria,” is an effective measure for assessing each country's national gender gap. According to the World Economic Forum's Global Gender Gap 2013 report, the gap exists more in Arab countries such as Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Oman, Qatar, Bahrain and many other countries. This article will attempt to demonstrate that this gap is largely due to the cultural norms prevalent in the MENA region. Gender stereotypes and cultural norms have led to discriminatory gender-based occupational segregation. Women are expected to work in certain occupations that are “gender appropriate” - limit...... middle of paper ...... and Gendered Labor Market: Evidence from Egypt” Center for Research European Economic Affairs (Germany: Ithaca Press); (MN 55455Women's Business Council, Maximizing Women's Contribution to Future Economic Growth (2013): 1-53.World Economic Forum (2013), Global Gender Gap.Hijab N. Womanpower: The Arab Debate on Women at Work. Cambridge [Cambridgeshire]: Cambridge University Press; 1988.Shaw RP. Mobilizing Human Resources in the Arab World Boston: Kegan Paul International; (2004), Gender and Development in the Middle East and North Africa: Women in the Public Sphere (WashingtonDC: World Bank), Chapter 3. World Bank (2004), Gender and Development in the Middle East and North Africa: Women in the Public Sphere (Washington DC: World Bank), chapter 4. Yusuf Sidani Women, Work and Islam in Arab Societies Women in Management Review. 2005;20:498-512