This report addresses gender equality as a major challenge of the economies of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA region). While gender inequality is rarely approached in terms of economic need and costs, this publication reveals the impact that a greater economic contribution by women could have on the development of the region. Thanks to numerous examples from the MENA region and elsewhere (notably, European countries), the report seeks to identify the obstacles, at an economic, social and political level, that hinder women' s empowerment and their access to the labour market.