WHY KIP INDEX?
Women's economic participation in the formal economies of the Arab MENA is in dire need of improvement through mechanisms that balance between increasing labor force participation and ensuring dignified work. On every relevant index, women's economic participation and workplace protection is the worst across the world.
To build meaningful, localized, and multi-stakeholder strategies for employers in the region, we need indigenous data about employer policies as well as women's workplace experiences. National level statistics alone are not enough for us to understand the nuanced challenges women face across the region. We need a roadmap for Inclusive Business and Leadership (#RIBLeffect). The RIBL effect cannot happen if we import solutions or strategies.
For over two years, we collected data from regional employers and conducted structured interviews with working women. The findings were analyzed to understand where the Arab MENA region stands on inclusive practices – with regards to the Recruitment, Retention and Promotion (RRP) of women. As a result, the KIP index and the Lived Experiences Index were published, making them the first Arab MENA sector-based measure of women-inclusive policies and practices in local organizations.
WHY TWO INDICES?
The KIP and Lived Experience Indices include both quantitative and qualitative data from 11 Arab MENA countries, with results and recommendations based on 1790 formal employer surveys and 523 interviews that capture the lived experiences of women across 6 sectors in the region.
> The KIP Index tracks local employer policies and practices regarding the recruitment, retention and promotion of women across sectors.
> The Lived Experience Index tracks female citizen experiences of recruitment, retention, and promotion in the sectors within which they are currently employed.
This indigenous data will aid in the advancement of policy change by:
> Capturing and responding to women's voices and concerns
> Assessing employer recruitment, retention, and promotion policies
> Partnering with employers to develop and implement new policies
> Producing accessible and multi-lingual knowledge
The first iteration of the KIP Index and Lived Experience Index were launched regionally on March 31, 2021.
The 'Inclusive Workplaces' report and the second Iteration of KIP Index and Lived Experience Index will be soon released, stay tuned!
FUNDER
The KIP Index and Lived Experience were made possible through generous funding from the Middle East Partnership Initiative (MEPI) in the US Department of State.
PARTNERS
Our milestones have been made possible thanks to the partners we have worked with in eleven countries (Algeria, Bahrain, Iraq, Jordan, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Libya, Lebanon, Morocco, Tunisia, and Yemen).
PRINCIPLE INVESTIGATOR
This project is led by:
Dr. Charlotte Karam Ph.D. - Director of International Partnerships, and Founding Director (2018-2021), CIBL for Women and Adjunct Professor | Endowed Professor in Inclusive Systems, Telfer School of Management, University of Ottawa.
