Gender and Asset Ownership in the Old and New Lands of Egypt

Gender and Asset Ownership in the Old and New Lands of Egypt

By Dina Najjar, Bipasha Baruah, and Aman El Garhi

HIGHLIGHTS

• Women are disadvantaged in land ownership in the New and Old Lands in Egypt, though not to the extent the literature has assumed for the MENA region.
• Patterns of asset ownership and control are similar to other regions: men own and control more land and housing; women own and sometimes control (liquefiable) livestock and gold
• Men underestimate women’s preferences for owning immovable property (land and housing) even in the New Lands, where 20 percent of land titles are distributed to women.
• Women who acquire land remained hesitant or unwilling to enable their daughters to inherit land at par with their sons.
• While pro-women policy reforms should be implemented, consciousness-raising initiatives are equally crucial.