The methodology for elaboration of the country reports that supported this publication was standard across countries. In-depth desk research by local consultants on domestic legal provisions was complemented by national consultations among experts from a wide spectrum of backgrounds (see “Acknowledgements”, above). In addition, focus groups were organised with local stakeholders, including entrepreneurs, undergraduate business students in their final year, unemployed women, women working in remote regions and, where possible, women working from home. These exchanges enriched the research findings with insights from life experiences, and also raised awareness about women’s rights. In Libya, the ongoing conflict affected access to data and limited the possibility of reaching out to focus groups. Focus group participants are listed below, along with colleagues from the OECD who provided input to the publication.

The OECD Development Centre’s Social Institutions and Gender Index (SIGI) is a cross-country measure of gender-based discrimination in social institutions across 160 countries. The SIGI looks at laws, practises and attitudes across five socio-economic areas that affect women’s lives: discriminatory family code, restricted physical integrity, son bias, restricted resources and assets, and restricted civil liberties. By focusing on discriminatory social institutions, the SIGI aims to expose the underlying drivers of gender inequality that block countries’ progress towards achieving equal outcomes for women and men.