Childcare subsidies and employment services in Egypt

In many contexts, childcare subsidies boost women's employment, but in Egypt's low-income areas, subsidies (25-100% nursery discounts) and employment services for 5,000 mothers yielded low uptake (~11%) and no labor gains. Barriers include poor nursery quality, job mismatches (e.g., few part-time roles), and restrictive gender norms. Policies must bundle quality improvements, flexible jobs, and norm shifts