The report titled “Cities as a Factor in the Production of Inequalities: The Gender Wage Gap and Its Impact on Women’s Ability to Access the Right to Adequate Housing, ” published in April 2026 by the Intersection Association for Rights and Freedoms and Diwan Al Omran, offers an in-depth analysis of the links between economic inequality and urban exclusion in Arab cities, based on the cases of Egypt and Tunisia.
The study begins with a fundamental observation: housing is not merely a material need, but a fundamental human right recognized by international conventions, notably the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. Yet, in today’s urban reality, access to decent housing remains deeply marked by gender inequalities.
The wage gap as a mechanism of urban exclusion
The report shows that the gender pay gap is not merely a matter of differing incomes. It has become a structural factor that limits women’s ability to access stable, safe, and affordable housing.
In Egypt, the data analyzed show that women earn significantly less than men on average, particularly when considering real monthly income rather than just hourly wages. The study also highlights women’s low participation in the labor market, as well as the burden of family responsibilities and unpaid domestic work, which limit their opportunities for stable employment and career advancement.
In Tunisia, although the wage gap appears to be smaller than in Egypt, it remains structural. Women continue to be concentrated in lower-paying and more precarious sectors, while gender-based discrimination persists in working conditions and pay levels.
The ongoing rise in housing costs
The report also highlights the significant rise in housing costs in major Egyptian and Tunisian cities. This increase applies not only to rent or home purchase prices, but also to expenses related to electricity, water, energy, transportation, and urban services.
In Egypt, real estate prices have risen dramatically over the past decade, including in social housing projects that are supposed to be affordable for low-income households. In Tunisia, indicators also show a steady rise in housing and land prices, making it even harder for the most vulnerable groups to access housing.
According to the report, this situation particularly affects women, who generally have lower incomes. A larger portion of their income is absorbed by housing costs, which reduces their ability to meet other basic needs such as healthcare, education, and food.
Greater housing insecurity for women
The study shows that women are more vulnerable to housing instability and the risk of being excluded from the housing market. Many are forced to accept lower-quality housing, located far from urban centers and job opportunities, or to share housing to reduce costs.
The report also highlights that this situation hits female heads of household, single women, and those in precarious jobs the hardest. Low incomes increase their vulnerability to eviction, debt, and housing insecurity.
Beyond housing itself, this exclusion has broader implications for women’s lives: increased time spent commuting, difficulties accessing public services, limited career opportunities, and worsening social inequalities.
Response: Public Policy
One of the report’s key findings is that housing policies cannot be gender-neutral. The authors argue that it is impossible to truly guarantee the right to housing without simultaneously addressing economic inequalities and discrimination in the labor market.
The report therefore calls for:
- promote pay equity between women and men;
- incorporate a gender-sensitive approach into housing policies;
- improve women’s access to credit and mortgage financing;
- protect women from eviction and housing instability;
- develop more equitable transportation and urban planning systems;
- generate more data on the links between gender, work, and housing.
A Critical Analysis of Contemporary Arab Cities
Using the examples of Egypt and Tunisia, this report ultimately offers a critical analysis of contemporary Arab cities. It demonstrates that urban spaces are not neutral: they can perpetuate and exacerbate social and gender inequalities when public policies fail to take into account the economic realities faced by women.
By linking the issue of housing to that of wages, work, and social justice, this study makes an important contribution to the debates on the right to the city and the need to develop more inclusive and equitable urban policies.
