Women in Jordan hope to see their educational achievements 
translating into economic productivity, as women's labor force 
participation has been consistently low, both in absolute terms 
and relative to other countries in the MENA region and 
worldwide.Investing in girls' education and skills development is crucial 
for building their human capital, as it paves the way for their 
seamless integration into the labor market and, ultimately, their 
economic empowerment.The first Mashreq 
Gender Facility State of the Women Report identified barriers 
women face at four critical turning points at which some decide 
to withdraw from the labor market or never enter, including 
caregiving responsibilities, public transportation, the legal 
environment and the gap between the law on paper and the law 
in practice, in addition to social norms.This piece focuses on two key areas where policy 
reforms and actions can make a difference in women's ability 
and willingness to work: (i) expanded access to affordable, 
quality childcare; and (ii) the extension of a well-functioning, 
comfortable and safe public transport system.Women's low participation does not have a single 
cause, but is rather affected by a complex combination of factors 
encompassing social, economic, regulatory and structural 
elements in addition to personal preference.This focus piece follows girls and women in Jordan from birth 
through education and into the labor market, going through the 
main milestones on their way to economic empowerment.As they enter the labor market, key
constraints may discourage them or make their integration more 
difficult.