Purpose This study examines the paradox between Algerian women's high educational attainment (55% of university graduates) and their low economic participation (16.4% labor force participation, ranking 150th globally). It analyzes how cultural norms gendered role expectations, mobility restrictions, occupational segregation, social sanctioning and network exclusion constrain women's entrepreneurship and economic empowerment. The research identifies policy interventions to leverage Algeria's underutilized female human capital for inclusive, economic growth. Design/methodology/approach A mixed-methods design combined quantitative analysis of national datasets (2010–2025) on gender-disaggregated education, training, labor and financing trends with qualitative insights from 35 semi-structured interviews across six Algerian provinces. Data were analyzed using SPSS-V26 (descriptive statistics, correlation, regression) to examine relationships between cultural norms and women's economic empowerment. Comparative institutional analysis contrasted gender-blind (National Agency for Youth Employment Support (ANSEJ) and National Unemployment Insurance Fund (CNAC)) and gender-responsive (National Agency for Microcredit Management (ANGEM)) support mechanisms. Findings Cultural norms significantly constrain women's entrepreneurial empowerment (p 0.01), explaining 76.1% of variance in outcomes (R2 = 0.761); occupational segregation was the strongest predictor (ß = 0.293). A “leaky pipeline” was confirmed, with educated women exiting the labor force during prime years (25–34). Institutional design proved decisive: gender-blind agencies allocated ∼10% of projects to women, versus 62.3% under ANGEM's gender-targeted approach. However, sectoral segregation persists, with women concentrated in low-growth sectors and excluded from high-capital industries like construction (2–4%) and transport (1–3%). Research limitations/implications The study's purposive sample (n = 35) limits generalizability, while data gaps in the informal economy, where 78% of women entrepreneurs operate, obscure the full scope of female economic activity. The cross-sectional design restricts causal inference on long-term policy impacts. Future research should employ longitudinal, comparative designs across the Maghreb, disaggregate informal sector data and examine strategies of women who successfully enter male-dominated industries. Practical implications Findings support a three-pillar strategy: (1) mandate gender quotas in public financing, replicating ANGEM's model; (2) provide sector-specific vocational training for women in high-growth industries (construction, transport, technology) and (3) pursue legal reforms to streamline business registration and strengthen property rights. Complementary interventions subsidized childcare, flexible work arrangements and digital platforms are essential to retain educated women in the workforce Originality/value This study offers three novel contributions: (1) empirical evidence that Algeria's vocational training system has reversed gender equity since 2008 (female enrollment declining from 47.3% to 35.3%), directly linking this to entrepreneurial exclusion; (2) comparative analysis demonstrating that explicit institutional mainstreaming not voluntary measures drives transformative inclusion and (3) reframing Algeria's gender gap as a policy failure rather than cultural destiny, shifting discourse from “Why won't women participate?”
zaki farid Abid (Wed,) studied this question.