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Ghada Barsoum

  • Position: Professor and Director of Master of Public Policy
  • Department: Department of Public Policy and Administration
  • Email: [email protected]
Brief Biography

Ghada Barsoum is a professor at the Public Policy and Administration at The American University in Cairo (AUC). Barsoum has more than seventy publications, including articles in top-tier peer-reviewed journals, technical reports, book chapters, encyclopedia entries, policy papers and a book on women's employment. She writes and teaches on issues pertaining to social policies in the Middle East, women’s work and employment policies, green jobs, and higher education policies. She has consulted for a number of organizations, including the World Bank and a number of UN organizations. Barsoum obtained her PhD in Sociology from the University of Toronto in 2005 and her master’s degree from AUC.

Research Interest
  • Youth inclusive policies
  • Employment and social protection
  • Youth employment programs
  • Evaluation research
  • Gender
  • Social policies
  • Higher education

Publications in Peer-Review Journals

Papers Under-review

  • Barsoum, Ghada. Not Like Father, Like Son: Lessons Learned from Public Sector Hiring Reforms in Egypt
  • Barsoum, Ghada and Mahdi Majbouri. COVID-19 and Subjective Well-being in MENA.

Books

  • Barsoum, Ghada. 2004. The Employment Crisis of Female Graduates in Egypt. An Ethnographic Account. Cairo Papers. Vol. 25.No. 3. The American University in Cairo

Book Chapters - Essays

  • Barsoum, Ghada; and Dina Abdallah. 2022. Still the Employer of Choice: Evolution of Public Sector Employment in Egypt. In Assaad and Krafft, The Egyptian Labor Market: A Focus on Gender and Economic Vulnerability. Oxford University Press.
  • Barsoum, Ghada. 2021. Case study: Labour market policies in MENA countries. In E. Schüring and M. Loewe (eds.), Handbook of Social Protection Systems. Cheltenham: Edward Elgar. Pages. 
  • Barsoum, Ghada. 2020. COVID-19 and Social Policies in the MENA Region: A New Test to Overly-Stressed Systems (Essay). Cairo Review. The American University in Cairo.
  • Barsoum, Ghada. 2018. Women in Leadership Positions in the Middle East: A Region of Gender Equality Paradoxes in Governing in a Global World: Women in Public Service. Maria J. D’Agostino and Marilyn Rubin, (Eds.). Routledge. New York
  • Barsoum, Ghada. 2016. A Generation without Work Contracts and Social Security: The Urgency of Policy Focus on Youth Job Informality in Egypt, in Generation Awakening: The socio-economic situation of Middle East youth on the eve of the Arab Spring. Edward Sayer and Tarek Youssef (eds.). Oxford, UK. Oxford University Press
  • Barsoum, Ghada. 2015. Young People’s Job Aspirations in Egypt and the Continued Preference for a Government Job. In The Egyptian Labor Market in an Era of Revolution. R. Assaad and C. Krafft (eds.) Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press.
  • Barsoum, Ghada. 2013. No Jobs and Bad Jobs  (Essay). Cairo Review. The American University in Cairo. Summer 2013.
  • Assaad, Ragui and Ghada Barsoum.  2009. Rising Expectations and Diminishing Opportunities for Egypt’s Youth. In Generation in Waiting, the Unfulfilled Promise of Young People in the Middle East. Navtej Dhillon and Tarik Yousef (eds.). Brookings Institution Press. Washington DC. 
  • Assaad, Ragui; Ghada Barsoum; Emily Cupito and Daniel Egel. 2009. Addressing Yemen’s Twin Deficits: Human Development and Natural Resources. In Generation in Waiting, the Unfulfilled Promise of Young People in the Middle East.  Navtej Dhillon and Tarik Yousef (eds.). Brookings Institution Press. Washington DC. 
  • Barsoum, Ghada. 2009. Egypt Labor Market Panel Survey 2006: A documentation of the Data Collection Process. In Egypt Labor Market Revisited. Ragui Assaad. (ed.) The American University in Cairo
  • Barsoum, Ghada. 1999. Female Graduates in Egypt: The Jobs Dilemma. In Human Development for the twenty-first Century. Mohamed Farag, ed. The American University in Cairo

Technical Reports/UN Publications

  • Ghada Barsoum; Passant Elwy; Hanan Khayal; Nada Kassem; Mai Amr; Amal Soliman; Yara Hassan; and Marian Fakhry. 2019. The Inventory of Youth Employment Programs in Egypt: A Snapshot of a Dynamic Field. Printed by Friedrich Ebert Foundation
  • Barsoum, Ghada and Nada Kassem. 2019. Social protection in conflict and conflict-affected Arab countries: key challenges and policy recommendations. MOST Policy Paper/UNESCO. France.  
  • Barsoum, Ghada; Wahby, Sarah; Sarkar, Aditya. 2017 Youth and Employment in North Africa: A Regional Overview. International Labor Organization. Geneva
  • Barsoum, Ghada; Crépon, Bruno; Gardiner, Drew; Michel, Bastien; Moaz, Marwa; Pariente, William. 2015. Evaluating the Effects of Entrepreneurship Edutainment in Egypt: Randomized Controlled Trial Baseline Report. Taqeem Impact Report Series, Issue 1. International Labor Organization. What Works in Youth Employment Series. Geneva. September 2015
  • Barsoum, Ghada; Mohamed Ramadan and Mona Mostafa. 2014. Labour market transitions of young women and men in Egypt. International Labour Organization. Work4Youth Publication Series No. 16. Geneva. June 2014.
  • League of Arab States. 2014. The Arab Youth Report: the Road toward Citizenship and Participation. Commissioned by the Population Policies and Expatriates and Migration Department.  Social Affairs Division League of Arab States
  • Population Council.  2010. Survey of Young People in Egypt. Preliminary Results. The Population Council. Cairo, Egypt.  February, 2010
  • Barsoum, Ghada; Nadia Rifaat, Omaima El-Gibaly, Nihal Elwan and Natalie Forcier.  2010. Towards FGM-Free Villages in Egypt. A Mid-Term Evaluation and Documentation of the FGM-Free Village Model Project. The Population Council. Cairo, Egypt.  June 2010
  • Barsoum, Ghada; Mohamed Ramadan and Safaa El Kogali. 2010. Youth Life Transitions: Opportunities, Capabilities and Risks. In Egypt Human Development Report. Youth in Egypt: Building Our Future. United Nations Development Programme, and the Institute of National Planning. Cairo. Egypt. 
  • Nassar, Heba; Ghada Barsoum; Fadia Elwan and Hanan Shair. 2010. Education for the 21st Century. In Egypt Human Development Report. Youth in Egypt: Building Our Future.  United Nations Development Programme, and the Institute of National Planning. Cairo. Egypt. 
  • Barsoum, Ghada. 2009. Adolescent Reproductive Health and Youth. In Population Status in Egypt: ICPD @ 15. The Egyptian Cabinet Information and Decision Support Center, Evidence-Based Population Policy and United Nations Population Fund.  Cairo.  Egypt.

Encyclopedia Entries

  • Barsoum, Ghada. 2018. Entry on Youth Unemployment in Egypt. In Global Encyclopedia of Public Administration, Public Policy, and Governance. Edited by Ali Farazmand. Available in print and on line. 

Published Policy Briefs:

  • Barsoum, Ghada. 2017. Unleashing the Economic Gains of Young Women’s Employment in Urban Informal Areas in Egypt: A Policy Brief. Population Council. Cairo, Egypt
  • Barsoum, Ghada and Hampel, Kevin. 2016. Building on the Good, Learning from the Bad: Towards a New Generation of Youth Employment Programmes in Egypt. International Labor Organization and Population Council.  Impact Brief Series, Issue 8.  Available soon on line at ilo.org/taqueem.
  • Barsoum, Ghada. 2013. Social Protection and Employment Informality: A Discussion of Policy Options. A Policy Brief (Printed and disseminated in Arabic)
  • Barsoum, Ghada. 2013. The Relevance of International Models of Youth Labor Market Insertion Policies to Egypt: A Policy Brief (Printed and disseminated in Arabic)
  • Barsoum, Ghada. 2013. Youth Employment Issues in Egypt:  Policy Options Addressing Unemployment and the Growing Job Informality - A Policy Brief   (summarized and disseminated in English through Cairo Review)

Published Working Papers

  • Barsoum, Ghada; and Majbouri, Mahdi. 2021. A Time of Great Intensity: The Pandemic Effect on Work, Care work, and Subjective Wellbeing in MENA Countries.  Economic Research Forum. Working Paper No. 1528. December 2021.
  • Barsoum, Ghada; and Dina Abdallah. 2020. Still the Employer of Choice: Evolution of Public Sector Employment in Egypt. Economic Research Forum. Working Paper No. 1386. April 2020.
  • Barsoum, Ghada. 2017. Educated young women’s employment decisions in Egypt: A qualitative account. SAHWA Scientific Papers No. 13.
  • Barsoum, Ghada. 2014. Aligning Incentives to Reforming Higher Education in Egypt: The Role of Private Institutions. Economic Research Forum Working Paper Series. Number: 833. Cairo. Egypt
  • Barsoum, Ghada and Nader Mryyan. 2014. Incentives Structure and Accountability in the Jordanian Higher Education System. Economic Research Forum Working Paper Series. Number: 835. Cairo. Egypt
  • Barsoum, Ghada. 2014. Young People’s Job Aspirations in Egypt and the Continued Preference for a Government Job. Economic Research Forum Working Paper Series. Number: 838. Cairo. Egypt
  • Barsoum, Ghada. 2012. Labor Market Policies and Informality. The Social-Economic Situation of Middle East Youth on the Eve of the Arab Spring. Workshop Discussion Paper. Middle East Youth Initiative.  Silatech, Issam Fares Institute for International Policy and Public Affairs. The American University in Beirut. Lebanon
  • Barsoum, Ghada; Ali Rashed; Dahlia Hassanein. (2009). When There is 'No Respect' at Work: Job Quality Issues for Women in Egypt’s Private Sector. Population Council. Gender and Work in The Middle East and North Africa Working Papers Series. Vol 8, August 2009
  • Assaad, Ragui and Barsoum, Ghada. (2007). Youth Exclusion in Egypt. In search of “Second Chances.” Middle East Youth Initiative Working Paper. Wolfensohn Center for Development. Dubai School of Government

Consultancies

  • The World Bank – Egypt, December 2021 – date. Regional Study Team: Informality in the Middle East Region
  • UNICEF – Egypt, June 2021-March 2022: Situation Analysis for Children and Adolescents in Egypt. National Team Leader (with Development Pathways)
  • UNDP – Bahrain; December 2020: Validation of 12-Module Policy Makers Course on Gendered policies
  • UNESCO – Cairo office; December 2018: Social Protection as a Contributor to Building Inclusive Societies and Leaving No One Behind in Conflict and Conflict-Affected Arab Countries. Paper for Discussion at the MOST (Management of Social Transformations) Forum of Arab Social and Health Ministers on “Multi-Dimensional Social Protection Policies in Conflict and Conflict-Affected Arab States” Sharm El-Sheikh – Egypt, 4 December 2018
  • International Labor Organization; Geneva; January, 2018 – April, 2018: External Collaborator, assessing the impact on employability and quality of employment of non-formal apprenticeship in agriculture-related trades in Egypt.
  • International Labor Organization; Geneva; March, 2017 – October, 2017: External Collaborator, Lead author of the report prepared for the high level meeting on Youth and Employment in North Africa (YENA) in Geneva (September, 2017).
  • International Labor Organization; Geneva; October 10, 2013 – October, 30, 2013: Lead author of the national school-to-work transition report, analyzing data of the 2013 school-to-work transition survey
  • International Labor Organization (Youth Employment Network); Geneva; September 27 – October 31, 2012: Lead Consultant for a review of youth employment programs implemented in Egypt between 1990 and 2012
  • UNICEF; March 1, 2012 – June 15, 2012; Consultant: provided technical advice on research methods for the design of a qualitative study mapping of child protection / child welfare systems in Egypt
  • World Food Program; July 12, 2012 - August 15, 2012; Technical Reviewer,  reviewed a report on child labor in the agriculture sector in Egypt, with focus on the economic, culture, political and legal aspects
  • UNFPA/League of Arab States; August 1, 2011 - January 31, 2012; Consultant, commissioned to write the "Arab Youth Report"
  • International Labor Organization; December 1, 2011 - December 31, 2011; Technical review of a report on child labor in Egypt
  • Population Council; September 1, 2010 - December 30, 2011; Consultant. Provided training and participated in the production of the Final Report on the Survey of Young People in Egypt.

Professional Memberships, Service, and Media Contributions

  • President (2021-present): The Association for Middle Eastern Public Policy and Administration (AMEPPA)
  • Site Visitor: The Network of Schools of Public Policy, Affairs, and Administration (NASPAA)
  • Grant Proposal Reviewer: Economic and Social Research Council (UK); Arab Council of Social Sciences (Lebanon); 
  • Member of the Compare College of Reviewers.  British Association for International and Comparative Education – invited. (February, 2019- date)
  • Member of the editorial board: Feminist Economics (term starts January 2018 for three years) – invited
  • Journal Reviewer: Reviewed articles for the following journals: World Development; Feminist Economics,  Social Policy and Administration, Journal of Rural Studies,  International Sociology; Social Policy and Administration; International Journal of Sociology and Social Policy; Studies in Higher Education; Journal of Development in Practice; IZA Journal of Labor & Development; American Journal of Sociology; Social Science & Medicine; Affilia: Journal of Women and Social Work; Economic Research-Ekonomska Istraživanja; and Asian Journal of Comparative Politics.
  • Book Reviewer: Routledge, 2017
  • Member, International Society for Third-Sector Research. (January 2011 - Present).
  • Member at Large, Section on Effective and Sound Administration in the Middle East (SESAME), American Society of Public Administration (ASPA). (March 2014 – March 2015).
  • Secretary, Member of the Executive Committee, Section on Effective and Sound Administration in the Middle East (SESAME), American Society of Public Administration (ASPA). (Secretary from March 2014 to March 2015).
  • Member/reviewer, Arab Council for the Social Sciences. (2012 - Present).
  • Member, Taqueem Evaluation Council; International Labor Organization

Media Contributions

(Selected List)

  • PhD, 2005, University of Toronto, Canada
  • 2015: Moataz Al Alfi Faculty Research Award, School of Global Affairs and Public Policy
  • 2014: Certificate of Research Excellence - Moataz Al Alfi Research Award, School of Global Affairs and Public Policy
  • 2014: Research grant, The American University in Cairo
  • 2014: Travel Grant, Arab Council for Social Sciences
  • 2013: Research grant, UNDP Regional Office
  • 2011: Research grant, The Ford Foundation
  • Research Methods for Public Policy and Administration
  • Gender in Public Policy 
  • Qualitative Analysis for Policy and Administration
  • Social Policy in the Middle East
  • Social Service Reform
  • Essentials of Public Policy and Administration
  • Core Concepts and Applications for Social and Environmental Policy