Exploring the Underlying Barriers for the Successful Transition for Women from Higher Education to Employment in Egypt: A Focus Group Study

Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

The work is interesting because it contributes to the literature on the female condition in developing countries. An important limitation of the work lies in its purely qualitative nature, but above all in the low number of participants in the focus groups... I understand it's about 30 people.

However, the contribution highlights significant issues, albeit partly already known. The debate on these topics in an international journal is certainly important.

My suggestions to make the work more interesting are as follows.

Firstly, the literature on women's condition in Egypt should be expanded.

Secondly, it would be advisable to include a section containing data on the female condition in Egypt: percentages of women in different levels of education, employment, marital status, possibly also over the years.

Minor remarks:

1)     The introduction should include an outline of the paper, that is, an overview of the structure and content of the work.

2)     Specify the characteristics of the focus groups and the number of participants more clearly.

 

 

Comments on the Quality of English Language

good/ Minor editing of English language required

Author Response

The authors are very grateful for all the comments, time, and efforts of the reviewer. We have revised the manuscript based on your comments. We hope to receive a positive response towards publishing our manuscript.

Thank you.

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Reviewer 2 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

This manuscript addresses the important topic of rural women's acquisition of higher education to employment.

You can strengthen this discussion for readers not familiar with Eyptian culture by further developing the following areas:

1.  Please further elaborate your theoretical position.  You might reference Ester Boserup's seminal research on the need for women -- including In Africa -- to have access to education and employment.  Also,  you might cite Kabeer's work (or others) on women's empowerment, including through education and employment.  Also Bourdieu writes specifically about how education reproduces the status quo, in this case that students from rural backgrounds and women do not have the same access to education -- and thus gainful employment -- as urban men.

2. You can make the compelling statements by the women contacted by telling readers more about who they are -- their ages, marital status, etc.  This can be in the text or in a table that readers can refer to.

3. It would help readers unfamiliar with Egypt to have a discussion earlier of gender role ideals and the division of labor and family dynamics that preclude parents wanting to send their children to school.  

4. Please provide a stronger profile of Egypt's workforce -- what percentage of women work?  How is this shaped by age, marital status or place of residence?

5.  You conclusion will be all the more significant by elaborating how age, marital status or motherhood, place of birth, socioeconomic class, shape opportunities for acquiring education and entering the labor force.

Author Response

The authors are very grateful for all the comments, time, and efforts of the reviewer. We have revised the manuscript based on your comments. We hope to receive a positive response towards publishing our manuscript.

Thank you.

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Round 2

Reviewer 2 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

You did an excellent job with the revisions.