This entry examines Egyptian women's access to credit and the implications for women's economic participation. First, however, access to credit needs to be understood within the macroeconomic context of the country, which has undergone a shift from a state-led economy under President Nasser in the 1950s and 1960s to the adoption of Infitah, an open-door policy under President Sadat in the 1970s. Under the adoption of an open-market economy system, the government has actively sought to promote the private sector as the engine for growth, especially by increasing employment.

One way t…