Women have lagged in achieving gender equality across the Middle East despite its strong association with Islamic traditions. Using global data on oil production, female employment patterns and political representation levels alongside a comparison between Algeria (oil-rich) and Morocco/Tunisia (oil-poor), this paper argues that Petroleum dominance explains women’s rights setbacks

> Oil’s Role in Gender Disparities

• Oil wealth reduces women's participation in the workforce
• This weakens their political influence over time
• Results: Atypical patriarchal institutions become entrenched

This finding has important implications for understanding the resource curse phenomenon, challenging previous assumptions about Islam’s singular role in gender inequality.