Women are the face of the global health workforce, constituting an average of 67 percent of those employed in the health and social care sector globally.1 However, this global average often conceals significant regional and national differences, particularly in terms of labor force participation, employment and gender equality. The World Health Organization (WHO) Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMR) is a region where, on average, men form the majority of those with paid employment in the health and care sector.2 These regional and national differences in women’s participation in labor markets, especially in the health sector, indicate a need for context-specific policies explicitly linked to women’s economic empowerment. This policy paper aims to examine women’s employment in health in the EMR to expand the evidence base and understand the factors influencing women’s representation in the health workforce. Section 1 provides an overview of women’s participation in the health workforce. Limited evidence exists on the drivers of women’s employment in health in the Eastern Mediterranean Region. Section 2 examines what drives and the factors that constrain women’s participation. The report analyzes data through a gender lens to explore the relationship between overall female labor force participation and employment in health. It also investigates differentials in working conditions, such as pay for women and men in the health and care sectors. Three detailed case studies examine how political, cultural and social norms influence women’s engagement in the health labor market. This combined evidence identifies policy opportunities to enhance women’s participation and economic empowerment across the sector. The report underscores significant regional variations in women’s participation in the health workforce. Section 3 concludes with lessons learned and the policy implications. Despite challenges, the report concludes that employment in health in the Eastern Mediterranean remains appealing for women, even in countries with low overall female labor force participation. Targeted actions can catalyze women’s empowerment in these contexts.