rithanya-senthilkumar/egypt-literacy-autonomy-analysis

Analysis of the relationship between female literacy rates and financial autonomy in Egypt using survey data. Reveals a surprising U-shaped trend, challenging the assumption that higher literacy always leads to more empowerment. Includes data visualization and possible sociocultural explanations. # Egypt Literacy & Financial Autonomy Analysis ## Overview This project explores the relationship between **female literacy rates** and **financial autonomy** in Egypt. Using survey data, the analysis reveals a surprising **U-shaped trend** — as literacy rates initially rise, women’s financial autonomy declines before increasing again. The findings challenge the assumption that higher literacy always leads to greater empowerment. ## Data - **Source:** kaggle.com - **Variables:** - Female literacy rate (%) - % of women in a union who are paid for their work **and** decide alone how to use their earnings ## Methodology 1. Cleaned and structured the dataset for analysis. 2. Created a scatter plot visualizing the relationship between literacy rates (x-axis) and financial autonomy (y-axis). 3. Identified and interpreted the U-shaped pattern. 4. Explored possible explanations using literature and context on Egypt’s sociocultural environment. ## Findings - Literacy increases from ~36% to ~46% while financial autonomy **drops** from ~30% to ~16%. - After ~46% literacy, financial autonomy starts rising again, reaching over 30% at ~54–55% literacy. - Possible reasons for the initial drop: - Cultural change lagging behind educational gains - Women entering the workforce but lacking bargaining power at home - Male backlash as women gain skills ## Discussion The results highlight that **education alone may not be enough** to improve women’s autonomy without parallel changes in cultural norms, economic opportunities, and household power dynamics. ## How to Run 1. Clone the repository: ```bash git clone github.com