African women are still disproportionately affected by poverty, and the coronavirus pandemic is exacerbating gender inequalities, according to new African country gender profiles developed by the African Development Bank.
The profiles also found that gender stereotypes are present in most countries and have a negative impact on women's lives and livelihoods. Some of these impacts include a rise in gender-based violence, the heightened load of unpaid work and loss of livelihoods due to over-representation in the informal sector. The profiles call for gender issues to be prioritized in the Covid-19 recovery processes.
The Bank released country gender profiles for Burkina Faso, Malawi, Niger and Chad, which examine the state of gender equality in each designated country and provide concrete recommendations for governments, the Bank and development partners to accelerate gender equality in key sectors. The country gender profiles were prepared in collaboration with the Bank's Regional Member Countries, civil society organizations and development partners like UN Women.
"The country gender profiles aim to spark dialogue and support evidence-based reform on gender equality at national level. The profiles are a guide to inform development policy makers and enrich development programs to better address gender disparities," said Vanessa Moungar, Director of the Bank's Gender, Women and Civil Society Department.
Despite the gloomy picture, the reports show that there has been improvement in African countries' ability to address discriminatory laws and policies, and that the four countries covered in the publications have national gender policies and specific institutional mechanisms dedicated to gender equality.
Some highlights from the country gender profiles include:
"Gender data and analysis are critical but remain limited, slowing the achievement of the gender agenda. These reports, we hope, will help address this important challenge," said Amel Hamza, Division Manager for Gender and Women Empowerment at the Bank.
The Bank started country gender profiles in 2004, and the latest four publications in the series are part of the Bank's rollout of its new Gender Strategy for 2021-2025: "Investing in Africa's women to accelerate inclusive growth."
Download the profiles below.
Burkina Faso - English
Burkina Faso - French
Malawi - English
Malawi - French
Niger - English
Niger - French
Chad - English
Tchad - French
Contact:
Amba Mpoke-Bigg, Communication and External Relations Department, African Development Bank, email: a.mpoke-bigg@afdb.org
