African Development Bank reports on Comoros, Democratic Republic of Congo, South Sudan, and Seychelles show advances in addressing gender discrimination - despite uneven rates of progress - and provide new data to help develop policies to accelerate gender equality.
The African Development Bank Group's Country Gender Profiles assess the state of gender equality in each country and provide concrete recommendations on actions.
Prepared in collaboration with the Bank's regional member countries, civil society organizations, and development partners including UN Women and the European Union, the Country Gender Profiles are reference guides to strengthen gender responsiveness in development interventions, improve gender equality, and foster women's empowerment.
"We can only improve what we know, and what we know is what we measure. The data we see through country gender profiles are a critical development tool to improve the design, implementation, and tracking of policy and actions based on evidence," said Basil Jones, the Bank's Lead Gender Program and Policy Coordinator.
Despite progress, the profiles show that poverty disproportionately affects women. The COVID-19 pandemic, coupled with the impact of global crises, particularly on food security, have worsened gender inequalities - especially gender-based violence.
Some highlights from the Country Gender Profiles include:
- Comoros: The female labour market participation rate shows a nearly 5 percentage point increase over 15 years, from 33.6% in 2003 to 38.4% in 2018. Despite this progress, women are still over-represented in precarious employment, such as daily labour in the informal sector.
- Democratic Republic of Congo: Gender disparities are prevalent in accessing human capital and development opportunities. In education, at the primary level, schooling for girls and boys is approximately equivalent, but a gap widens upon entry into secondary school: 38.4% of girls are enrolled in secondary school compared to 57.3% for boys. Girls are generally less educated and have fewer professional opportunities.
- Seychelles: The country profile reveals several systemic issues that profoundly influence gender equality in Seychelles. The country is addressing these issues in two ways:
-operationalizing the national gender policy released in 2016.
-addressing gender issues institutionally.
- South Sudan: Long-term conflict has exacerbated the gap in gender roles and opportunities. South Sudanese women have poorer access to food security, economic resilience, maternity and reproductive care, and political protection. Women's representation in parliament stood at 26.2% in 2020.
The Bank has published more than two dozen Country Gender Profiles since 2020. The latest publications are part of a roll out of the Bank's Gender Strategy for 2021-2025, "Investing in Africa's women to accelerate inclusive growth." In 2023, the Bank also published Country Gender Profiles for Rwanda, Zambia, Tanzania (Zanzibar), Ghana and Nigeria.
To view and download African Development Bank Country Gender Profiles, click here.
