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Engendering Economic Policy in Africa

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  • Abena D. Oduro
  • Irene van Staveren

Abstract

Despite Africa's relatively commendable growth performance since 2000, growth has not been accompanied by structural transformations. First, there has been little diversification from agriculture into industry, particularly manufacturing. Second, the poverty headcount and inequality remain high in many countries, even as African countries continue to rank lowest on the United Nations Development Programme's Gender Inequality Index. This contribution goes beyond the individualistic approach of supply-side policies and unveils deeper mechanisms that need to be tackled for the two transformations (diversification and inequality reduction) to occur. It demonstrates that gender inequality relies on unwritten but dominant social norms, hence, informal institutions. The removal of formal legislation that constrains women's agency, the enactment of formal laws, and the implementation of economic policies designed specifically to create incentives for behavior change are recommended.

Suggested Citation

  • Abena D. Oduro & Irene van Staveren, 2015. "Engendering Economic Policy in Africa," Feminist Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 21(3), pages 1-22, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:femeco:v:21:y:2015:i:3:p:1-22
    DOI: 10.1080/13545701.2015.1059467
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. UNDP Africa, 2012. "Africa Human Development Report 2012 Towards a Food Secure Future," UNDP Africa Reports 267636, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
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    Cited by:

    1. Elena Bárcena-Martín & Samuel Medina-Claros & Salvador Pérez-Moreno, 2021. "Economic Gender gap in the Global South: How Public Institutions Matter," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 158(2), pages 459-483, December.
    2. Bárcena‐Martín, Elena & Medina‐Claros, Samuel & Pérez‐Moreno, Salvador, 2020. "Economic gender gap in the Global South: how institutional quality matters," MERIT Working Papers 2020-025, United Nations University - Maastricht Economic and Social Research Institute on Innovation and Technology (MERIT).

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