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Gender and Growth in Sub-Saharan Africa: Issues and Evidence

Author

Listed:
  • Mark Blackden
  • Sudharshan Canagarajah
  • Stephan Klasen
  • David Lawson

Abstract

The study suggests that gender inequality acts as a significant constraint to growth in sub-Saharan Africa, and that removing gender-based barriers to growth will make a substantial contribution to realizing Africa's economic potential. In particular we highlight gender gaps in education, related high fertility levels, gender gaps in formal sector employment, and gender gaps in access to assets and inputs in agricultural production as particular barriers reducing the ability of women to contribute to economic growth.

Suggested Citation

  • Mark Blackden & Sudharshan Canagarajah & Stephan Klasen & David Lawson, 2006. "Gender and Growth in Sub-Saharan Africa: Issues and Evidence," WIDER Working Paper Series RP2006-37, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
    • Handle: RePEc:unu:wpaper:rp2006-37
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    File URL: https://www.wider.unu.edu/sites/default/files/rp2006-37.pdf
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Aniruddha Mitra & James T. Bang & Arnab Biswas, 2015. "Gender Equality and Economic Growth: Is it Equality of Opportunity or Equality of Outcomes?," Feminist Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 21(1), pages 110-135, January.
    2. Frederic, DOCQUIER & B. Lindsay, LOWELL & Abdeslam, MARFOUK, 2007. "A gendered assessment of the brain drain," Discussion Papers (ECON - Département des Sciences Economiques) 2007045, Université catholique de Louvain, Département des Sciences Economiques.
    3. Tewodros Makonnen Gebrewolde & James Rockey, 2017. "The Global Gender Gap in Labor Income," Discussion Papers in Economics 17/14, Division of Economics, School of Business, University of Leicester.
    4. Artuc, Erhan & Docquier, Frédéric & Özden, Çaglar & Parsons, Christopher, 2015. "A Global Assessment of Human Capital Mobility: The Role of Non-OECD Destinations," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 65(C), pages 6-26.
    5. Tsusaka, Takuji W. & Orr, Alastair & Msere, Harry W. & Homann-KeeTui, Sabine & Maimisa, Penias & Twanje, Gift H. & Botha, Rosemary, 2016. "Do Commercialization and Mechanization of a “Women’s Crop” Disempower Women Farmers? Evidence from Zambia and Malawi," 2016 Annual Meeting, July 31-August 2, Boston, Massachusetts 235885, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.
    6. Stephanie Seguino, 2012. "Macroeconomics, Human Development, and Distribution," Journal of Human Development and Capabilities, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 13(1), pages 59-81, February.
    7. Pierre-Richard AGENOR & Otaviano CANUTO, 2012. "Access to Infrastructure and Women’s Time Allocation: Evidence and a Framework for Policy Analysis," Working Papers P45, FERDI.
    8. Michel Beine & Sara Salomone, 2010. "Migration and Networks: Does Education Matter more than Gender?," CESifo Working Paper Series 3010, CESifo.
    9. Frédéric Docquier & B. Lindsay Lowell & Abdeslam Marfouk, 2009. "A Gendered Assessment of Highly Skilled Emigration," Population and Development Review, The Population Council, Inc., vol. 35(2), pages 297-321, June.
    10. Maryam Naghsh Nejad & Andrew T. Young, 2014. "Female Brain Drains and Women's Rights Gaps : A Gravity Model Analysis of Bilateral Migration Flows," Working Papers 14-10, Department of Economics, West Virginia University.
    11. Agénor, Pierre-Richard & Canuto, Otaviano & da Silva, Luiz Pereira, 2014. "On gender and growth: The role of intergenerational health externalities and women's occupational constraints," Structural Change and Economic Dynamics, Elsevier, vol. 30(C), pages 132-147.
    12. E. Wairimu Mwangi & J. Mark Erbaugh & Kallunde Sibuga & Amon Maerere & Monica Waiganjo, 2015. "Gendered and Contextual Factors in the Design of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Programs for Tomato Growers in East Africa," International Journal of Social Science Research, Macrothink Institute, vol. 3(2), pages 56-72, September.
    13. Pierre-Richard Agénor & Baris Alpaslan, 2013. "Child Labor, Intra-Household Bargaining and Economic Growth," Centre for Growth and Business Cycle Research Discussion Paper Series 181, Economics, The University of Manchester.
    14. Docquier, Frédéric & Marfouk, Abdeslam & Salomone, Sara & Sekkat, Khalid, 2012. "Are Skilled Women More Migratory than Skilled Men?," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 40(2), pages 251-265.
    15. Awel, Ahmed Mohammed, 2013. "The long-run Relationship between Human Capital and Economic Growth in Sweden," MPRA Paper 45183, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    16. Agénor, Pierre-Richard & Canuto, Otaviano, 2012. "Measuring the Effect of Gender-Based Policies on Economic Growth," World Bank - Economic Premise, The World Bank, issue 85, pages 1-6, June.
    17. Pierre-Richard Agénor, 2012. "A Computable OLG Model for Gender and Growth Policy Analysis," Centre for Growth and Business Cycle Research Discussion Paper Series 169, Economics, The University of Manchester.
    18. Rama Lionel Ngenzebuke & Yoko Akachi, 2017. "Female work status and child nutritional outcome in Nigeria," WIDER Working Paper Series 196, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
    19. Rama Lionel Ngenzebuke, 2017. "The Returns of "I Do": Multifaceted Female Decision-making and Agricultural Yields in Tanzania," Working Papers ECARES ECARES 2017-05, ULB -- Universite Libre de Bruxelles.
    20. Steinert, Janina Isabel & Cluver, Lucie Dale & Meinck, Franziska & Doubt, Jenny & Vollmer, Sebastian, 2018. "Household economic strengthening through financial and psychosocial programming: Evidence from a field experiment in South Africa," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 134(C), pages 443-466.
    21. David Cuberes & Marc Teignier, 2012. "Gender Gaps in the Labor Market and Aggregate Productivity," Working Papers 2012017, The University of Sheffield, Department of Economics.
    22. Pierre-Richard Agénor & Madina Agénor, 2014. "Infrastructure, women’s time allocation, and economic development," Journal of Economics, Springer, vol. 113(1), pages 1-30, September.
    23. Davis, Kristin & Ekboir, Javier & Mekasha, Wendmsyamregne & Ochieng, Cosmas M.O. & Spielman, David J. & Zerfu, Elias, 2007. "Strengthening agricultural education and training in Sub-Saharan Africa from an innovation systems perspective: Case studies of Ethiopia and Mozambique," IFPRI discussion papers 736, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
    24. Nikièma, Béatrice & Haddad, Slim & Potvin, Louise, 2008. "Women Bargaining to Seek Healthcare: Norms, Domestic Practices, and Implications in Rural Burkina Faso," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 36(4), pages 608-624, April.
    25. Khayria Karoui & Rochdi Feki, 2018. "The Effect of Gender Inequality on Economic Development: Case of African Countries," Journal of the Knowledge Economy, Springer;Portland International Center for Management of Engineering and Technology (PICMET), vol. 9(1), pages 294-300, March.

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