Gender Equality Policies and African Women

Abstract

Sub-Saharan African states have, by global standards, made greater advances in gender equality policy than anywhere else in the world. But despite such advances, African women are still lacking the material and political resources to really be equal. This chapter explores this paradox, examining the successes and challenges of African gender equality policy across the continent. By focusing on three policy areas of gender equality – women in government, women in the economy, and male violence against women – the scope of Africa’s commitment to addressing gender inequality is evident. I examine the three most common explanations for all of these gender equality policies, including institutional design, the role of women, and disruption or “flux” in regimes. I then argue that gender equality is often poorly implemented, in part because gender equality has come to mean “add women,” which leaves gendered institutions in place and only benefits some women. By examining how informal practices mar implementation, one can begin to see how adding women does not necessarily destabilize gender and may actually reinforce it to the detriment of women. I conclude by arguing for a re-framing of gender equality as women’s inclusion, seeking to foster further debate on if and how these policies can really help women achieve equality.