GDI values by sub-region
Source: Computed by the AfHDR Team from data in UNDP, 2015.
0.0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1.0
All Africa North Africa Southern Africa East Africa
West Africa Central Africa
Female HDI Female/male HDI
Male HDI
Gender parity in primary school enrolment
Source: UN Statistical Database, accessed 1 June 2016.
Human development progress and trends
Human development in Africa is rising and low human development countries are catching up, despite persisting inequality within countries and between women and men.
17 African countries across the 5 regions have attained medium and high human development – Southern Africa (6), North Africa (5), Central Africa (4), West Africa (2), and East Africa (5).
Women on average achieve 87% of the human development outcome of males mainly due to less command over economic resources but also due to poorer health and education outcomes.
Women’s health, education and security
The gender gap in primary education has closed, some progress on secondary and tertiary.
However, women and girls in Africa are at risk from premature deaths.
Between 1990 and 2008, there were an additional 540 million premature deaths for girls and women under 60 – most occurring for women aged between 15 and 49.
The most at-risk women are those of child bearing age. If adolescent births fall by 10%, women’s life expectancy will rise by 9 months and adult female mortality rate will fall by 11%.
SeychellesAlgeria Libya Tunisia
Very high or high human development
Ghana
Cabo Verde Botswana
Namibia South Africa Egypt
Morocco Gabon Republic of the Congo Equatorial Guinea
Medium human development
Kenya Tanzania Comoros Rwanda Uganda Sudan
Djibouti South Sudan Ethiopia Burundi Eritrea Swaziland
Lesotho Zimbabwe Malawi Mozambique Angola
Mauritania Democratic Republic of Congo
Chad
Central African Republic Madagascar Cameroon Low human development
Nigeria Togo Benin Senegal Côte d’Ivoire The Gambia
Liberia Guinea-Bissau Mali Sierra Leone Guinea Burkina Faso Niger
Mauritius
Zambia Sao Tome and Principe
Human development levels in Africa August 2016
FACT SHEET: Africa Human Development Report 2016
Accelerating gender equality and women’s empowerment in Africa
Child marriage prevalence by Africa sub-region
>70%
40-49%
21-39%
11-20%
1-10%
50-60%
Northern Western Central Eastern Southern
Algeria
3
Egypt
17
Liberia
36
Morocco
16
Tunisia
2
Sudan
33
Benin
32 BurkinaFaso52
Niger
76
Ghana
21
Guinea
52
Togo
22
Mali
55
Mauritania
34
Nigeria
43
Senegal
32 Leone39Sierra
Guinea-Bissau22
Burundi
20
Djibouti
5
Madagascar
41
Zambia
31
Zimbabwe
34
Tanzania
37
Eritrea
41 41Ethiopia
Somalia
45 40Uganda
Malawi
46
Rwanda
8 SouthSudan52
Mozambique
48
Kenya
23
Cape Verde18
Côted’Ivoire
33
Lesotho
19
Namibia
7 Swaziland7
SouthAfrica6
Cameroon
38 CAR 68 Chad 68
Congo (Rep. of the)
33
Congo (Dem. Rep. of the)
37
STP
34
Gabon
22
The Gambia
30 Guinea 37Equatorial
>70%
50-60%
40-49%
21-39%
11-20%
1-10%
0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9 1.0
1.1 Africa
West Southern North East Central
West Africa East Africa
Central Africa Africa
1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 2013
North Africa Southern Africa
Women and work
More African women in the workplace is driving growth – up to 61% of women participate in labour force.
There are more women working and Africa’s labour gender gap is closing.
Yet more women in labour market is not leading to well-paying jobs and productive enterprises for women.
In sub-Saharan Africa, the average unadjusted gender pay gap is estimated at 30 percent. Thus, for every $1 earned by men in manufacturing, services and trade, women earn 70 cents.
Results confirm that Africa is missing its full growth potential because a sizeable portion of its growth reserve – women – is not fully utilized.
The estimated total annual economic losses due to gender gaps in labour market average $ 95 billion per year since 2010 in Sub-Saharan Africa and could be as high as US$105 billion (2014), i.e. 6% of GDP.
Women, politics and leadership
4 African countries in the top 10 globally – highest levels of women representation in parliament (Rwanda, Seychelles, Senegal, SA). And 16 countries surpassed the 30% threshold of representation in national Parliament.
Women leaders are more visible in parliament yet political structures still proscribe their full potential to shape the national and local political and policy agenda as there is only between 5 and 25% representation in senior positions in political parties in 12 countries.
Female and male led enterprises are equally productive yet the female led enterprises are still in the minority with only 7-30% African firms led by a woman.
Source: Computed by AfHDR Team.
26.13 23.38
24.31 30.16
36.38 42.31
48.68 56.54
64.54 61.38
81.89 91.52
95.66
$104.75
0.00 20.00 40.00 60.00 80.00 100.00 120.00
2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 20 11 2012 2013
Billion $
100.48
GDP Losses due to gender gap. In labour market in sub-Saharan Africa (Billion $)
Percentage of firms with female top managers
Women representation in lower houses of parliament in Africa (%)
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70%
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70%
ComorosNigeria SwazilandBenin Rep. of the CongoMali Dem. Rep. of the CongoGuinea-BissauBurkina FasoSierra LeoneMadagascarCote d'IvoireThe GambiaCabo VerdeBotswanaMauritiusMoroccoSomaliaDjiboutiMalawiZambiaLiberiaGhanaGabonKenyaNigerLibyaChadTogo Eritrea Guinea Equatorial GuineaSouth SudanMozambiqueSouth AfricaMauritaniaSeychellesZimbabweCameroonTanzaniaNamibiaRwandaLesothoBurundiEthiopiaSenegalUgandaTunisiaAlgeriaAngolaSudan
Beijing Platform for Action goal: 30% women in Parliament
44% 64%
42%43%
40%41%
37%39%
36%36%
32%35%
31%32%
31%31%
25%27%
24%25%
22%22%
21%21%
18%20%
17%17%
15%16%
14%14%
13%14%
13%13%
12%12%
11%11%
9%10%
9%9%
9%9%
7%7%
6%6%
3%
0 5 10 15 20 25 30
Sudan (2014) Morocco (2013) Ethiopia (2015) Mauritania (2014) Chad (2009) Sierra Leone (2009) Eritrea (2009) Tunisia (2013) South Sudan (2014) Cameroon (2009) Dem. Rep. of the Congo (2013) Burkina Faso (2009) Niger (2009) Gabon (2009) Central African Republic (2011) Kenya (2013) Angola (2010) Nigeria (2014) Tanzania (2013) Senegal (2014) Djibouti (2013) Malawi (2014) Sub-Saharan Africa Ghana (2013) Togo (2009) Burundi (2014) Botswana (2010) Cabo Verde (2009) Rep. of the Congo (2009) Zimbabwe (2011) Rwanda (2011) Mali (2010) Lesotho (2009) Zambia (2013) Benin (2009) Namibia (2014) Madagascar (2013) Liberia (2009)
Source: Compiled by the AfHDR Team from World Bank, 2015b.
Policy and institutional conduits for gender equality
Strategic pathways for addressing gender inequality
Source: Adapted from WHO, 2015.
ECONOMIC ACCESS Land and landed properties
Financial servies Labour markets
Technology
HOUSEHOLD CONTROL Task and resource
allocations Fertility and marriage
decisions
SOCIETAL LEVERAGE Civic and political
participation Expanded leadership
in organizations POLICIES AND INSTITUTIONS
FOR GENDER EQUALITY
Legal and social forms
African countries have adopted international and regional frameworks on human and women’s rights but there is a significant gap between intention and practice. The Gambia and Tanzania banned early marriage this year. A more concerted effort is needed to bring many more countries into alignment.
Legal instruments are necessary but not sufficient in the face of parallel systems of customary law.
Negative social institutions and norms create a stumbling block for advancing gender equality and women’s empowerment.
Effective institutional responses for gender equality
An effective institutional response must first ensure that gender equality considerations are at the heart of policy and public expenditure decisions.
This must be complemented by more effective gender-focused institutions that work with all actors to facilitate the process.
An agenda for action
Use gender equality as the organizing policy lens for all development planning and implementation.
Deploy strong leadership and accountability to directly tackle destructive norms.
Make critical choices and investments to give priority to gender equality.
Create adaptive national institutional capacities and representative institutions.
Use gender disaggregated data and gender responsive analysis for improved decision-making.
Promote alliances including regional and South-South cooperation in designing and implementing gender-focused policies and initiatives.
Use gender equality as the organizing policy lens for all development planning and implementation.
Deploy strong leadership and accountability to directly tackle destructive norms.
Make critical choices and investments to give priority to gender equality.
Create adaptive national institutional capacities and representative institutions.
Use gender disaggregated data and gender responsive analysis for improved decision-making.
Promote alliances including regional and South-South cooperation in designing and implementing gender-focused policies and initiatives.
Agenda for action
Discrimination against women
Source: Designed by the AfHDR Team from Social Institutions and Gender Index (OECD, 2014).
Note: Discriminatory family code · restricted physical integrity · son bias restricted resources and assets · restricted civil liberties
Very low Low
Medium
High
Very high
Northern Western Central Eastern Southern
Liberia
.38
Benin
.28
BurkinaFaso
.28
Niger
.44
Ghana
Guinea .30 .32
Mali.52
Nigeria
.39 Leone.37Sierra
Guinea-Bissau
.21
Ethiopia
.24
Madagascar
.10
Somalia
.46
Zambia
.45
Tanzania
.25
Uganda
.22
Malawi
.21
Angola
.17
Egypt
.43
Morocco
.11
Sudan
.52
Mauritania
.39
Tunisia
.20
Togo
.19 .20 Senegal
Burundi
.17
Zimbabwe
.14
Rwanda
.13 .14Mozambique
Kenya
.22
Côted’Ivoire
.25
Lesotho
Namibia .09 .12
Swaziland
.21
Cameroon
.28 CAR .33
Chad .47 .20
.43
Gabon
.40
The Gambia
.52
Rwanda
.13
SouthAfrica
.05
Congo (Rep. of the) Congo (Dem. Rep. of the)
ACHIEVING GENDER EQUALITY
Supporting the adoption of legal reforms, policies and programmes to advance women’s economic empowerment.
Supporting national capacities to promote and in- crease the participation and leadership of women in decision-making in the home, the economy and society.
Supporting capacity to implement multi-sectoral approaches to mitigate the impacts of discriminatory health and education practice.
Supporting women to gain access to ownership and management of environmental resources.
Source: Adapted from Changing with the World: UNDP Strategic Plan 2014-2017. New York.
