The Contribution of African Women to Economic Growth and Development in Post-Colonial Africa : Historical Perspectives and Policy Implications

Akyeampong, Emmanuel ; Fofack, Hippolyte

World Bank, Washington, DC

关键词: ACCESS OF WOMEN;    ACCESS TO EDUCATION;    ACCESS TO RESOURCES;    ACCESS TO SCHOOLING;    ADULT EDUCATION;   

DOI  :  10.1596/1813-9450-6537
RP-ID  :  WPS6537

学科分类：社会科学、人文和艺术（综合）

来源: World Bank Open Knowledge Repository

【 摘 要 】

This paper draws on history,anthropology, and economics to examine the dynamics andextent of women's contribution to growth and economicdevelopment in post-colonial Africa. The paper investigatesthe paradox of increased female enrollment in education andthe persistence of gender discrimination in labor forceparticipation; it also considers the overwhelming importanceof the informal economy in female economic activity. Thefirst axis the paper studies is whether reducing educationalgender gaps enhances growth in per capita gross domesticproduct and reduces female fertility rates and infantmortality. The question is, why would some African countriesresist this pattern? The second axis examines agricultureand home production. Women's economic activities in theinformal economy largely represent the commercialization ofdomestic skills and dependence on social networks. Theshunting of female production to the informal sector in themale-dominated colonial economy is easy to understand, butwhy has the informal economy persisted where femaleproduction is concerned well beyond the colonial period? Thepaper attempts to explain these trajectories by usingcountry case studies on Senegal, Botswana, and Kenya.Although women's contribution to growth and economicdevelopment seems to be positive and significant inpredominantly Christian and mineral-rich economies, it ismore constrained in pronounced Muslim dominated countriesand agrarian economies. At the same time, impressive uniformgrowth in informal sector production in recent yearssuggests that occupational job segregation and genderinequality remain strong across the region, despite theapparent loosening of traditional norms and culturalbeliefs, most notably illustrated by the reduction ineducational gender gaps and increased female labor forceparticipation rates.