This edited volume assesses the progress that sub-Saharan African countries have made towards gender equality and offers strategies that can be used to empower African women to contribute to the fulfilment of the United Nations’ (UN) 2030 sustainable development goals (SDGs). The contributing authors consider the goals identified during the 1995 United Nations World Conference on Women and the 2015 UN World Conference on Sustainable Development in New York—including no poverty, healthy life, quality education, gender equality, peace and justice, reduced inequalities, and decent work and economic growth—and document the advances made on these goals, with a special emphasis on African women’s experiences. They provide innovative ideas for accelerating achievement of the SDGs and address challenges and opportunities in tourism, business, politics, entrepreneurship, academia, financial inclusion, and the digital gender divide. This book will be of value to policymakers, non-profit organisations focused on gender equality and sustainable development, and academics and scholars who teach and study gender-related issues in the African continent.

This book uses an open, explorative approach to deal with the different aspects of gender discrimination and gender empowerment policies, as well as their impact on economic development and capacity-building in several African countries. It uses primary and secondary data to present the argument that, without the full input of women, sustainable development will not be achieved in many African countries. This book is the first text written by knowledgeable gender issue experts that understand the culture of, and lived and conducted research in, Africa. It provides many examples of the relationships between gender and economic development around the African continent, highlighting different processes and practices. As such, the contributors here illustrate the impact of weak gender policies, and the ability to adequately develop female capacity building that could lead to wide-spread sustainable economic growth in Africa. They also explore a wide range of new dimensions and variables that are commonly ignored by other text books on gender equality. The book will help graduate, undergraduate students and other readers to understand women’s policies in the past, present, and future by analysing and illustrating cultural, political and socio-historical contexts which have shaped women’s role in the economic and sustainable development of Africa.

This book adds significantly to the discourse surrounding the progress made in empowering women in Africa over the last decade, providing strong research evidence on diverse and timely gender issues in varied African countries. Topics covered include climate change and environmental degradation, agriculture and land rights, access to – and quality of – education, maternal and reproductive health, unpaid care and women’s labor market participation, financial inclusion and women’s political participation. Cross cutting issues such as migration, masculinities and social norms are also addressed in this volume, which is aimed at policy makers, academics, and indeed anyone else interested in the UN Sustainable Development Goal of the empowerment of women and girls.

This book uses an open, explorative approach to deal with the different aspects of gender discrimination and gender empowerment policies, as well as their impact on economic development and capacity-building in several African countries. It uses primary and secondary data to present the argument that, without the full input of women, sustainable development will not be achieved in many African countries. This book is the first text written by knowledgeable gender issue experts that understand the culture of, and lived and conducted research in, Africa. It provides many examples of the relationships between gender and economic development around the African continent, highlighting different processes and practices. As such, the contributors here illustrate the impact of weak gender policies, and the ability to adequately develop female capacity building that could lead to wide-spread sustainable economic growth in Africa. They also explore a wide range of new dimensions and variables that are commonly ignored by other text books on gender equality. The book will help graduate, undergraduate students and other readers to understand women's policies in the past, present, and future by analysing and illustrating cultural, political and socio-historical contexts which have shaped women's role in the economic and sustainable development of Africa.

This book describes the political, social, and economic connections between gender and the Covid-19 pandemic. The authors offer innovative ideas for recovery that will build a more prosperous, healthy, equitable, and sustainable future for African women and girls, targets identified under Goal 5 (Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment) of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals slated to be achieved by 2030. Within this context, authors identify issues related to the protection of women and girls from poverty, hunger, and gender-based violence; improved healthcare and healthcare workforce experiences; girl-child education; financial inclusion; and entrepreneurship opportunities for women in fintech, tourism, and information, communication and technology (ICT). The book concludes with a discussion of economic empowerment for women that focuses on normalising the ‘un-normal’ outcome of the pandemic. The book will be of value to policymakers, non-profit organisations, practitioners, and scholars who understand the importance of gender equality and women empowerment in the African continent.

This book analyzes female entrepreneurship in the textile sector in Africa as a phenomenon that favors the social integration and economic development of women in certain geographical areas. It identifies entrepreneurship as an avenue through which women can escape the feeling of being trapped in the home and assert their independence while providing for their families. In the field of fashion, female entrepreneurs in resource-rich Africa have significant opportunities through knowledge of natural resources and cultural traditions, as the use of natural fabrics and original designs is one of the latest trends. This book provides a framework for how African women can develop sustainable fashion enterprises, offering an original and lasting contribution to the field of entrepreneurship.

An inspiring, motivational and empowering book for all young women around the world, with a particular focus on Africa. Hynd Bouhia highlights throughout the 250 pages the importance of preparing women to embrace the digital transition and to play a central role in that trend and in economic growth. After 20 years of experience first in the US then back to Morocco, in both the private and the public sector, Hynd Bouhia condensed her knowledge and experience in this new book to show how agile, empowered and tech-savvy females will transform the continent for good.Today's African girl will become tomorrow's African woman. Educated, inspired, mentored, trained, and equipped with technology: it is she who will bring wave upon wave of irreversible changes throughout the continent. Positive changes take place as the woman helps the girl discover and know herself, teaches her to explore the reality around her, and shows her, by example, how to develop her own identity and pursue her dreams with confidence. In the book "African Girl, African Women", Hynd Bouhia starts by asking several questions that come to mind around why is the African woman still so far behind? Why are her ambitions encouraged, only to be frustrated, her spirit crushed, her future controlled by a system that drags her down? As the rock-solid cornerstone of her society, why is she blamed and shamed for neglecting her family, her work, her community? If she achieves success, why is she mocked and marginalized? The book seeks to address women's fears head on, then offer her a different and more uplifting perspective. African Girl, African Woman i a must read that shows how dreams can happen through a solid education, deep-rooted values and tenacious perseverance.