Gender Inequality in West African Social Institutions

Nejma Bouchama, Gaëlle Ferrant, Léa Fuiret, Alejandra Meneses and Annelise Thim
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Nejma Bouchama: OECD Development Centre
Gaëlle Ferrant: OECD Development Centre
Léa Fuiret: OECD Development Centre
Alejandra Meneses: OECD Development Centre
Annelise Thim: OECD Development Centre

No 13, West African Papers from OECD Publishing

Abstract: Discriminatory social institutions – formal and informal laws, social norms and practices – restrict women’s rights and empowerment opportunities across 17 West African countries. New laws and measures to protect and promote women’s economic, political and human rights have been accompanied by impressive reductions in gender gaps. However, discriminatory social institutions still constitute significant impediments to women’s access to land assets and restrict women’s physical integrity and decision-making power in both private and public spheres. This holds back women’s education and economic empowerment, thereby decreasing countries’ potential growth. The data and analysis based on the OECD Development Centre’s Social Institutions and Gender Index (SIGI) aims to provide policy makers with the necessary tools and evidence to design more effective gender-responsive policies. Putting social institutions at the core of policy responses may open new and sustainable vistas to promote gender equality in national and regional development agendas.

Keywords: gender inequality; social institutions; West Africa; women (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: J16 K38 N37 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2018-03-08
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-afr and nep-pke
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:oec:swacaa:13-en

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