A PARADOX OF EQUALITY AND ‘HER STORY’ IN AFRICA

Abstract

Gender equity and equality issues are essential to the social and economic life of every country. Gender equity can be viewed as the basis for the full promotion and improvement of the status of women in all areas, particularly in the distribution of power, influence and economic independence. The term equality can be seen as a human rights issue and as a precondition for and indicator of sustainable human development. Using the historical and analytical approach, this work, therefore, re-examines the challenges faced by African women in the social, political and economic spaces. Data collection is based on Government reports, Administrative reports and other relevant secondary sources gathered through a multidisciplinary approach. It can be deduced from this work that gender inequality has impeded socioeconomic development in Africa. Findings from this work have therefore stressed that the enhancement of women’s status in society would not in any way reduce the social, economic and political standing of men. The whole society stands to gain a lot and this will thereby accelerate the pace of development. Also, this work will bring to the fore that women control a marginal proportion of the nation’s economic resources and have therefore been particularly confronted by unprecedented social and economic hardship which has largely constrained their participation in various spheres of life. The economic hardship that has been persistently experienced has been more punitive for women, given the multiple demands and responsibilities they are confronted with. This has largely inhibited women’s drive towards personal empowerment and, consequently, effective participation in societal affairs. This work on gender inequality will, therefore, act as a catalyst to present-day women in Africa, to seek educational, economic, spiritual and political empowerment which could in the future lead to social justice, thereby fostering equality between the genders in all spheres of human endeavor.