Women legislators in legislative policymaking in Africa

Abstract

Women’s participation in political leadership is a significant driver of human and economic development as this positively impacts public policy outcomes that advance women’s rights and development. Yet, women remain underrepresented in legislative assemblies worldwide despite decades of multiple domestic and international corrective measures. Africa is no exception. While significant strides have been made across Africa, and the proportion of women in legislative assemblies has increased, the wide gender gap in African legislatures has implications for public policy, especially women’s rights legislation and implementation. The debate on the politics of gender representation has expanded beyond numerical gains to achieving sustainable development through policy formulation and implementation. This chapter discusses the role of women in legislative assemblies in Africa. It draws from three cases across parliaments in Africa – Nigeria, Zimbabwe and Tunisia, offering a comparative analysis of how female representation matters in Africa’s legislative policymaking process, especially since the turn of the 21st century.