African Women in Governance: Policies and Stakeholder's Participation
Women’s participation in governance is widely recognised as central to building democratic, egalitarian, and sustainable societies, yet across Africa women’s representation in political leadership continues to fall short of parity despite progressive policy commitments. African Women in Governance: Policies and Stakeholders’ Participation conceptualises women’s political participation as an inclusive and transformative process, bringing together scholarly analyses from across the continent to interrogate gender policies, legal frameworks, and stakeholder engagement shaping women’s access to power. Drawing on comparative experiences—from countries that have made notable gains through constitutional reforms, quotas, and affirmative action, to those where entrenched patriarchy, weak political will, and restrictive electoral systems persist—the volume examines how political and economic contexts influence governance outcomes and budgetary priorities for women-centred programmes. It highlights the critical contributions of African women leaders to policymaking, development, peacebuilding, and social transformation, while also addressing the structural barriers that continue to constrain progress. By foregrounding evidence-based insights, best practices, and policy-oriented recommendations, this book advances scholarly and policy debates on gender-inclusive governance, positioning women’s leadership as indispensable to Africa’s political transformation and sustainable development.
Product details
Chapters
-
Editorial Foreword
-
Synopsis
-
An Overview of African Women in GovernancePolicies and Stakeholders’ Participation
-
‘You Belong to the Other Room’Women and Gendering Democratisation in Africa
-
Parliamentary Female Representation and Party Candidate Selection Methods in Zambia
-
The Nexus between Women’s Gender Quotas and Political RepresentationA Comparative Analysis of South Africa and Rwanda
-
Women’s Political Representation and Participation in the Eastern Cape Provincial LegislatureProspects, Consequences, and Implications
-
The Gender Equality Bill, Political Chauvinism and the Quality of Women’s Representation in Nigerian Politics
-
Achieving SDG5 in the Fourth Industrial Revolution through Women’s Participation in Politics and Economic Governance in Africa
-
African Union and the Development of a Continental Gender Quota in Africa
-
African Women’s Land Rights Struggle in Traditional Societies
-
Enhancing Women’s Participation in Democratic Governance in Sierra Leone
-
Women in Leadership and the Promotion of Accountability in Local GovernanceEvaluating the Role of Female Leaders in Ekurhuleni Municipality
-
Gender and Age DemographicsThe Qualitative Decline of the ANC
-
Gender Dimensions of COVID-19 and Social Policy in Sub-Saharan Africa
-
ConclusionReflections on African Women in Governance
References
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
