Gender as a pillar for sustainable development in Central Africa

By  Théophile NGUIMFACK VOUFO, Ph.D

According to the Lexique de science politique, “gender” refers to everything that socially and culturally defines the difference between sexes, i.e., all that contributes to defining what is considered feminine or masculine in society (1). This term reflects the differences established in society on the role that women and men should play and the place that each of these categories of the human race should occupy.

Aspiration 6 of Agenda 2063 calls for “An Africa, whose development is people-driven, relying on the potential of African people, especially its women and youth, and caring for children” (2). It requires that we live in a more inclusive society where all the citizens are actively involved in decision making in all aspects and where no child, woman or man is left behind or excluded, on the basis of gender, political affiliation, religion, ethnic affiliation, locality, age or other factors.  Article 3 of the Protocol on Amendments of the Constitutive Act of the African Union recognizes the critical role of women in promoting inclusive development and calls for the AU “to ensure the effective participation of women in decision-making, particularly in the political, economic and socio-cultural areas” (3).

Upon analysis, the mechanisms adopted to promote gender as a pillar of sustainable development emphasize the inclusion of women in the development and execution of public policies. Despite these good intentions, it turns out that the role of women remains worrying in African societies due to the hostility of certain cultures and mentalities. However, it seems impossible to imagine the development of Africa without the active participation of women.

Persistent prejudices about the role of women in society

Depending on the society and how it is represented, there is often a tendency to put women in a position of inferiority. It is also true that some societies, although not many, recognize the importance of women in the conduct of public affairs quite at an early stage. Sometimes, however, misconceptions develop about women’s actual contribution to the life of a social group. For example, women’s role is often reduced to that of housewives. Similarly, it is thought that women do not have the necessary aptitudes for certain jobs, such as engineering, security, or senior administrative positions. These representations pose a definite risk to sustainable development in Africa. According to the World Commission for Environment and Development (4), “sustainable development is a form of development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.” How can we meet the needs of future generations in Central African countries if women, who are the foundation of education for these generations, are not placed at the heart of development policies?

In societies where women are valued and enjoy the freedoms necessary for their emancipation, we can observe added value in the education and mental development of younger generations who will play a central role in the emergence of society. We must therefore consider development as a chain which is formed from the education that women give to their offspring and the support in terms of ideas and work that they can bring to their respective families. However, the public policies of African states do not take sufficient measures to promote this role supposed to be assumed by women.

The hostility of certain social environments to the emancipation of women

In Central Africa, certain cultures have remained hostile to the emancipation of women and taking into account their rights in the management of the social group and, more generally, in public affairs. This situation has repercussions for the State, which ultimately has the responsibility of re-establishing a certain balance of rights and responsibilities between men and women. The weight of culture and tradition is felt particularly from childhood when young girls are under-educated and run the risk of being forced into marriages because these societies’ image of women is that of people destined for domestic work, motherhood, and running the home. As a result, many women do not have the opportunity to further their education, which is why their presence in senior political, social, and even economic positions is limited in Central African countries. In other words, their voice has minimal impact.

However, from a statistical point of view, the ratio of women in the population of Central African countries is a factor to be considered. In some countries, the proportion of women is even higher than that of men. According to the third general population census in Cameroon in 2005, women accounted for 50.6% of the total population. It implies that not considering women in public affairs would mean sidelining half of the population, if not the majority. This will be illogical at a time when the countries of Central Africa are still seeking economic stability. The role of women is becoming crucial because they are, first and foremost, a workforce to be optimized. Optimizing this workforce means supporting the professionalization of women working in informal jobs. It also involves gender equality policies that take account of the difficulties encountered by women in order to promote their access to certain professions (army, police, engineers, political and administrative functions, etc.). All these reasons undoubtedly justify why women must be at the center of any sustainable development policy.

The need to place gender at the center of any sustainable development policy

Above all, however, it is important to emphasize that removing the barriers to women’s education and well-being is the way to achieve our sustainable development goals. Education, because women are, in turn, responsible for educating the children for future generations. The education they give these generations determines the quality of men and women who will manage society in the future. The well-being of women is just as important because a woman who suffers violence or who does not have good health care can be a barrier to the development of her family, which inevitably has repercussions on the performance of society.

In view of the above, the path that must be followed by States aspiring to acquire genuine sustainable development is that of putting in place public policies that protect and stimulate women. Firstly, they play a vital role in the quality of life in society, and secondly, they represent a workforce that must be capitalized on in all sectors of the economy. Although countries in Central Africa have initiated gender policies, they must not remain mere slogans that symbolically integrate women into positions of responsibility. It must be a comprehensive policy that reaches out to all women, whatever their social status or societal position.

To conclude, it is time to no longer consider gender as a simple political slogan to look good with international partners. It is even absurd for these partners to put pressure on African states to adopt development policies focused on gender. In reality, these policies primarily serve the interests of these States and lead them to exploit the potential that women offer them in all aspects of their governance. It is to be hoped that awareness will be raised in decision-making bodies in Central Africa.