Women and Sustainable Economic Development in Africa
By
Jibo Nura
Ahmadu Bello
University, Zaria, Nigeria
The idea of women’s creation and the
essence of their existentialism are always misconstrued for
subservience, because they are one way or another subdued by men.
Men tend to forget that women are a life role model and God’s
extraction from one of fundamental realities of human purpose.
They are not reproductive machines but symbols of adoration, care,
concern and affection. Any form of sideline or discrimination to
their very person and status is a direct reproach to the essential
ingredients of womanhood.
In view of this therefore, the
discourse will today dwell on women’s misconceived social role and
statutory duties in Africa. We shall eventually establish the fact
that they are much more than house keepers but makers; resource
producers not consumers; development change agents not existing
elements of development liabilities. Indeed, the concept of global
economic sustainability and sustainable development cannot be
fully achieved until we show special regards to women as poverty
alleviators not aggravators.
Women and the developing economies:
The Problems
The concept behind co-opting women
services in the management and allocation of scarce resources and
the proper channelling /application of factors of production such
as capital, labour, manpower and entrepreneurship to our societal
immediate and future needs cannot be overemphasized. At household
level, women have a lot to contribute to both micro and macro
economic enterprises. Microeconomics refers to how the total
output is produced and distributed between economic units. On the
other hand, Macroeconomics studies the aggregate performance of
the economy as a whole. It deals with such overall economic
problems as recession, boom, depression, unemployment, inflation,
stagnation, poverty, disease and conflicts etc, which can be
drastically reduced, especially when women are involved in the
global discussions of variables such as National Income, Gross
National Product, national wealth and aggregate employment.
African governments, donor agencies
and NGOs have since shown renewed interest from the realization
that Micro and Macro scale enterprises are sufficiently flexible
and readily adaptable to a wider range of economic activities. The
key actors in these Micro and Macro scale enterprises are, of
course the entrepreneurs (Abdullahi, 1999). Usually, these
entrepreneurs form the bulk of operators in the informal sector of
the African economy. In fact, 70 percent of the volumes of
domestic supply of goods and services and up to 90 percent of
agricultural produce are done by entrepreneurs in Africa. Majority
of these entrepreneurs in both the rural and urban areas are women
and are, unfortunately, poor.
As Abdullahi (1999), in one of his
attempts to unveil the economic loss and failure of African men to
empower women, argued thus:
“If we submit that all entrepreneurs
whose investment size and annual earnings fall below some minimum
value and majority are women, then one would begin to appreciate
the intricate connections between the issues of gender equality,
poverty alleviation, rural development and promotion of Micro and
macro economic schemes”.
Therefore, women sustainable economic
development is an approach with emphasis on increase in
agricultural productivity, environmental security, poverty
reduction, social security and improvement of general life
well-being.
Sustainable economic development is
part of the Declaration of the UN Conference on the Human
Environment, chaired in 1972 by Maurice Strong, i.e. “Women and
men have the fundamental rights to economic freedom, equality and
adequate condition of life, in an environment of a quality that
permits a life of dignity and well-being, and bear a solemn
responsibility to protect and improve the environment for present
and future generations”.
Already there has been an increased
commitment by international institutions to articulate women in
sustainable development but African governments and sub-region
have done very little to complement this effort. Alas, on-going
civil conflicts within the region also impede the progress of many
programmes and conservation of resources.
Therefore, women need economic freedom
and stability to be able to utilize their innovative and creative
capacities in the development and protection of individual
economic rights and productive assets. They need to utilize and
improve on their skills to control one’s labour in terms of
decisions to engage in economic activity of one’s choice (Meena,
1999). There is also the need to engage them in productive
activities so as to develop their talents, and give them the right
to participate in the management of their societal intellectual
debates and decision making. Unfortunately, three (3) areas are
hindering women’s contribution to general sustainable development.
These areas are: non involvement of women in policy environment,
poor African socio-cultural setting that is being adapted over
time, and lack of women’s initiative. Most development plans and
policies of African states have been “gender blind”, said
Meena(1999). In fact, the planning and policy making processes in
the region have failed to appreciate that women and men have
different roles, as such, their needs and constraints are also
different.
In terms of agriculture, however,
women access to land is discriminatory in the sense that nobody
cares to secure and give them adequate land to farm. Their access
to loans and credit facilities to boost agriculture is almost
non-existent. Though, agriculture is the backbone of the economies
of African states but women agricultural producers are not
benefiting from these loans and credit facilities. This, limits
their contribution to sustainable development in this sector. It
is an established fact that agriculture provides about 33% of
African GDP and 40% of its exports. But, a survey has shown that
women of Sub-Saharan Africa contribute more time in the
agricultural cycle than men. They contribute up to 30% of labour
in ploughing, 60% of labour in weeding and 85% of labour in
processing and preserving food. Nearly 95% of African working
women in urban and rural areas are employed in the informal sector
and they heavily perform domestic activities.
(See Ruth Meena’s “Women and
Sustainable Development”, The Voices Publ. Jan. 1999 ed. Page 2).
Nonetheless, marginal participation of
women as formal employees breeds gender insensitivity. As one
writer asserted elsewhere that there are socio-cultural barriers
which limit male officers in providing technical advice to female
farmers. Agricultural extension services are therefore always in
favour of male farmers; a typical case of male bias in
technological services and operations. Indeed, the domestic role
for many African women is very stressful. They invest most of
their energies and time in processing, cooking food and looking
for firewood or water. The care of the children, which was
supposed to be a collective responsibility, has been altered due
to monopoly of African traditional values and norms. As John Oucho,
Professor of population studies rightly pointed out that ,
“African women are greatly disturbed by daily routine of paying
attention to the needs of school-going children in the evenings
and fulfilling marital obligations, home-making, fetching water
and fuel, household chores and communal concerns, all caused by
male-dominated leadership”.
The economic empowerment of women is
important because they are the focal points of family life. Family
Economic Support/ Advancement Programmes will contribute
tremendously to the poverty alleviation. The programmes should
therefore be designed with provision for inclusion of females. The
design should also focus on productivity with changes from
inefficient traditional methods and techniques to simple tools and
implements. Adequate design of Micro and Macro economic structures
for short, medium and long term enterprises will strengthen
sustainable economic growth at a larger scale. In fact, economic
justification on Micro and Macro economic schemes can only be
efficient in conducive environment for growth and wealth creation,
because it is the foundation for sustained investment promotion
programme. The key issues of interest therefore, include Micro and
Macro economic integration in the design of viable scheme to
improve the economic well-being of African communities. Other
economic issues requiring design provision include the
establishment of backward and forward linkages between various
economic activities in African rural and urban areas. Though these
might not be possible if other factors related to family and
social policies, and women’s access to political decision making
are not being considered, argued Gora Mboup, Senior Demographic
and Health Expert, UN Habitat and Mary Amuyunzu, Director African
Institute for Health and Development.
Establishment of Women corporate
bodies and community associations. For instance, association of
Women Farmers or Women in Agriculture and other entrepreneurial
endeavours can make them much more viable. Through these
established organs, they can put their heads together and secure
loans and credit facilities from the government and NGOs. They can
also demand and/or seek redress on the problem of land tenure
allocation. In case their demands are not met, they can speak with
one voice. This not only creates agricultural or economic
awareness but also political.
Women’s socio-cultural initiatives
distinct from existing African culture that is full of monopoly,
and which has been used to subordinate or undermine their position
in marriage, need to be brought up for action. For them to play a
dynamic role in traditional socio-cultural setting, particularly
on issues concerning marriage rights, which limit their
participation in formal education, they must create an alternative
cultural framework to challenge the one adopted and practiced by
African states.
At the grassroots level, cottage
industries need to be constructed to utilise local skills and
artisans. Women’s knitting Associations, Women Weaving Centres and
Mud pottery makings etc are supposed to be taken very seriously.
In order to have a good and sound
economic base, there is need to prevent gender inequality and
differentials by developing comprehensive framework of gender
indicators that fit women and complement the Millennium
Development Goals (MDGs). The Women’s Commission of the Council of
European Municipalities and Regions (CCRE) believes that respect
for gender equality is a prerequisite for their financial support
and economic improvement.
The United Kingdom Department for
International Development’s (DFID’s), white paper on eliminating
world poverty requires men to help improve the economies of
African women. Paragraph sixteen (16) of that paper urges men to
make women economy stronger by engaging them in viable jobs and
meaningful projects that are much more than petty trading and
casual labour. Developing their economies means more jobs and more
income for government to spend on public services.
Finally therefore, lets us make their
business easier so that they can invest in infrastructure,
agriculture and trade. Let us give them more support, because
their works are in the open where all can see. Their acts, step by
step are in a hard substance, because they cannot bury their
maternal mistakes in the grave like the doctors. They cannot run
away from their family responsibilities or urge them into thin air
or blame the judge like the lawyers. They can as well not hide
their discrimination under trees or vine like the architects. To
them is the job of pursuing humanity and humanitarian rights and
status with courage and convictions at the unequalled struggle for
survival.
Jibo
Nura
is Member Council for Development of Social Science Research in
Africa (CODESRIA), Dakar, Senegal.
1.
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Poverty Alleviation Program in Nigeria and the way forward” the
FEAP publ. Abuja, Nigeria
2.
Birte, S. (2005). “Denied rights,
homes, land- women suffer everywhere” U.N Publ. Pg. 6
3.
DFID
white paper on “Eliminating world poverty”
(2006) DFID publ. U.K
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Françoise, G.(2005) “Gender
mainstreaming in European municipalities” UN-Habitat Publ. March
ed. Pg. 15
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Gora, M., and Mary, A. (2005)
“Getting the right data-helping municipalities help women” UN
Habitat Publ.March ed. Pg. 9
6.
John, O. (2005) “A dilemma confronting
women in Africa” UN Habitat publ. Pg. 16
7.
Micro
and Macro Economics Analyses.
A.B.U Publ. Zaria, Nigeria.
8.
Meena, R. (1999) “Women and
sustainable development” Voice publ. Jan.ed.South Africa. Pp.1-7
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