Gender-responsive development

In addition to national gender policies, African governments and non-state actors engage with the African Union  and United Nations to negotiate and draft international agreements on gender equality issues. This DIIS Working Paper explores the priorities, contestations and gaps in the African Union’s gender governance; the status of and priorities in gender-responsive governance at country level; and African priorities in global gender policy spaces.

This study discusses those linkages between different levels while focusing on nine countries: Burkina Faso, Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Somalia, South Africa, South Sudan and Uganda. Taking Danish development co-operation priorities as a point of departure, these countries provide perspectives from very diverse economic and security contexts.

Offering a valuable perspective on how donors can support gender equality efforts on the continent, the study addresses critical questions like:

• How do the African Union and selected member states’ gender policies converge and diverge?
• How do African Union member states engage in international gender negotiations regionally and globally?
• How can intersecting priorities in gender equality translate into alliances in global policy negotiations?

Research indicates that while there is relative agreement on prioritising harmful traditional practices, women, peace and security, sexual and reproductive health and rights and women in decision-making, issues like abortion, LGBTQIA+ rights are heavily contested. Beyond providing an extensive overview of the gender equality work at the African Union and nine of its member states, this study offers practical directions for supporting gender equality efforts across the continent.