A new report by Gallup and Porticus synthesizing recent research on gender equality in five countries in Eastern and Southern Africa — Kenya, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda and Zimbabwe — reveals persisting gender disparities and inequalities.
The study incorporates a review of data from the Gallup World Poll as recent as 2021, literature from international agencies like the U.N. and World Bank, and stakeholder and qualitative in-depth interviews with residents conducted in 2022 specifically for this project.
Exploring data from various domains of life such as education, economics, politics and faith, the report examines the differences between residents’ expectations and societal and governmental limits.
Key findings from the Gender Power in Africa: Analysis of the Imbalances That Shape Women’s Lives report include:
Gallup’s World Poll data show that in recent years, perceptions that women are treated with respect and dignity have declined across nearly all countries studied.
Tanzania is the only exception, where the percentage of women (nearly three in four, at 74%) saying so is higher than it was a decade ago.
Just over a quarter of men and women in South Africa believe women in their country are treated with respect and dignity.
About half of women in Kenya (50%) and Uganda (52%) feel this way.
In Zimbabwe, 60% of women feel the same, down from 71% in 2013.
Reducing gender-based violence and increasing women’s safety are critical priorities across sub-Saharan Africa.
Gallup finds that 27% of women in South Africa feel safe walking alone at night in the city or area where they live.
Less than half of women in Zimbabwe (35%), Kenya (40%) and Uganda (45%) say the same.
Only in Tanzania (61%) does the figure come close to the global average for women of 64%.
Across the five countries, the data show significant gender gaps in employment and civic engagement.
The largest gender gap is in Kenya, where 29% of men vs. 17% of women aged 15 to 50 say they work full time for an employer.
Men are about twice as likely as women to say they have voiced their opinion to public officials in Kenya (33% vs. 18%, respectively) and Tanzania (20% vs.10%).
Notable gender gaps in voicing opinions also exist in South Africa (33% of men vs. 25% of women), Zimbabwe (26% vs. 20%) and Uganda (42% vs. 37%).
Structural barriers continue to limit women’s opportunities to learn about their existing rights and access education or new technology, while traditional norms stall the advancement of gender equality reforms.
In-depth interview participants of both genders commonly express that women and young girls do not know the legal rights available to them. Many suggest the government plays a primary role in disseminating this information and needs to do more to ensure women are fully aware of laws intended to protect and empower them.
The quantitative and qualitative research in this report suggests that people in all five countries want to see women treated more fairly and end gender disparities that harm women and hinder economies. The report highlights obstacles to gender equality reforms, including social pressures, gender-based violence and limited government resources, emphasizing the need for further research to inform inclusive and effective policies.
