Women and Development in Northern Africa
Gender inequality is a massive problem for women and girls and development has begun to take place to over come this injustice to the female population in North Africa and the Middle East. Gender inequality has become an important and visible issue for economies of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). I have researched on how women of North Africa are deprived from many opportunities as well as being under educated. The female population has suffered immensely in Africa. Presently, women of Africa, like many women in third world countries have not been included as equal and effective stakeholders in processes that determine their lives. Women of Africa continue to have less access to education than men; they continue to have less employment and advancement opportunities; their roles and contribution to national and continental development processes are neither recognized nor rewarded; and although women bear the brunt of conflicts, women are not generally included in peace negotiations or other initiatives in this regards.
The mortality of women and girls are the most systematic discrimination against females. Women and girls are likely to be impoverished than their male counterpart. Studies have found that girls are fed less than their brothers and illness are less likely to be treated as well. Cultural factors play a major role in female humanity and development. Many girls are forced to marry young and bear many children more than they want. They are not able to stand up to their husbands without the consequences of being beaten. This vicious cycle causes women to be disadvantaged and poverty is perpetuated.
In spite of positive moves, there has been inadequate support and no...
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...e extended family.
Works Cited
Coclough, Christopher. Achieving Schooling for All in Africa: Costs, commitment, and gender. Vermont: Ashgate Publishing, Ltd., 2003.
King, Elizabeth M., Hill, M. Anne. Women’s Education in Developing Countries: Barriers, Benefits, and Policies. Washington, D.C.: World Bank Book, 1993.
Knapp, Barbara, Sperling, Gene B. What Works in Girl’s Education: Evidence and Policies from the Developing World. New York: Foreign Relations, 2004.
Manuh, Takyiwaa, “Women in Africa’s Development: overcoming obstacles, pushing for progress”. Number 11, April 1998. http://un.org/ecosocdev/
Razavi, Shahrashoub and Miller, Carol. From WID to GAD: Conceptual Shifts in the Women and Development Discourses, Geneva: UN Research Institute on Social Development, Occasional Paper 1, 1995.
www.cfr.org
Although the !Kung San of southern Africa differ greatly from the people in the west African nation of Mali, both areas share similar problems. Both suffer from diseases, illnesses, malnutrition, and having to adapt to the ever changing and advancing cultures around them. What I found to be the most significant problem that is shared between both areas is that the people suffered from a lack of education. In the book Dancing Skeletons: Life and Death in West Africa by Katherine A. Dettwyler, there is a lack of education in proper nutritional practices, taking care of children and newborns, and basic medical knowledge and practices. The Dobe Ju/’hoansi have recently started putting in schools to help children receive an education to help them have better success with the surrounding peoples and culture, but there is a lack of attendance in these schools. There are also many education issues in proper sexual practices that would help stop the spread of HIV and AIDS, in a place in the world were theses illnesses are at surprisingly high levels.
...g their academic theories accessible to common people through grassroots campaigns and political action. Practically, Africana womanism is still vastly underdeveloped and leaves much to be desires outside of academia.
World Bank (2004), Gender and Development in the Middle East and North Africa : Women in the Public Sphere (WashingtonDC : World Bank), Chapter 3.
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Dei S., Schooling and Difference in Africa: Democratic Challenges in a Contemporary context. Toronto, University of Toronto Press: 2006. Print.
“In recent decades, there has been a growing awareness of the need to increase gender equality throughout the world. Strategies to achieve this end have focused on empowering women in social, educational, economic,
Human development faces constraint of gender inequality. In present scenario still women and girls are biggest face of inequality. Women and girls are faces discrimination in health, education, political representation, labor market etc. that lead to adverse development. Empowerment of gender considered important for women to come out from difficult face of hindrance in education, work status, social security, position in decision making by ideal of gender. Women empowerment to participate in economic life is necessary to build stronger economically develop and sustainable world and to improve the quality of life for women, men, families and
Harmful practices such as early marriage, gender-based violence, as well as discriminatory education laws and policies still prevent millions of girls from enrolling and completing their respective education.In the developing wor...