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Increased women’s empowerment and regional inequality in Sub-Saharan Africa between 1995 and 2015

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  • Erica M Rettig
  • Robert J Hijmans

Abstract

Women’s empowerment is a fundamental human right but attempts to measure progress in this area have been limited. We used 142 nationally representative surveys to quantify empowerment in six domains (Intimate Partner Violence, Family Planning, Reproductive Healthcare, Employment, Education, and Decision-Making) for first-level subdivisions of all countries in Sub-Saharan Africa for three years (1995, 2005, and 2015). The possible value for each domain ranged between zero (worst) and one (best). The median value for employment decreased by 0.02, but it increased between 0.09 and 0.16 for the other domains. The average empowerment score increased from 0.44 to 0.53, but it remained low for Education (0.34). While progress was clear and consistent, it was uneven within and between countries, and Sahelian West Africa fell further behind. The expanded understanding of geographic variation and trends in women’s empowerment that we provide should be instrumental in efforts to improve women’s lives.

Suggested Citation

  • Erica M Rettig & Robert J Hijmans, 2022. "Increased women’s empowerment and regional inequality in Sub-Saharan Africa between 1995 and 2015," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 17(9), pages 1-17, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:plo:pone00:0272909
    DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0272909
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Robin A. Richardson, 2018. "Measuring Women’s Empowerment: A Critical Review of Current Practices and Recommendations for Researchers," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 137(2), pages 539-557, June.
    2. Stephan Klasen & Francesca Lamanna, 2009. "The Impact of Gender Inequality in Education and Employment on Economic Growth: New Evidence for a Panel of Countries," Feminist Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 15(3), pages 91-132.
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