Inequality and economic development: a test of the feminization hypothesis in selected African countries

Abstract

This paper examines the gender inequality and economic development nexus for eight selected African countries. Data for the study were collected from the World Bank’s World Development Indicators for the period 1994−2018. The study employs the Auto-Regressive Distributed Lag model and an error correction mechanism to ascertain the relationship that exists between the variables of interest. To measure the socio-economic and political status of women in the selected African countries, we focus on the following two indicators: female labor force participation, and the proportion of seats held by women in the national parliament. Our findings are inconsistent for different countries. On one hand, we find that in the long run female labor force participation enhances economic development in the following countries: Botswana, Egypt, and Mauritius. On the other hand, the results reveal that the number of female members in the national parliament and female labor force participation decline with advances in economic development in Tunisia and Gabon. We propose that policies that increase women’s access to higher education, female labor force participation, and women's representation in the political space are imperative for women’s empowerment and economic development in Africa.

Keywords:

• Gender
• inequality
• development
• economic participation
• political empowerment

Ethical approval

• The study does not involve human participants or personal data.

• Data used in the study is available on the World Bank website.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Chinonso V. Agu

Chinonso V. Agu is a PhD candidate and a lecturer in the Department of Economics, University of Nigeria. She completed a Master’s program in Economics as well as a Bachelors in Economics and Statistics (double major) from the University of Nigeria. After completing her master’s program, she joined the department of Economics, University of Nigeria as a lecturer. She currently serves as an academic adviser to undergraduate students and is engaged in the departmental research activities, grants and projects. Her research interest is in the area of health, development and gender economics. Chinonso provides consultancy services to a couple of organization in Nigeria and is dedicated to improving lives through research and human capital development.

Ekene S. Aguegboh

Ekene S. Aguegboh is currently a PhD student at Auburn University, US. He holds master’s degrees from Michigan State University, US (MS, Agricultural, Food & resource Economics) and the Durham University Business School, UK (MS, Environmental & Resource Economics). He completed his Bachelors in Economics from the University of Nigeria. He is also a Lecturer in the Department of Economics at the University of Nigeria and a Graduate Research Assistant at Auburn University. His research interest revolves around development and agricultural economics, environmental economics, and resource economics. He has over eight years’ experience in teaching, research and consulting. Ekene combines his academic background, research skills and, community service efforts in the planning and implementation of projects that promote economic, social, political and environmental values in Africa and the World at large.