Strategies to promote gender-responsive macroeconomic policy in Africa

Evidence shows that gender responsive policies exist in Africa, but the advancement of these policies is hindered by lack of political goodwill, poor representation, and poor implementation (UNDP et al. 2019; ADP, 2001; APF, 2007). Some of the challenges on policy implementation have been reported that women and gender experts are rarely involved in the design, implementation, and monitoring & evaluation of macroeconomic policies (OECD, 2021; United Nations, 2018; UNDP, 2006). Additionally, there is lack of proper coordination and collaboration among different stakeholders, such as government, civil society, academia and private sector to promote and support gender-responsive macroeconomic policy in Africa (UNDP, 2017; UN, 2020; UN Women 2022). Overall, evidence has shown that there is lack of gender-disaggregated data and indicators to measure and monitor the impact of macroeconomic policies on gender equality and women’s economic empowerment in Africa (UN Women et al., 2017; Stotsky, 2006; World Bank, 2011). While the existing studies delve into the effectiveness of individual interventions in enhancing female empowerment, economic participation and human development, they primarily focus on these outcomes in isolation. What's lacking in this body of work is a comprehensive assessment of how these specific interventions intersect with macroeconomic policies and their broader impact on gender-responsive development at the macroeconomic level in Africa. Our study intends to bridge this gap by taking a more holistic approach by moving beyond the singular examination of interventions and their immediate impact on female empowerment to investigate how these interventions align or interact with macroeconomic policies in Africa. Our primary focus is to answer the question: Which macroeconomic policies effectively promote gender equality, particularly in advancing women’s economic empowerment within African contexts. Additionally, we will document best practices and lessons learned from successful experiences of gender-responsive macroeconomic policies in Africa and other regions.