Gender, Youths, and Sustainable Development

Women and youths are critical agents of change and development in Africa. Together, they constitute the largest proportion of the population of African countries and play important roles in African economies. In 2013, women accounted for 50 percent of the population of Sub-Saharan African (SSA) countries and 48 percent of Middle East and North African (MENA) countries (World Development Indicators Database). In the same year, 20 percent of the region’s population fell between ages 15 and 24, while those under 15 constituted about 41 percent of the population (United Nations Population Division Database). Given the large youth population in Africa, as well as the central role of women in African economies, development policies in the region must explicitly incorporate the role of women and youths. Special attention should be paid to the potential impact of development programs on women and youths. Africa’s economic performance would improve significantly if policymakers can explore ways of using the skills and talents of women and youths more productively. The current use of these skills and talents are not only inefficient, but also threatens the sustainability of growth in the region. This chapter discusses the role of women and youths in Africa and some of the challenges they face.