This Afrobarometer report examines Guinean citizens’ perceptions of gender equality in education, employment, land ownership, and political participation. The findings reveal persistent gender disparities, particularly in access to secondary and post-secondary education and in control over economic assets such as mobile phones, vehicles, and bank accounts. Despite these inequalities, a majority of Guineans oppose the idea that men should be prioritized in hiring when jobs are scarce and support equal rights to land ownership and inheritance. Regarding political participation, 70% of respondents believe women should be eligible for political office on the same basis as men, although many acknowledge social risks, including harassment and family tensions, faced by female candidates. Overall, public dissatisfaction with government performance is high: more than half of respondents rate state efforts to promote gender equality as poor, and 72% believe the government should do more—many calling for significantly stronger action.

Politics, Governance, Gender, Political participation, Equality, Women's rights

This UNESCO report (January 2024) provides an in-depth overview of Guinea-Bissau’s education system. It highlights a severe learning crisis: nearly half of school-age children are out of school due to the scarcity of complete primary schools and high dropout rates. Data also reveal gender disparities, limited access to secondary education, and the absence of regular national learning assessments. The report examines six priority areas from the KIX initiative: learning assessment systems, early childhood education, teaching and learning, data management, gender equality, and inclusion. Persistent challenges include inadequate infrastructure, insufficiently trained teachers, limited implementation of inclusive education policies, and weak educational management information systems (EMIS). Although recent steps—such as creating a preschool inspectorate, adopting minimum standards, and launching teacher development initiatives—represent progress, they remain insufficient without long-term investment and stronger governance.

Governance, Gender, Education, Poverty, Inclusion, Equality

This paper investigates how the digital divide shapes access to essential services—drinking water, health, and education—in West Africa using Afrobarometer Round 9 data. The authors build a multidimensional digital divide index integrating access to equipment, internet use, and information isolation. Three main findings emerge: (1) formal education is by far the strongest determinant of digital inclusion, ahead of wealth or geography; (2) the digital divide is strongly associated with lower access to basic services, even after accounting for territorial heterogeneity; and (3) rural–urban differences are less significant than expected, suggesting that marginalization transcends geography. The study concludes that without inclusive and educational policies, ongoing digitalization efforts could inadvertently deepen social and territorial inequalities across the region.

Politics, Inequality, Natural ressources, Religious education, Education, Discrimination, Soicial sciences, Knowlege production, Information, Equality

The article "Beijing +30: Senegalese Women Still Awaiting Strong Political Commitment," written by Marième Cissé and published on May 30, 2025, on WATHI's website, examines the progress and ongoing challenges in gender equality in Senegal, 30 years after the Beijing Declaration. Despite advancements such as the parity law and policies against gender-based violence, obstacles remain, including stagnant female political representation, labor market inequalities, and persistent gender-based violence. The article emphasizes that these issues should not be sidelined but require strong political commitment and concrete actions to ensure genuine gender equality.

Governance, Gender, Women, Violence, EMPLOYMENT, Political participation, Inclusion, Equality, Women's rights

The policy paper "Social Norms and Girls' Education" by the United Nations Girls' Education Initiative (UNGEI) examines the impact of social norms on girls' education in eight sub-Saharan African countries. The study identifies four major social norms hindering girls' education: child marriage, the low perceived value of girls' education, gender-based violence in schools, and domestic labor. These norms, reinforced by economic and sociocultural factors, limit girls' access to, participation in, and success at school. The report recommends transformative approaches, such as integrating gender equality into educational policies, community mobilization, and involving local leaders to change harmful social norms. It emphasizes the importance of gender-sensitive education to promote equality and empower girls.

Culture, Governance, Gender, Education, Inclusion, Equality

This article features an interview with Ndioro Ndiaye, former Senegalese minister, who emphasizes that gender parity does not equate to true equality. She highlights the historical role of pioneering Senegalese women such as Caroline Faye Diop and Maïmouna Kane in advancing women's emancipation. Ndiaye points out that while parity laws have been adopted in Senegal, their enforcement—particularly in appointive positions—remains inadequate. She calls for a reform of legislative frameworks to ensure effective equality and urges women to actively prepare for upcoming local elections. The article underscores that symbolic parity must be accompanied by real opportunities and power-sharing mechanisms to achieve lasting gender equity in public and political life.

Women, Parity, Equality, Empowerment