A Critical Feminist Policy Analysis of Africa’s Gender-Responsive Policies in the Digital Era: Enabling or Hindering Women’s Economic Empowerment?

Approach

We used the Critical Feminist policy Analysis to critically analyze the gender-responsiveness of policies in the digital era in seven African countries, examining their effectiveness in empowering women economically.

Questions and comments to the author/s

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October 22, 2024 at 8:43 am

Many thanks, Emmanuel. Very important research as well. In African countries, and most certainly those mentioned by you, there is a legal and institutional framework on gender equality, so no problem there really (gender machineries tend to be in place and, for the most part, active). The key, as you wisely refer to, is implementation. These are complex issues to be addressed and I have a question for you: Have you connected these specific cases to local women's movements and networks? It's just a suggestion but there is connection there between local groups, associations, networks (often in the form of NGOs) and implementation. Often those same local NGOs are the ones partially implementing projects emanating from those same policies. Whether those local associations are feminist as well or not is another matter.
Congrats on your presentation and thanks again""

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October 25, 2024 at 1:08 pm

Echoing @Soledad's commentary, I want to thank you Emmanuel for this important research with its clear and well elucidated recommendations. It may be of great interest to viewers of your presentation, to know if you have engaged a strategy to disseminate your findings to the relevant stakeholders in the countrys involved in your study.

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November 10, 2024 at 2:04 pm

Thank you for your insightful comment. We appreciate your recognition of the importance of our research and its recommendations.

To ensure the maximum impact of our findings, we have developed a comprehensive dissemination strategy. For countries like Uganda, we have already initiated discussions with representatives at the Gender Ministry to explore potential collaborations and policy implications.

We are actively pursuing similar engagements with stakeholders in other countries, and we will provide a detailed overview of our dissemination strategies in the full paper.

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November 10, 2024 at 2:08 pm

Thank you for your insightful comment. We agree that legal and institutional frameworks for gender equality are often in place in African countries. However, as you rightly point out, the key challenge lies in effective implementation.

While our research did not explicitly focus on the connections between specific cases and local women's movements and networks, we recognize their crucial role in driving change.

Your suggestion to explore these connections further is invaluable. We believe that a deeper understanding of the synergies and potential issues between local organizations and government agencies is essential to inform more effective implementation strategies. This will be a valuable avenue for future research.

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November 12, 2024 at 5:20 pm

Thank you for this insightful presentation. Understanding the impact and necessity of gender-based policies in the digital realm is indeed vital, especially within the unique context of African countries.

On that note, I would appreciate your perspective on digital literacy, as it remains a significant challenge. Women in Africa, on average, exhibit markedly lower levels of digital literacy compared to men, which underscores the need for targeted policies to bridge this gap. A tailored approach is essential to address these disparities effectively. Thank you again.

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November 13, 2024 at 1:49 pm

I appreciate for this highlight based on digitalization, gender policy responsiveness especially in the digital era that brings myriad opportunities but also challenges that can exacerbate existing inequalities. Many gender-responsive policies in Africa emphasize the importance of access to digital resources and skills development, yet we overlook systemic barriers such as limited internet infrastructure, high costs of digital devices, and data plans, especially in rural areas. Policies that don't address these structural barriers inadvertently hinder rather than enable women's economic empowerment. Moreover, social and cultural norms that restrict women's mobility or discourage them from pursuing careers in digital fields further limit the reach and effectiveness of such policies. I think this highlight we have to meet the target given the SDG's timeframe agenda is very closely to arrive.

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