Women and girls in Guinea face significant barriers to accessing the same opportunities as men, says a new World Bank report, Unlocking the Potential of Women and Girls: The Status of Women and girls compared to men and boys in Guinea”.
The report, released Tuesday in a press release published by the global financial institution, paints a bleak picture of the situation of women and girls in this West African country.
Guinea, ranked 182 out of 191 in 2021, in the United Nations Development Program Gender Inequality Index is one of the most gender unequal countries in the world.
The economic repercussions of this inequality are all the more worrying as almost half of the rural population remains poor, 38% of children work, approximately one in three children under the age of five suffers from stunted growth and that one in 10 dies before the age of nine.
Despite progress over the past decades in primary and secondary school enrollment rates for girls and boys, overall school completion rates remain a concern, particularly among women and girls in rural areas.
Lack of investment in human capital increases women’s poverty risks, and their overall participation in the labor market remains below the Sub-Saharan African average in terms of job quality marked by informality, self-employment and vulnerability. They also appear to be disadvantaged in accessing and owning productive assets and finances.
Moreover, with one of the highest rates of child marriage in the world and resulting from socio-cultural norms, beliefs and perceptions of gender roles, this practice has important implications for the way in which women participate in economic activities and exercise their free will. Early marriage increases their risk of facing domestic violence, the incidence of which is particularly high in Guinea.
According to the World Bank Resident Representative in Guinea, Nestor Coffi, “the report provides strategic guidance in all the dimensions highlighted that apply to the Guinean context”.
“Efforts to empower women to realize their potential must focus on the following objectives: education, improving access to health care, employment and increasing economic empowerment,” he adds.
In light of the multidimensional aspects of gender equality, it is crucial to launch comprehensive and multi-sectoral policies to close existing gender gaps and which must be based on existing evidence and data, the statement concludes.
By OMA Newsletter N° 1165 of 10/05/2023
Article published under the direction of Dr. Najib Kettani
The OMA, NGO with an Intercontinental vocation
For the development of cultural exchanges
Valuing human potential
The promotion and consolidation of Africa’s development, and
Inter-African integration
