For sustainable development, any progressive nation should take into account critical issues like gender equality and women’s economic empowerment.

As evident from surveys, higher female earnings greatly contribute to children’s education and family health, impacting the overall economic growth of a nation.

Statistically speaking, women’s contribution to waged work jumped from 42% to 46% between 1997 and 2007.

Evidently, achieving women’s economic empowerment is the key to solve issues like gender inequality and poverty and to foster inclusive economic growth as well.

Why Women’s Economic Empowerment Matters?

Women are known to contribute significantly to economics in the form of business, entrepreneurial work, or unpaid labor (sadly!).

While women living in some parts of the developed countries have the role of decision-makers and influencers, gender discrimination remains a debilitating social issue in many parts of the world, and those subaltern women are often alarmingly affected by poverty, discrimination, and other forms of vulnerable exploitations.

As any developing nation would agree, sustainable economic growth is unthinkable without women empowerment, and measures for gender inclusion is the driving factor of social progress and economic growth.

Working women have an enormous contribution to education, health, and wellness, and therefore achieving gender equality is indispensable to holistic developments.

Here are ways we can empower women especially in Africa: