2016 gender scorecard : women’s rights in Africa: where does the continent stand?

Abstract

Africa’s economic performance has been notable in recent years, but the continent’s bright economic prospects remain hampered by continued inequality in several areas. Africa is the second most unequal region in the world following Latin America. The African Union (AU) 2016 Scorecard on the theme “Women’s rights in Africa. Where does the continent stand?” aims at supporting African leaders to implement their commitments for women’s human rights by providing them with a comprehensive assessment of the progress they have made in securing and protecting women’s socio-economic, civil and political rights. It also analyses the challenges faced and identifies measures that are essential for ensuring women’s human rights are realized. The primary objective of this edition of the Scorecard is to support African countries in their endeavors to secure and protect women’s human rights by providing them with a holistic assessment of the progress they have made and the set of measures required to achieve greater gender equality.