Social exclusion and gender equality in Africa: implications for the MDG indicators

Abstract

The goal being sought is to influence the adoption by ECA member States of social development indicators, particularly MDG indicators, which would allow for more effective measurement of the social inclusion of women and promotion of gender equality in Africa. It has become widely accepted that promoting gender equality and women’s empowerment is essential to achieving human development, poverty eradication and economic growth in the African continent. Several global and regional frameworks have been developed to support the promotion of gender equality. The supportive frameworks for gender equality at the international level include the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948); the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (1966); the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (1975), and the Millennium Declaration (2000).