Gender Stereotypes and Vulnerability Influences: Implications From Socio-Cultural Norms in Africa

Introduction

Gender continues to be a major issue in decision making regarding reproductive health, human rights and development discourse among others worldwide (Armstrong et. al, 2014). For instance, development actors and human rights activists are of the opinion that there exists some controversy over what is gender equity and equality in our various societies today such that gender stereotypes have been identified as one of the barriers to women achieving leadership positions. Generally speaking, stereotypes against women are often based on preconceived notions of what women are assumed to be capable of. In view of the above, it is not a novelty to find women in the workplace being assigned tasks based on stereotypical notions (Bellstrom, 2015). In the main, scholarly literature is replete with the question of marginalization of women in development strategies, hence one of the major factors that contribute to the failure of most development strategies in Africa. It is a known fact that women are economically active in Africa as farmers, workers and entrepreneurs. Yet, within patriarchal societies, women face an array of barriers that prevent them from playing an active role to their full potential to the extent that they can contribute meaningfully and sufficiently to Africa’s development (Barreto et al., 2010).

Gender and development approaches, as well as numerous ideas from authors within the context of gender and development, have indicated that in bringing women to the mainstream of development, the roles of men in society in relation to women must be brought into consideration (Banaji & Greenwald, 2013). The objective of this chapter therefore is to examine the concept of gender in Africa within a broad development framework. The research questions this chapter intends to answer include: What is gender in Africa? What are the conceptual, theoretical, and empirical and policy issues around gender and development in Africa? What is the social construct of gender in Africa? What is an African Gender Equality Index and what implications does it hold for Africa? In recent times, how does gender manifest in Africa and how has it affected the development of nations on the continent? Are African countries different or the same in terms of gender and development? How can Africa manage its gender and development issues so that inclusive sustainable development is possible in the short and long run? Evidence which includes the examination of development strategies and trajectories in some African countries will be examined. Both quantitative and qualitative secondary data will be gathered to compare, interrogate and explore the African gender and development contours across African countries. This chapter has academic, scholarly, policy and practice orientations that will lead to relevant recommendations.

Gender stereotypes have been identified as one of the barriers to women achieving leadership positions (Carr & Steele, 2010). Generally, stereotypes against women are often based on preconceived notions of what women are assumed to be capable of. In view of the above, it is not a novelty to find women in the workplace being assigned tasks based on stereotypical notions. The controversy over gender equity and equality has, over time become a recurrent and hydra-headed global discourse. It is a common knowledge that a gap continues to exist between the males and females in occupational, educational and general career aspirations as a result of socio-cultural stereotypes which imposes a serious limitation not only to the effort of women empowerment but also on their contribution to national development (Ceci & Williams, 2011). In Nigeria, the case is not different. Men continue to dominate at different levels of education, employment, career, entrepreneurship and other well-rewarding professions. A lacuna persistently exists in terms of rights, status, privileges, and advantages of men and women in Nigeria. It is also pathetic to remark that the female gender is discriminated against in many spheres of human activity and across nations of the world owing to reasons that are very complex, ranging from cultural stereotype to some socio-economic reasons that have no basis in objective reality (Polk, 2016).