Gender Inequality in African Education: How Can the Lessons of South Africa Apply to the Rest of the Continent?

Abstract

The worldwide problem of unequal female education cannot be solved by domestic policies alone, and the global institutional order must bend to the necessity of human rights and equality. Promoting growth is not a sufficient way to promote education for women, and indeed, development theorists that focus solely on maximizing economic growth are likely to shortchange female education.78 Additional focused state action must be applied to specifically target and empower women. South Africa's position as the leading economy on the African continent ensures its importance as a model for many African countries as they struggle to break free from corrupt practices and embrace the economic growth and human rights reform that result from democratization. But as these African nations struggle to break into the global market, they must be mindful of the importance of equitably educating their women both from a moral perspective and an economic efficiency perspective. [From Conclusions and Policy Prescriptions]