Publication: Women Empowerment for Poverty and Inequality Reduction in Sudan
Loading...
Date
2020-06
ISSN
Published
2020-06
Author(s)
Editor(s)
Abstract
Several key gender issues likely act as an impediment to poverty reduction and shared prosperity in Sudan. While many of these issues are common across countries in the Sub-Saharan Africa region, some of them are accentuated by the status of Sudan as a fragile state. Fragility and conflict negatively affect men and women in different ways, resulting in gender-specific disadvantages. While men are often disproportionately affected by the direct effects of conflict (for example, death and disability), women and girls are affected by a range of constraints and protection challenges that fragility and conflict pose. These issues include disrupted access to basic social services and infrastructure, lower access to productive assets, displacement, and increased exposure to gender-based violence (GBV). This study aims to examine how gender equality has evolved in Sudan during the last decade, by looking at different dimensions. These include the accumulation of endowment in all its forms (human capital [education and health] and physical capital), access to economic opportunities (labor market opportunities and access to income-generating activities), access to services (water, sanitation, and electricity), and voice/representation to make decision at all levels. The study will highlight the areas in which gender inequality persists and propose policies to reduce gender inequality in Sudan.
Link to Data Set
Citation
“Osman, Eiman; Etang, Alvin; Kirkwood, Daniel. 2020. Women Empowerment for Poverty and Inequality Reduction in Sudan. © World Bank. http://hdl.handle.net/10986/36106 License: CC BY 3.0 IGO.”
Associated URLs
Associated content
Other publications in this report series
Journal
Journal Volume
Journal Issue
Collections
Related items
Showing items related by metadata.
Publication Women Empowerment for Poverty and Inequality Reduction in Sudan(World Bank, Washington, DC, 2022-11)This paper examines how gender equality has evolved in Sudan during the last decade. The analysis comprises various dimensions including the accumulation of endowment in all its forms (human capital and physical capital), access to economic opportunities, access to services (water, sanitation, and electricity), and voice/representation to make decision at all levels. Key findings of the paper are the following. Sudanese women live in poorer than Sudanese men during key productive and reproductive years and appear to suffer greater poverty-related impacts of childcare and divorce. In education, gender gaps are shrinking as the proportion of girls attending primary school and the proportion of boys attending secondary school both continue to increase. Sudan’s maternal mortality ratio declined between 2004 and 2014, supported by an improvement in access to reproductive care services. Time spent in collecting water is a burden to both genders, with no significant difference between females and males. A higher proportion of female-headed households are in the lowest asset index quintile compared to male-headed households, while a lower share of female-headed households are in the highest asset index quintile than male-headed households. Male-headed households have better access to water, sanitation, and hygiene services and electricity. Sudan has a large gender gap in labor force participation that contrasts starkly to the average for the Sub-Saharan African region. Female household heads are more likely to be food insecure and experience higher exposure to shocks, compared to male heads. The paper includes a discussion on the potential impact of COVID-19 on gender inequality, as well as possible policy options to reduce gender inequality in Sudan.Publication Towards a More Inclusive Economy(World Bank, Washington, DC, 2022-11)The provision and access to quality employment opportunities, especially for women and youth, is instrumental in achieving inclusive growth and more effective development outcomes. However, women and youth are particularly disadvantaged in the Sudanese labor market. Understanding gender- and youth-specific issues can help identify entry points for greater employment opportunities for women and youth in Sudan. They can also help shape actions for enhanced growth and sustainability. The objective of this study, which builds on mixed methods research, is to contribute to a better understanding of the current situation, challenges, and constraints that women and youth face in accessing employment opportunities. To identify and examine these challenges and constraints, the study applies a conceptual framework derived from the World Development Report 2012: Gender Equality and Development analytical framework. More specifically, the study examines the role of informal institutions, formal institutions, and markets as they relate to employment-related outcomes for women and youth in Sudan. The study analyzes how these aspects influence intra-household decision-making processes, especially as they relate to the participation of women and youth in the economic sphere. These decisions directly affect individual-level endowments and agency, including access to economic opportunities. The study documents that Sudanese customs and norms affect women’s roles in society, and young people are less likely to participate in the labor force and be employed compared to adults. The findings call for policy actions to improve access of women and youth to employment opportunities.Publication Economic Opportunities for Women in the East Asia and Pacific region(World Bank, 2010)East Asia and the Pacific is a region of dynamic growth. Women have contributed significantly to this growth and have benefited from it through active participation in the labor market. However, women are still disproportionately represented in the informal sector and in low paid work. Efforts to identify barriers to women's business and entrepreneurial activities in the region are critical not only to facilitate inclusive growth in a national context but also to counter the increasing trend of female migratory flows in the region. This report highlights' both the challenges and the economic opportunities for businesswomen in the region offers some useful potential pointers for reform.Publication Towards a More Inclusive Economy(World Bank, Washington, DC, 2021-01)The report is organized as follows. After a brief description of the analytical framing and methodology in section two, section three presents the history and demographics of the labor market in Sudan, focusing on indicators by gender and age across the three main sectors of employment: services, agriculture, and industry. Section four examines formal institutions: the institutional setting, service delivery, and laws and regulations as they relate to economic opportunities. Section five examines informal institutions, where the social norms and networks can be a barrier to women’s and youth’s full economic participation. Section six analyzes how the market is supporting or constraining economic activity, which includes a closer look at the labor market itself and access to assets. Section seven discusses how all of these aspects are considered when it comes to the household- and individual-level decision-making that directly affects women’s and youth’s accumulation of human capital, overall agency, and, ultimately, their economic opportunities. Section eight concludes with considerations for policy and action.Publication Unleashing the Potential of Ethiopian Women : Trends and Options for Economic Empowerment(Washington, DC, 2009-06)This report aims to update knowledge of gender disparities in Ethiopia using the latest household survey data. The aim of this analysis is to support ongoing efforts to implement Plan for Accelerated and Sustained Development to End Poverty (PASDEP) vision. The significant progress in addressing key dimensions of gender disparities such as education shown in this report as well as in the recent annual progress report on the implementation of PASDEP in 2006-2007 suggests that current policy directions are proving effective. At the same time this report highlights the need to complement the existing emphasis on broad based interventions with additional targeted interventions which might address the specific constraints experienced by some groups. Further, based on the evidence from a few detailed evaluations of some existing programs, the study highlights how policy making in this area should include more emphasis on considerations of effective implementation and monitoring. This report is structured as follows. Chapter two presents a set of stylized facts on gender disparities in Ethiopia, including both trends over the last decade and current comparisons between Ethiopia and other countries. Chapter three looks in greater detail at the main drivers of gender disparities, focusing on factor markets. Chapter four looks at the economic pay-offs of decreasing gender inequality. Chapter five identifies a few priority areas for policy intervention.
Users also downloaded
Showing related downloaded files
Publication Supporting Youth at Risk(World Bank, Washington, DC, 2008)The World Bank has produced this policy Toolkit in response to a growing demand from our government clients and partners for advice on how to create and implement effective policies for at-risk youth. The author has highlighted 22 policies (six core policies, nine promising policies, and seven general policies) that have been effective in addressing the following five key risk areas for young people around the world: (i) youth unemployment, underemployment, and lack of formal sector employment; (ii) early school leaving; (iii) risky sexual behavior leading to early childbearing and HIV/AIDS; (iv) crime and violence; and (v) substance abuse. The objective of this Toolkit is to serve as a practical guide for policy makers in middle-income countries as well as professionals working within the area of youth development on how to develop and implement an effective policy portfolio to foster healthy and positive youth development.Publication South Asia Development Update, April 2024: Jobs for Resilience(Washington, DC: World Bank, 2024-04-02)South Asia is expected to continue to be the fastest-growing emerging market and developing economy (EMDE) region over the next two years. This is largely thanks to robust growth in India, but growth is also expected to pick up in most other South Asian economies. However, growth in the near-term is more reliant on the public sector than elsewhere, whereas private investment, in particular, continues to be weak. Efforts to rein in elevated debt, borrowing costs, and fiscal deficits may eventually weigh on growth and limit governments' ability to respond to increasingly frequent climate shocks. Yet, the provision of public goods is among the most effective strategies for climate adaptation. This is especially the case for households and farms, which tend to rely on shifting their efforts to non-agricultural jobs. These strategies are less effective forms of climate adaptation, in part because opportunities to move out of agriculture are limited by the region’s below-average employment ratios in the non-agricultural sector and for women. Because employment growth is falling short of working-age population growth, the region fails to fully capitalize on its demographic dividend. Vibrant, competitive firms are key to unlocking the demographic dividend, robust private investment, and workers’ ability to move out of agriculture. A range of policies could spur firm growth, including improved business climates and institutions, the removal of financial sector restrictions, and greater openness to trade and capital flows.Publication Remarks at the United Nations Biodiversity Conference(World Bank, Washington, DC, 2021-10-12)World Bank Group President David Malpass discussed biodiversity and climate change being closely interlinked, with terrestrial and marine ecosystems serving as critically important carbon sinks. At the same time climate change acts as a direct driver of biodiversity and ecosystem services loss. The World Bank has financed biodiversity conservation around the world, including over 116 million hectares of Marine and Coastal Protected Areas, 10 million hectares of Terrestrial Protected Areas, and over 300 protected habitats, biological buffer zones and reserves. The COVID pandemic, biodiversity loss, climate change are all reminders of how connected we are. The recovery from this pandemic is an opportunity to put in place more effective policies, institutions, and resources to address biodiversity loss.Publication Economic Recovery(World Bank, Washington, DC, 2021-04-06)World Bank Group President David Malpass spoke about the world facing major challenges, including COVID, climate change, rising poverty and inequality and growing fragility and violence in many countries. He highlighted vaccines, working closely with Gavi, WHO, and UNICEF, the World Bank has conducted over one hundred capacity assessments, many even more before vaccines were available. The World Bank Group worked to achieve a debt service suspension initiative and increased transparency in debt contracts at developing countries. The World Bank Group is finalizing a new climate change action plan, which includes a big step up in financing, building on their record climate financing over the past two years. He noted big challenges to bring all together to achieve GRID: green, resilient, and inclusive development. Janet Yellen, U.S. Secretary of the Treasury, mentioned focusing on vulnerable people during the pandemic. Kristalina Georgieva, Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund, focused on giving everyone a fair shot during a sustainable recovery. All three commented on the importance of tackling climate change.Publication Media and Messages for Nutrition and Health(World Bank, Washington, DC, 2020-06)The Lao People’s Democratic Republic (Lao PDR) has experienced rapid and significant economic growth over the past decade. However, poor nutritional outcomes remain a concern. Rates of childhood undernutrition are particularly high in remote, rural, and upland areas. Media have the potential to play an important role in shaping health and nutrition–related behaviors and practices as well as in promoting sociocultural and economic development that might contribute to improved nutritional outcomes. This report presents the results of a media audit (MA) that was conducted to inform the development and production of mass media advocacy and communication strategies and materials with a focus on maternal and child health and nutrition that would reach the most people from the poorest communities in northern Lao PDR. Making more people aware of useful information, essential services and products and influencing them to use these effectively is the ultimate goal of mass media campaigns, and the MA measures the potential effectiveness of media efforts to reach this goal. The effectiveness of communication channels to deliver health and nutrition messages to target beneficiaries to ensure maximum reach and uptake can be viewed in terms of preferences, satisfaction, and trust. Overall, the four most accessed media channels for receiving information among communities in the study areas were village announcements, mobile phones, television, and out-of-home (OOH) media. Of the accessed media channels, the top three most preferred channels were village announcements (40 percent), television (26 percent), and mobile phones (19 percent). In terms of trust, village announcements were the most trusted source of information (64 percent), followed by mobile phones (14 percent) and television (11 percent). Hence of all the media channels, village announcements are the most preferred, have the most satisfied users, and are the most trusted source of information in study communities from four provinces in Lao PDR with some of the highest burden of childhood undernutrition.