Empowering Women for a Better Future

Abstract

Issues of Gender has, in many years, been a top most and a cross-cutting priority for the Developing world, and most recently in 2016 was no different. The African Union in 2016 declared it to be “The Year of Human Rights with a Special Focus on Women’s Human Rights.” Gender Equality was a priority in the Millennium Development Goals and continues to be so in the new Sustainable Development Goals and much other focus. African women have made many great strides in their economic and political empowerment, but still many women bear the brunt of economic hardships and violence. African/women in the developing world are becoming increasingly involved in leadership positions. Female participation in African legislatures outpaces many developed countries. Rwanda at present has women in leadership positions standing (at 63.8 percent) ranks number one in the world, with the Seychelles, Senegal, and South Africa similarly being in the top 10 countries. Fifteen African countries rank ahead of France and the United Kingdom, 24 ranks ahead of the United States, and 42 ranks ahead of Japan.