GREEN JOBS FOR WOMEN IN AFRICA

The transition to a green economy will create many new jobs around the world, including in sub-Saharan Africa. But will women share-in these new jobs, and will the economic transformation help them move into higher-paid, more stable jobs that require more education and skills? The short answer is “yes” – provided countries adopt strong policies and programmes to make it happen.

The green economy transition is attracting attention in policy circles but its potential gender impact has been less discussed. Questions such as what share of green jobs will be accessible to women and what types of jobs they will be, are worth asking now. The answers will forecast whether the green transition will be fair and equitable or biased against women and girls.

This policy brief presents findings of a study that applies a gender lens to job creation in the green transition in Sub-Saharan Africa. It assesses opportunities for women’s participation in green jobs in key sectors driving growth in African economies, and identifies policy solutions to overcome them and promote job opportunities for women, including through concrete policy recommendations.

This policy brief can be useful to green economy experts and policymakers who seek a better understanding of the gender dimensions of the green economy and how to develop fair and gender-responsive green economy policies in sub-Saharan Africa.