Women legislators in legislative policymaking in Africa

The visibility of African women in the political space has become more evident since the turn of the 21st century (Tamale 2000; Bauer 2019). Their increased presence in the legislature where laws are made and governmental decisions are scrutinized and ratified is positively associated with public policy outcomes that advance women’s rights and sustainable development (Akiyode-Afolabi and Arogundade 2003; Kevane 2014). For example, it is widely believed that women’s active participation in politics brings about policy development that is more responsive to citizens’ needs and increases cooperation across party lines to achieve it (Rosenthal 2001; Osborn 2014).

Other Information

Published in: Routledge Handbook of Public Policy in Africa
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0
See chapter on publisher's website: https://dx.doi.org/10.4324/9781003143840-56