Flora Mutahi 

Economic transformation for our continent is only possible through women’s active and recognised participation. 

Women’s labour and contribution continues to be undervalued for the outcome it brings and is not accorded the same gravitas as men’s contribution. 

In most cases, their work is presented ‘naturally’ as negligible or low-paying and therefore undeserving of recognition.

Yet recognition principally empowers women to gain mobility and agency in the society. 

Agency is the ability for women to acquire capacity to take charge of their income streams, to invest, own land and produce and take part in their civic duty to construct policies, that are designed to change the economic future of their communities.

This guarantees quality output, creation of economic opportunities and social advancement.  

It is important to state that the call to recognise the economic value of women is not a call towards ‘women empowerment’ but rather, it is a wake-up call to embrace smart economics. 

AFDB’s ‘Recognising Africa’s Informal Sector’ report states that nine in 10 rural and urban workers have informal jobs and most of them are women and youth.

This demographic also constitutes 80 per cent of the labour force, which subsequently contributes to approximately 55 per cent of Sub-Saharan Africa’s Gross Domestic product (GDP).

This is a testament to the fact that the productivity of many women in the continent, finds nurturing grounds in the informal sector. 

However, because this sector is already facing biases in terms of recognition as ‘prestigious’ and valued work, it is incapable of providing the social benefits and infrastructure found in the formal sector.

These benefits are designed to protect workers by providing a safe and productive environment for them to operate in, thereby optimising their labour for increased quality output. 

The informal sector environment exacerbates the undermining of the value of women’s work. By so doing, it does very little to lift majority of the women out of poverty.

Hence we are left with a situation in which the women in Africa are the hardest working and most productive, but also the most impoverished. 

The Economist has, in a past article, indicated that in the next decade, nearly  one billion women are likely to enter the global labour force.

Going by this information, it is time to reconfigure our structures and resources to work favourably towards women because it is the only way that we can be sure of a stable future.

The same piece while quoting a report by Booz & Company, notes that increased women’s participation in the economy can transform the GDP.

Imagine how much more developing countries whose numbers are voluminous in this regard stand to gain. 

One way to do this is to make the formalisation processes more accommodating and nurturing.

As it is right now, many women prefer to remain in the informal sector, despite its challenges, because the alternative has been made inaccessible owing to issues such as expensive permits and rigid tax regimes that favour big businesses. It is discouraging and stifles the spirit of entrepreneurship. 

A good place to start in enhancing women’s participation in the economy is implementing recommendations made in the recently launched Women in Manufacturing Report.

These include developing legislative frameworks that promote gender equality and equal participation of men and women in economic opportunities.

Consolidation of legal, regulatory and compliance requirements in a single place will enhance efficiency and reduce the cost of doing business.  —The writer is the Chair of Kenya Association of Manufacturers Women in Manufacturing (WIM) Programme. [email protected]