Bridging the Divide: Investigating the Wage Gap in Africa

Welcome to our series on the challenges facing African women. In this visual, I look into the pervasive issue of the gender wage gap in Africa. Join us as I delve into the complexities of these challanges and strive for a better future for African women.

Context Setting the stage and providing background information

Visual Description and analysis of the visual representation

Observations Notable findings and insights derived from the visual

Limitations  Elements or data points not included in the visual

Data Sources and details regarding the data used in the visual

Reflections Personal thoughts and considerations on the subject matter

Context

Gender pay disparity remains a persistent issue in Africa, with women consistently earning less than men across various sectors and regions. Data spanning from 2011 to 2021 highlights the extent of this gap, revealing that as of 2021, women in Africa earn only 36% of men's salaries on average. This blog article aims to explore the wage gap between men and women in Africa, examining regional trends and changes over time.

Visual

The visual representation of the wage gap utilizes bills to depict the percentage of women's salaries compared to men's salaries, with 100% representing parity. Data from 2011, 2016, and 2021 is analyzed, focusing on five regions of Africa: Northern, Central, Eastern, Southern, and West Africa. The visual provides a comprehensive breakdown of the wage gap in each region, highlighting changes over the ten-year period.

Observations

In North Africa, the wage gap has worsened over the past decade, with women receiving only 18% of men's salaries in 2021, down from 20% in 2011 and 2016. Across most regions, the wage gap has decreased by less than 1% over the ten-year comparison period, with the exception of East Africa, which saw a 6% decrease. Southern Africa stands out as the region with the smallest wage gap, with women receiving 59% of men's salaries in 2021.

Limitations

However, the latest available data is from 2021, limiting our ability to capture recent developments. Additionally, while the visual highlights regional trends, further analysis of occupational segregation is needed to understand the extent to which salary differences are influenced by industry and job roles.

Data

The data used in this visual is sourced from the International Labour Organization (ILO)and its ILOSTAT data explorer. It provides comprehensive information on gender pay disparities in Africa, spanning from 2011 to 2021.

Reflections

As we examine the wage gap between men and women in Africa, we are compelled to question the factors perpetuating this disparity and hindering progress towards gender equality in the workforce. How can we address occupational segregation and discriminatory practices to ensure that women receive equal pay for equal work?

Please be sure to check out our other visuals in this series on African women's challenges:

Maternal Mortality

Political Representation in Parliament

Child Marriage

Women's Literacy

Inheritance Inequity

Sexual Violence in Africa