Women Empowerment for Poverty and Inequality Reduction in Sudan

This paper examines how gender equality has evolved in Sudan during the last decade. The analysis comprises various dimensions including the accumulation of endowment in all its forms (human capital and physical capital), access to economic opportunities, access to services (water, sanitation, and electricity), and voice/representation to make decision at all levels. Key findings of the paper are the following. Sudanese women live in poorer than Sudanese men during key productive and reproductive years and appear to suffer greater poverty-related impacts of childcare and divorce. In education, gender gaps are shrinking as the proportion of girls attending primary school and the proportion of boys attending secondary school both continue to increase. Sudan’s maternal mortality ratio declined between 2004 and 2014, supported by an improvement in access to reproductive care services. Time spent in collecting water is a burden to both genders, with no significant difference between females and males. A higher proportion of female-headed households are in the lowest asset index quintile compared to male-headed households, while a lower share of female-headed households are in the highest asset index quintile than male-headed households. Male-headed households have better access to water, sanitation, and hygiene services and electricity. Sudan has a large gender gap in labor force participation that contrasts starkly to the average for the Sub-Saharan African region. Female household heads are more likely to be food insecure and experience higher exposure to shocks, compared to male heads. The paper includes a discussion on the potential impact of COVID-19 on gender inequality, as well as possible policy options to reduce gender inequality in Sudan.