Empowering Women in Africa's Restoration Economy

Despite increasing recognition of the roles and opportunities for women in ecological restoration, women typically still have less social, economic and political power. This has negative consequences for their equitable participation in the restoration economy. Gender equity is enshrined in numerous policy and legal frameworks; however, women in Africa continue to experience discrimination and gender inequality. Gender equity necessitates, first, that women must have opportunities to engage equitably in all dimensions of the restoration economy, from decision-making and process development to implementation, monitoring and evaluation. Second, women need to be empowered economically to participate in, and equitably benefit from, the restoration economy. Empowering women’s participation in the restoration economy requires a multi-dimensional approach in order to address social, economic and systemic barriers. Developing systems for women’s empowerment in the restoration economy is a priority that demands attention from regional and national planners, practitioners and funders.