Goal 17
Full Gender Equality in All Spheres of Life

Moderate efforts have been made towards realising gender equality, recorded at 37% against the 2019 target value. The continent has made significant progress in women empowerment, achieving 71% of the 2019 target of the proportion of seats held by women in national parliaments, regional and local bodies.

Remarkable progress was made in reducing the levels of sexual and physical violence against women and girls – the continental score stood at 67% of the 2019 target. However, the performance on reducing female genital mutilation was relatively weak, recorded at 20%. In both domains of curbing violence against women and reducing genital mutilation, Member States made substantial efforts.

The continent’s performance on her target to eliminate all barriers to quality education, health and social services for women and girls by 2020 registered a score of 31% against the expected 2019 value.

The continent’s efforts to pursue women empowerment through ensuring equal economic opportunities among men and women - including ownership or securing rights over agriculture land, registered a low score of 20% against the 2019 target.

Goal 18
Engaged and Empowered Youth and Children

The continent prioritises engagement of youth in the implementation of Agenda 2063 and hence places a premium on youth empowerment. During the period under review, youth empowerment was pursued, in-part, through efforts geared at reducing unemployment rates among youth, but registered a very low score of -128%, signalling a likelihood of not attaining the overall target by 2023 if radical changes are not made.

A similar pattern of weak performance was recorded in reducing child trafficking, child labour and child marriages, with an aggregate score of 12%, -6% and 23% respectively against the 2019 targets.

The continent also recorded strong performance on the implementation of the provisions of the African Charter on the Rights of the Youth by Member States, pitched at 77% against the 2019 targets. To date, 43 countries have signed the Charter.

Full Gender Equality in All Spheres of Life