Guinea is reaping the rewards of efforts to increase gender equality in the public sector. In 2021, the country recorded a significant increase in the number of women in government.

According to a dashboard report issued by Falémé Conseil—a consultancy run by Amujae Leader Malado Kaba—Guinea recorded a 57% increase in the number of women in government in 2021 compared to 2010. The report notes:

“Nearly 31% of ministerial portfolios were held by women, which is about 9 points more than the average for the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) countries and the world average.”

Ms. Kaba, who served as Guinea’s first woman Economy and Finance Minister between 2016 and 2018, noted that the report aims to encourage further research into the benefits of gender parity in the public sector in her country.

The inclusion of women in leadership positions has been shown to improve the decision-making process in public-sector organizations. The dashboard report, Ms. Kaba said, provides much-needed disaggregated data which can help bolster policies and programs to advance gender equality. Such programs will be essential for Guinea to achieve its development goals, she added.

Despite the overall increase in the number of women in leadership positions in government, the  dashboard report showed that only 25% of these women held high-level roles, such as National Director or Minister. It also indicated that nearly three-quarters of women ministers were allocated portfolios in sectors that, while important, are often deemed “soft,” such as education, culture, or tourism. However, it found that progress was being made in terms of increased representation of women in the planning, public works, and energy sectors. Ms. Kaba commented that:

“Improving the representation of women in decision-making positions relies on data that help to assess the situation and take appropriate action to move things forward.” 

Read the full report here: https://bit.ly/35NVzEb (Note: the report is published in French).