World Bank Document

B.  Gender Mainstreaming

25

 

 

Situation analysis 

 

7. 

Addressing gender inclusion will be key to meeting the country’s development objectives 

in a more challenging environment. While the legal framework for gender equality and women’s 

rights is relatively strong, its practical day-to-day implementation―given the prevalence of traditional 

patriarchal stereotypes and values with respect to the role of women in society―needs strengthening. 

Women are under-represented in government decision making (only 6.5 percent of senior government 

officials, but 31.2 percent of middle level officials). In the national legislature, due to a 30 percent 

quota for women candidates in elections, the share has increased to 16.4 percent in 2014. In education, 

while primary school enrollments are similar for girls and boys, disparities emerge after Grade 9 

affecting girls over 15 years old and the gender gap is noticeable at the tertiary level. In 2014/2015, 

only 37.5 percent of university students were female. Low enrollment is caused by cultural, economic, 

and traditional barriers, including the relatively early age of marriage and parents’ tendency to 

prioritize boys’ education over girls. Young women often self-select into less technical professions 

and those associated with traditional gender roles, such as nurse, teacher, care provider, which limit 

their earning potential as these professions tend to be lower paid. Female labor force participation at 

51 percent is above the average of lower middle income countries (38 percent), but well below that of 

OECD countries. Reproductive health and family planning programs tend to focus on women only, 

although men are at higher risk for HIV infection. However, life expectancy is higher for women than 

men, 75 vs. 71, while the retirement age is lower: 55 vs. 60. Due to lower salaries and shorter working 

life spans, women’s pensions are significantly smaller than men’s and thus the likelihood of poverty 

for older women is higher.