AfDB Dialogue Highlights Justice as Key to Women’s Economic Power

The African Development Bank Group (AfDB) marked International Women's Day 2026 with a high-level dialogue emphasizing that access to justice and legal rights are central to women's economic empowerment across Africa.

The event, titled "Justice for Her: Rights, Justice and Women's Economic Empowerment in Africa," brought together policymakers, legal experts, development professionals, traditional leaders, entrepreneurs and students at the Bank's headquarters to explore how legal systems and institutional protections influence women's participation in economic life.

The session also launched the Bank's month-long "Gender in Focus" series, highlighting how its projects are impacting women, girls and communities across Africa.

Women's Potential Key to Africa's Economic Future

Featured speaker Nassénéba Touré, Côte d'Ivoire's Minister of Women, Family and Children, said empowering women is not only a social priority but also an economic necessity.

"Africa's development cannot accelerate sustainably if half of its potential remains underutilized. And that potential is African women," Touré said.

Senior Vice-President Marie-Laure Akin-Olugbade and Dr. Jemimah Njuki, Director for Gender, Women and Civil Society at the Bank, also addressed participants.

The event was streamed across the Bank's digital platforms as part of AfDB's broader strategy to promote inclusive growth through gender equality, youth empowerment, governance reforms and human capital development.

Access to Justice is Key to Economic Empowerment

Speakers emphasized that women's economic empowerment begins with legal rights and access to justice systems.

Across much of Africa, women still face barriers when attempting to access land ownership, financial services, and legal protection, limiting their economic participation.

"Promoting women's rights is not a sectoral issue—it's fundamental to national development, economic competitiveness and Africa's long-term stability," said Akin-Olugbade.

"When women cannot access land, finance or legal protection, economies as a whole pay the price through lost productivity and slower growth."

Legal Reforms Can Unlock Economic Opportunities

Participants also discussed the role of legal and policy reforms in expanding opportunities for women.

Côte d'Ivoire was highlighted as an example of progress, with reforms addressing gender-based violence, inheritance laws and women's political representation.

However, major barriers remain. According to Dr. Njuki, women-owned and women-led businesses across Africa face a financing gap estimated at $1.4 trillion.

The shortfall stems not only from market constraints but also from inequalities in asset ownership and access to collateral, which limit women's ability to obtain loans.

Women Entrepreneurs Still Face Structural Barriers

Panelists from civil society and grassroots organizations shared experiences illustrating the challenges faced by women entrepreneurs.

Anasthasie Kouadio, President of the Union Vivrière Etraikpa de Toumodi, a women-led agricultural cooperative, said many rural women farmers struggle to access bank financing.

The African Development Bank's Affirmative Finance Action for Women in Africa (AFAWA) initiative is helping address these challenges by expanding access to capital and business support for women entrepreneurs across the continent.

Through AFAWA, Kouadio's cooperative and tens of thousands of other women-led enterprises have gained improved access to financial resources.

Closing the Gap Between Law and Reality

Speakers also noted that while many African countries have adopted gender equality laws, implementation often lags behind policy commitments.

Judge Fatou Diakité, President of the Association of Magistrates of Côte d'Ivoire, said legal rights do not always translate into real outcomes.

She cited land ownership statistics showing that women hold only about 12 percent of registered land certificates in Côte d'Ivoire, highlighting the gap between formal rights and practical access.

Diakité said improving women's access to justice requires greater awareness of legal rights and stronger access to legal institutions, particularly in rural areas.

Traditional leader Danho Akradji also emphasized the influence of community leadership in supporting women's economic inclusion.

Development Institutions Have a Role to Play

Speakers concluded that development institutions must help bridge the gap between policy commitments and real opportunities for women.

Dilys Asuagbor, Head of the African Development Bank's Ethics Office, said the Bank has developed an internal justice system that combines informal dispute resolution mechanisms with formal investigative processes.

Closing the dialogue, Dr. Ramzi Ali, Director of Staff Welfare Services, Compensation and Employment Policy at the Bank, said development institutions have a broader responsibility to support gender-responsive access to justice.

The event underscored that strengthening legal rights, financial inclusion and institutional protections will be essential to unlocking the full economic potential of Africa's women entrepreneurs and workers.