Book Review: Jarpa J. Dawuni, Gender, Judging and the Courts in Africa: Selected Studies, Routledge: London and New York, 2022.

Abstract

Gender, Judging and the Courts in Africa has been professionally edited by Jarpa J. Dawuni. The volume starts with acknowledgments, a list of abbreviations, notes by the Chief Justice of Tanzania and a foreword. The foreword is particularly interesting. In it, Senior Vice President and General Counsel for the World Bank Group, Sandie Okoro highlights the benefits of gender-smart development policies in enhancing productivity and improving development outcomes. She highlights the fact that the World Bank's Women, Business and the Law reports analyze countries’ legislation to assess the legislative differences in the treatment of men and women in accessing economic opportunities. These reports have repeatedly found that economies become more resilient when societies pursue and implement policies aimed at achieving gender equality. The World Bank has consistently supported efforts to mainstream gender in policies, programs, and projects, as well as monitor the development outcomes of gender-related interventions. The World Bank recognizes that ensuring gender equality is not only a matter of human rights but also “smart economics”.