Promoting Health, Human Capital, and Gender Issues in Africa

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the urgent need to reduce social, economic, political, and environmental inequalities that undermine commitments to human rights and the UN Sustainable Development Goals. The crisis has created opportunities to create more equitable, inclusive, and sustainable models of economic development that are linked to social and environmental factors. This introduction to the Special Issue on Health, Human Capital, and Gender Issues in Africa, provides a multidisciplinary review of the literature. It establishes a global, regional, and national framework to understand and interpret the three themes and the articles that were submitted. It shares the many development challenges in Africa, prior to and since the COVID-19 pandemic, but also highlights the many innovations, policy initiatives, and perspectives of African countries and African institutions, as well as multilateral and other development partners. Authors of the eight articles have provided valuable insights into the multidimensional challenges facing several African countries using diverse methodologies. Their research and recommendations serve as a guide to policy makers, researchers, and development practitioners in various disciplines and sectors, to find policy solutions that are rights-based, gender-sensitive, equitable, and sustainable.