The Russia–Ukraine war: selected economic impacts on African women

The economic shocks stemming from the Russia–Ukraine War have disproportionately impacted women in sub-Saharan Africa due to pre-existing discriminatory gender norms. This paper examines price shocks (in food, fuel and fertiliser), exchange rate depreciations, and disrupted cross-border trade in the region.

The study argues that addressing discriminatory gender norms through economic policies is crucial for enhancing African women's resilience to macroeconomic shocks. Policy interventions should prioritise education, healthcare, property rights, and redistribution of household duties. The paper also emphasises the importance of national and international policy interventions to address women's practical and strategic interests, including workforce participation, livelihoods, and political representation.

The research, supported by the International Development Research Centre (IDRC), provides valuable insights for further analysis and interventions to enhance women's resilience in the face of economic shocks.

Key Messages

Economic policies that tackle unequal gender norms, such as prioritising access to education, finance and technology, are key in underpinning African women’s resilience to macroeconomic shocks.
The economic shocks from the Russia-Ukraine War have boosted inflation and interest rates, reducing purchasing power for some women-headed households and access to credit for women-headed firms.
Trade is essential for gender parity as it creates more formal jobs for women. Trade disruptions in Africa, particularly in agriculture, could undermine resilience, as discriminatory gender norms often undermine responses.
In the context of the war, as in the preceding pandemic, targeted social safety nets for low-income African women, to ensure the provision of basic services, are crucial for resilience.
We assess women’s vulnerability by considering the types of shocks, economic structures, policies and gender norms that further condition the institutional context within which to promote resilience.