African Journal of Gender and Women Studies

African Journal of Gender and Women Studies | Vol. 11, No. 4, April 2026 | pp. 17–25
DOI: 10.46882/AJGWS2026000201

Article Type: Case Study
Title: Ecosystem Restoration and Gender-Differentiated Labor in Community-Led Agroforestry
Names of Authors: Zainab Alao¹, Hellen Njoroge²
Authors’ Affiliations: ¹Department of Geography, Bayero University, Kano, Nigeria, ²Faculty of Environmental Studies, Kenyatta University, Nairobi, Kenya

Abstract: Climate adaptation initiatives in semi-arid zones frequently rely on rural female labor, though institutional property rights rarely mirror this participation. This empirical case study investigates a community-led agroforestry scheme across n = 280 household plots to assess gender-differentiated work distribution and resource control. Time-use metrics demonstrate that women contribute an average of 68 percent of manual conservation labor, yet hold land management voting parity of less than rho = 0.25. Regression modeling shows that adjusting community leadership structures to enforce a 50 percent female quota improves tree seedling survival parameters by mu = plus/minus 22.4 percent (F(2, 277) = 19.8, p < 0.01). The research demonstrates that sustainable ecosystem restoration depends directly on securing formal land tenure safety margins for female agrarian workers.

Keywords: Agroforestry, Ecosystem restoration, Gendered labor, Climate adaptation, Land tenure

Manuscript Timeline: Received: 05 January 2026, Revised: 10 February 2026, Accepted: 01 March 2026, Published: 12 April 2026

African Journal of Gender and Women Studies | Vol. 11, No. 4, April 2026 | pp. 17–24

DOI: 10.46882/2026/AJGWS/000103

Research Article

Title: Glass Ceilings in Academic Medicine: Tracing Career Progression Barriers Among Female Physicians and Surgeons in Tertiary Hospitals in Nigeria

Names of Authors: Ngozi Ekwueme¹, Fatima Bello², Zainab Mohamed³

Authors’ Affiliations: ¹Department of Community Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Lagos, Lagos, Nigeria; ²Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria; ³School of Business and Economics, Strathmore University, Nairobi, Kenya

Abstract: Despite increasing enrollment of women in medical schools across West Africa, leadership positions within academic medicine and surgical specialties remain heavily male-dominated. This institutional study examines the structural, cultural, and interpersonal barriers hindering the career advancement of female medical doctors and consultants in four major Nigerian teaching hospitals. A cross-sectional survey design captured data from n = 240 female medical specialists, supplemented by in-depth key informant interviews with 15 senior professors. Findings indicate that 64.5% of respondents encountered overt or covert gender bias during departmental promotion evaluations, and 82.1% reported a total absence of institutional mentorship programs. Time allocation metrics revealed a stark domestic-professional conflict, with female surgeons dedicating an average of 21.8 ± 3.4 hours weekly to unpaid household labor compared to 6.2 ± 1.5 hours by male peers (F = 14.82, p < 0.0001). Furthermore, implicit bias in grant-awarding committees reduced research productivity metrics for women by nearly 30%. The study argues for comprehensive institutional restructuring, including transparent meritocratic promotion criteria, mandatory anti-bias training, and structured parental leave support within medical academia.

Keywords: Academic medicine, career progression, gender bias, glass ceiling, work-life balance, Nigeria

Manuscript Timeline: Received: 05 December 2025; Revised: 12 March 2026; Accepted: 25 March 2026; Published: 01 April 2026

Citation: Ekwueme, N., Bello, F., & Mohamed, Z. (2026). Glass Ceilings in Academic Medicine: Tracing Career Progression Barriers Among Female Physicians and Surgeons in Tertiary Hospitals in Nigeria. African Journal of Gender and Women Studies, 11(4), 17–24.

African Journal of Gender and Women Studies | Vol. 11, No. 3, March 2026 | pp. 9–16
DOI: 10.46882/AJGWS2026000200

Article Type: Full Length Research Paper

Title: Fintech Adoption and Financial Inclusion Dynamics Among Female Cross-Border Traders
 

Names of Authors: Fatoumata Diallo¹, Joy Chanda²
 

Authors’ Affiliations: ¹Department of Economics and Development Studies, University of Abuja, Abuja, Nigeria, ²School of Business, University of Zambia, Lusaka, Zambia

Abstract: Informal cross-border trade remains a major economic driver in West and Southern Africa, yet female traders face severe liquidity constraints and unsafe physical cash transit hazards. This study analyzes the adoption rate of cross-border mobile wallet applications among a sample of N = 520 female traders. Quantitative field metrics reveal that migrating to digital transaction platforms reduced cross-border currency conversion losses by an average margin of delta = minus 14.5 percent. Multiple regression analysis indicates that digital platform usage significantly predicts monthly enterprise capital growth velocity (t = 5.24, p < 0.001, R² = 0.52). However, structural literacy barriers limit advanced feature utilization among 38 percent of the cohort. The paper concludes that regulatory harmonization of cross-border fintech policies is vital to securing grassroots female asset accumulation.

Keywords: Fintech adoption, Financial inclusion, Cross-border trade, Mobile wallets, Women entrepreneurs

Manuscript Timeline: Received: 12 December 2025, Revised: 15 January 2026, Accepted: 05 February 2026, Published: 15 March 2026

African Journal of Gender and Women Studies | Vol. 11, No. 3, March 2026 | pp. 9–16

DOI: 10.46882/2026/AJGWS/000102

Review Article

Title: Digital Financial Inclusion and Women’s Entrepreneurship: A Systematic Review of Mobile Money Platforms as Catalysts for Economic Autonomy in East Africa

Names of Authors: Zainab Mohamed¹, Amina Gariba²

Authors’ Affiliations: ¹School of Business and Economics, Strathmore University, Nairobi, Kenya; ²Department of Agricultural Economics and Extension, University of Ghana, Legon, Ghana

Abstract: The proliferation of mobile money technology across East Africa has fundamentally transformed financial landscapes, offering unprecedented pathways for female micro-entrepreneurs previously excluded from formal banking. This systematic review synthesizes peer-reviewed literature from 2018 to 2025 to evaluate the tangible impacts of platforms like M-Pesa on women-owned small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda. Following PRISMA guidelines, a final corpus of n = 42 empirical studies was critically appraised. Results demonstrate a strong positive correlation between mobile credit access and business capital growth (average revenue expansion reported at +42.5 ± 5.3%). Yet, persistent digital literacy gaps and discriminatory socio-cultural norms mean that female entrepreneurs routinely operate smaller loan portfolios and face higher interest vulnerability indices (z = 3.19, p = 0.001) than male counterparts. The review identifies that mobile financial services alone cannot overcome structural patriarchy; they must be coupled with targeted digital literacy programs and gender-responsive regulatory frameworks. Policymakers must mandate transparent micro-lending pricing structures to protect vulnerable female borrowers from debt accumulation while scaling up digital financial ecosystems.

Keywords: Digital inclusion, mobile money, women entrepreneurs, economic autonomy, financial technology, East Africa

Manuscript Timeline: Received: 02 November 2025; Revised: 10 February 2026; Accepted: 22 February 2026; Published: 01 March 2026

Citation: Mohamed, Z., & Gariba, A. (2026). Digital Financial Inclusion and Women’s Entrepreneurship: A Systematic Review of Mobile Money Platforms as Catalysts for Economic Autonomy in East Africa. African Journal of Gender and Women Studies, 11(3), 9–16.

African Journal of Gender and Women Studies | Vol. 11, No. 2, February 2026 | pp. 49–56
DOI: 10.46882/2026/AJGWS/000202

Review Article

The Politics of the Veil and Female Agency in North African Higher Education

Yasmin El-Amrani¹, Leila Benali²

¹Department of Cultural Studies, Mohammed V University, Rabat, Morocco
²Faculty of Humanities, University of Tunis El Manar, Tunis, Tunisia

Abstract: Debates surrounding female Islamic dress codes in educational institutions often polarize modernist and traditionalist discourses across North Africa. This review article critically evaluates how female university students in Morocco and Tunisia negotiate personal piety, academic ambition, and political expression through their choice of attire. Drawing upon 38 qualitative studies published between 2015 and 2025, we challenge Western feminist frameworks that reduce the veil to a symbol of oppression or passive conformity. Instead, the literature demonstrates that wearing or rejecting the hijab functions as a dynamic performance of agency, resistance against state secular surveillance, and navigation of modern professional identities. The synthesis reveals generational shifts where young educated women articulate a hybrid feminist consciousness blending spiritual autonomy with civic engagement. The paper concludes that liberating female agency in the region requires dismantling both state-enforced dress restrictions and patriarchal policing of women’s bodies.

Keywords: Female agency, Islamic dress, higher education, North Africa, post-colonial feminism

Manuscript Timeline: Received: November 20, 2025; Revised: December 20, 2025; Accepted: January 08, 2026; Published: February 10, 2026

Citation: El-Amrani, Y., & Benali, L. (2026). The Politics of the Veil and Female Agency in North African Higher Education. African Journal of Gender and Women Studies, 11(2), 49–56. DOI: 10.46882/2026/AJGWS/000202

African Journal of Gender and Women Studies | Vol. 11, No. 2, February 2026 | pp. 57–64
DOI: 10.46882/2026/AJGWS/000203

Research Article

Gender-Based Violence and Social Protection Gaps During Urban Flooding in Coastal Mozambique

Ana Macamo¹, Carlos Sitoe²

¹Department of Geography, Eduardo Mondlane University, Maputo, Mozambique
²Center for Disaster Resilience, Beira, Mozambique

Abstract: Extreme weather events in coastal Mozambique exacerbate pre-existing gender inequalities and escalate risks of gender-based violence (GBV) within temporary displacement shelters. This empirical study investigates the structural gaps in post-flood humanitarian response frameworks regarding female protection in Beira and Quelimane. Utilizing participatory rural appraisal techniques and key informant interviews with 40 shelter managers and 200 displaced women, we documented security, sanitation, and resource distribution dynamics. Findings show that 64.0 percent of female respondents reported feeling unsafe in communal washing and sleeping facilities due to inadequate lighting and lack of gender-segregated layouts. Furthermore, transactional sex for food rations was documented in 5 out of 12 assessed camps. The research emphasizes that disaster risk management policies must integrate mandatory safety audits, female-led camp committees, and immediate psychological first aid tailored to survivors of violence during climate-induced displacements.

Keywords: Gender-based violence, urban flooding, climate displacement, humanitarian response, Mozambique

Manuscript Timeline: Received: November 28, 2025; Revised: December 22, 2025; Accepted: January 12, 2026; Published: February 15, 2026

Citation: Macamo, A., & Sitoe, C. (2026). Gender-Based Violence and Social Protection Gaps During Urban Flooding in Coastal Mozambique. African Journal of Gender and Women Studies, 11(2), 57–64. DOI: 10.46882/2026/AJGWS/000203