4. Methodogy Desk reviews were undertaken to gather data concerning legal, policy and institutional reforms. Information was gathered from credible sources including country constitutions, laws, national reports and government websites, databases of international governmental organisations (such as the different UN agencies and the AU) and non-governmental organisation (NGOs) websites and reports. To ensure the reliability of sources, all data was verified, and counterchecked as much as possible. For the most part, it was the authors of the report who carried out translation work. The main challenge lay in the collection of gender-disaggregated data for each of the 55 African countries. This problem applies not just on the African continent but rather exists on a global scale. Meanwhile, the statistical data used to inform the regional comparative data analysis was collected using the same indicator to the extent possible. Sources included the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), the World Bank World Development Indicators (WDI), UN databases (United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), UN Women, etc.). To elevate African women’s voices and make it possible to learn from the experts, MEWC reached out to grassroots NGOs to inform the case study elements of this report. The search for case studies was guided by a need to cover different theme issues and represent different regions. Case studies were identified through desk review/ research. They hoped to capture actions, strategies and lessons learnt that could serve as best practice methods and inform others. Data was gathered on each actor’s website as well as through interviews (via email/Zoom, phone) with the actor to collect more data and insights. The focus was on a combination of different initiatives of both non-state actors and state actors. Non-state actors included civil society organisations (CSOs), the media, the private sector and political, social, religious and traditional actors that have held states accountable
To elevate African women’s voices and make it possible to learn from the experts, MEWC reached out to grassroots NGOs to inform the case study elements of this report. The search for case studies was guided by a need to cover different theme issues and represent different regions.
for their commitments, advocated at national level for the adoption of policies/laws or mobilised others to advocate for women’s rights. State actors included policy-makers, politicians and professional bodies, to illustrate their efforts to domesticate and implement commitments at different stages and with different outcomes (e.g. signing and ratifying existing instruments, law and policy change, constitutional amendment). Lack of funding and barriers to technology for local women’s groups posed a serious challenge in efforts to recognise their vital work here.
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