PUBLICATIONS

17th Africa Union Summit. Credit- Embassy of Equatorial Guinea

Bad Governance, #ENDSars Protest, and a Way Forward for Nigeria

Tamara White, Policy Research Manager, African Trade and Development November 10, 2020

Africa has been experiencing a wave of uprising recently that has brought attention to the consequences of bad governance. Governance and political leadership has been an area that the African continent has struggled with for quite some time. Since its “release” from colonization the continent has struggled with issues of exploitation, corruption, wars, and other destabilizing things. When it comes to governance in Nigeria, most say, it has been driven by self-interest. From not utilizing aid correctly to Boko Haram, most say that the Nigeria government does not have the interest of its citizens on its radar.

An analysis done by Akinola and Yagboyaju states that Nigeria fails in three major areas when it comes to governance and political leadership. These areas are security of lives and properties, promotion of the rule of law, and provision of visionary leadership . All three of these areas can be seen in the issue of police brutality in Nigeria. More specifically, the recent #ENDSars movement has highlighted, again, the presence of bad governance and the urgent need for improvement in the country.

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Young Women at Starfish International. Credit-Starfish International

The Socio-economic and Cultural Response to COVID -19 By Women in The Gambia

Khadeeja Haddy Sarr, Research Fellow, Youth, Gender and Vulnerability Policy Lab November 5, 2020

Currently, women and girls in The Gambia are taking robust action to contain the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19) nationwide. This piece draws attention to the pivotal work of two women, Ramatoulie Jallow, a public health consultant, and Mam Yassin Sarr, founder of Starfish International, a non-profit organisation that focuses on leadership and education for girls. It will address the importance of inclusivity and civic participation of women and girls in fighting the global pandemic. Moreover, this paper sheds light on local efforts by Ramatoulie and Mam Yassin as they mitigate the spread of the pandemic by considering the socio-economic and cultural implications of their work at local and community levels.

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Lagos Credit: Fakoyede Seun

COVID-19, Youth and Tech: The Chance to Build a Resilient Nigerian Economy?

Jennifer Easton, Research Fellow, Youth, Gender and Vulnerability Policy Lab November 4, 2020

COVID-19 presents a substantial threat to Nigeria, Africa’s largest economy. Heavily reliant on an unstable resource market for its revenue, the Nigerian government faces growing unrest and fiscal difficulty as unemployment rates surge amongst its predominantly youthful population. COVID-19 may mark a crossroads in Nigeria, wherein redirection from the legacies of oil and the colonial era can allow the state to realise the potential of its population, the majority of whom are under 25.

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Credit- Unsplash photo library. Jordan Rowland, 2019

Burkinabe Men in Collective Action Against Gender-Based Violence

Julian Uribe, Research Fellow, Youth, Gender and Vulnerability Policy Lab November 20, 2020

In 2015, the Sahel Women’s Empowerment and Demographic Dividend Project (SWEDD) began
operating in Burkina Faso. SWEDD has partnered with local NGOs to establish husband schools or “clubs des maris”. These “husband clubs” are local associations of men who come together to discuss a wide range of topics such as domestic violence, the importance of education for young girls, and access to reproductive healthcare. These social spaces are a positive development in the overall global fight against gender-based violence.

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Credit- UN Photo, Albert Gonzalez Farran

Protection of Civilians After UNAMID? Rising Violence Amid the Mission’s Looming Exit

Andrew Karl, Research Fellow, Security and Intelligence Policy Lab November 19, 2020

Sudan’s Darfur states have seen a renewed escalation of intercommunal violence in the months of May-July 2020, representing the conflict’s deadliest three-month period since June 2017. While this intensification of hostilities reflects a pattern of violence observed in recent years, the looming departure of the UNAMID peacekeeping mission has heightened concerns over the ongoing state of insecurity and Protection of Civilian needs in western Sudan.

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Women trading good via river. Credit-

Neopatrimonialism and its Development in Africa

Giulia Valeria Anderson, Research Analyst, Leadership and Governance Policy Lab November 12, 2020

Neopatrimonialism is a universal concept, especially when placed in the context of African politics. However, there is no precise definition of the term, only a basic theory capable of explaining its general denomination. The neopatrimonialism regime is fundamentally based on a social hierarchy system, in which the sovereign uses the resources of the state to ensure the loyalty of his clients within the population. It is an informal type of sovereign-citizen relationship, which can go from the highest structures of the state to all the individuals of the villages. In Africa, this type of regime evolved extremely quickly because of colonialism. In fact, colonialism is sometimes considered a ‘must happen’ turning point for most African countries. This paper will explore the concept of neopatrimonialism while considering Africa as an explanatory focus. However, before dwelling on the application of the neopatrimonialism regime on the African continent, it is also important to analyze the roots of this regime-type and the defining characteristics.

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