African Journal of Gender and Women Studies

African Journal of Gender and Women Studies ISSN: 2736-1578, Vol. 11 (1), pp. 001-008, January, 2026. Available online at www.internationalscholarsjournals.org © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Sexual Violence Against Girls in Schools: Analyzing Grade 12 Students’ Understandings and Attitudes

Kalula Mpiana

Department of Public management, Cape Peninsula University of Technology, South Africa. E-mail: [email protected] or [email protected]. Tel: +27 73 2196 250 or +27 7318 51 585.

Accepted 21 October, 2025

There has been increasing levels of sexual violence against girls in South African schools. Girls continue to face obstacles to their learning even though some progress has been made in terms of gender equality in education. The opportunities that girls have to learn should in no way be compromised by their gender. Sexual violence leads to dropping out, interruption of studies, unwanted pregnancies and HIV/AIDS. Attitudes towards females feed in to the notion that coercive sex is not a violent act. Although this study focuses on the girls and recognized that boys are also being sexually assaulted.

Keywords: Attitude, girls, learners, school and sexual violence.
 

African Journal of Gender and Women Studies | Vol. 11, No. 7, July 2026 | pp. 41–48

DOI: 10.46882/2026/AJGWS/000106

Research Article

Title: Maternal Health Disparities and Antenatal Care Utilization: Interrogating Socio-Economic and Spatial Barriers Among Adolescent Mothers in Rural Senegal

Names of Authors: Mariama Diallo¹, Thandiwe Ndlovu²

Authors’ Affiliations: ¹Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, Cheikh Anta Diop University, Dakar, Senegal; ²Department of Criminology and Forensic Studies, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa

Abstract: Adolescent mothers in rural West Africa face extreme maternal morbidity risks driven by geographic isolation, prohibitive out-of-pocket healthcare costs, and adolescent stigma within clinical environments. This study investigates the determinants of inadequate antenatal care (ANC) utilization among pregnant adolescents aged 15 to 19 years in the Matam region of Senegal. A community-based cross-sectional survey was administered to n = 410 young mothers within 12 months postpartum. Logistic regression modeling indicated that only 31.7% completed the WHO-recommended 4-ANC visit minimum. Significant barriers included travel distance exceeding μ = 12.4 ± 2.8 km to the nearest functioning health post (odds ratio = 0.42, 95% confidence interval [0.28, 0.65]) and partner/family disapproval of reproductive health consultations. Financial constraints accounted for a 55% dropout rate after the first trimester. Qualitative data confirmed that judgmental attitudes from health personnel discouraged subsequent visits. Interventions must prioritize youth-friendly mobile health clinics, abolition of user fees for adolescent maternity services, and community sensitization campaigns targeting traditional community gatekeepers.

Keywords: Maternal health, adolescent mothers, antenatal care, health disparities, rural healthcare, Senegal

Manuscript Timeline: Received: 02 March 2026; Revised: 05 June 2026; Accepted: 18 June 2026; Published: 01 July 2026

Citation: Diallo, M., & Ndlovu, T. (2026). Maternal Health Disparities and Antenatal Care Utilization: Interrogating Socio-Economic and Spatial Barriers Among Adolescent Mothers in Rural Senegal. African Journal of Gender and Women Studies, 11(7), 41–48.

African Journal of Gender and Women Studies | Vol. 11, No. 1, January 2026 | pp. 25–32
DOI: 10.46882/2026/AJGWS/000104

Empirical Article

Intersectional Realities of Female Artisanal Miners in the Lualaba Province of the Democratic Republic of Congo

Marie-Claire Tshilombo¹, Nene Kabanga²

¹Department of Sociology, University of Lubumbashi, Lubumbashi, Democratic Republic of Congo
²Center for Gender and Mining Studies, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo

Abstract: Artisanal and small-scale cobalt mining in the Democratic Republic of Congo is a male-dominated sector where women occupy the most hazardous, informal tiers of the supply chain. This study explores the intersectional vulnerabilities experienced by female washers, sorters, and petty traders in Lualaba Province. Through an ethnographic approach involving participant observation and 85 semi-structured interviews, we document the physical toll, economic exploitation, and systemic gender-based violence at mine sites. Results indicate that 78.8 percent of female miners suffer from chronic musculoskeletal disorders and heavy metal exposure symptoms, yet lack access to occupational health services or secure tenure over mineral-sorting areas. Furthermore, customary patriarchal structures prevent women from registering mining cooperatives independently. The study highlights the urgent need for formalization policies that protect women’s labor rights, guarantee equal pay, and eradicate sexual exploitation by armed actors and informal mine bosses.

Keywords: Artisanal mining, intersectionality, cobalt supply chain, labor rights, Democratic Republic of Congo

Manuscript Timeline: Received: November 02, 2025; Revised: December 10, 2025; Accepted: December 22, 2025; Published: January 25, 2026

Citation: Tshilombo, M.-C., & Kabanga, N. (2026). Intersectional Realities of Female Artisanal Miners in the Lualaba Province of the Democratic Republic of Congo. African Journal of Gender and Women Studies, 11(1), 25–32. DOI: 10.46882/2026/AJGWS/000104

African Journal of Gender and Women Studies | Vol. 11, No. 1, January 2026 | pp. 17–24
DOI: 10.46882/2026/AJGWS/000103

Research Article

Gender Representation in Climate Adaptation Policies: A Critical Discourse Analysis of East African Nationally Determined Contributions

Fatuma Hassan¹, John Mwangi²

¹Department of Environmental Policy, University of Nairobi, Nairobi, Kenya
²School of Global Studies, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Abstract: Climate change policies frequently adopt gender-neutral language that obscures the differentiated vulnerabilities of rural women. This paper presents a critical discourse analysis of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) submitted by Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda under the Paris Agreement. Examining policy texts through a feminist political ecology framework, we assess how gender is integrated into agricultural adaptation, water resource management, and disaster risk reduction strategies. The textual analysis reveals that women are predominantly framed as vulnerable victims or passive beneficiaries of resource allocation rather than active agents of environmental governance. Quantitative coding shows that out of 452 policy action points, only 14.2 percent incorporate mandatory gender-disaggregated monitoring indicators (n = 64). The study argues that climate policy frameworks in East Africa must move beyond symbolic inclusion to institutionalize transformative gender justice, ensuring rural women hold decision-making power in climate adaptation fund allocation and local execution.

Keywords: Climate adaptation, gender representation, critical discourse analysis, NDCs, East Africa

Manuscript Timeline: Received: October 25, 2025; Revised: December 05, 2025; Accepted: December 20, 2025; Published: January 20, 2026

Citation: Hassan, F., & Mwangi, J. (2026). Gender Representation in Climate Adaptation Policies: A Critical Discourse Analysis of East African Nationally Determined Contributions. African Journal of Gender and Women Studies, 11(1), 17–24. DOI: 10.46882/2026/AJGWS/000103

African Journal of Gender and Women Studies | Vol. 11, No. 2, February 2026 | pp. 65–72
DOI: 10.46882/2026/AJGWS/000204

Empirical Article

Women in Corporate Boardrooms: An Analysis of Gender Diversity and Financial Performance in South African Listed Firms

Thabo Mokoena¹, Nomusa Dlamini²

¹Wits Business School, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
²Department of Business Management, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa

Abstract: South Africa’s Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment (B-BBEE) codes encourage corporate board diversity, yet female executive representation remains disproportionately low. This study examines the econometric relationship between female board participation and firm financial performance across 120 companies listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) from 2020 to 2025. Employing panel data analysis with fixed effects estimators, we evaluated return on assets (ROA) and Tobin's Q relative to the percentage of women serving on board audit and remuneration committees. The statistical output indicates a positive and significant association between critical mass representation (defined as 30 percent or more female directors) and firm profitability metrics (ROA coefficient = 0.045, p < 0.05). Additionally, firms with higher gender diversity exhibited stronger ESG compliance ratings. The findings support regulatory mandates enforcing board diversity quotas, demonstrating that gender inclusivity enhances corporate governance rigor and long-term financial resilience.

Keywords: Corporate governance, board diversity, financial performance, JSE, South Africa

Manuscript Timeline: Received: December 05, 2025; Revised: January 04, 2026; Accepted: January 15, 2026; Published: February 20, 2026

Citation: Mokoena, T., & Dlamini, N. (2026). Women in Corporate Boardrooms: An Analysis of Gender Diversity and Financial Performance in South African Listed Firms. African Journal of Gender and Women Studies, 11(2), 65–72. DOI: 10.46882/2026/AJGWS/000204

African Journal of Gender and Women Studies | Vol. 11, No. 8, August 2026 | pp. 49–56

DOI: 10.46882/2026/AJGWS/000107

Research Article

Title: Women in Artisanal and Small-Scale Gold Mining: Economic Survival, Occupational Health Hazards, and Environmental Realities in Rural Tanzania

Names of Authors: Aisha Juma¹, Mariama Diallo²

Authors’ Affiliations: ¹Department of Development Studies, University of Dar es Salaam, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania; ²Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, Cheikh Anta Diop University, Dakar, Senegal

Abstract: Artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) supports millions across rural East Africa, yet women within this sector are structurally marginalized into low-paying, highly toxic processing tasks like amalgamation. This field-based study examines the socio-economic drivers and acute occupational health profiles of women working in informal gold mining settlements in Geita, Tanzania. Using a participatory action research framework, data was gathered from n = 280 female miners via structured health screenings, environmental hazard mapping, and economic activity logs. Quantitative toxicological evaluations showed chronic mercury exposure levels averaging μ = 4.8 ± 1.2 micrograms per gram in hair samples, far above safe biological limits. Economically, women earned roughly 40.2 ± 6.5% less than male miners per shift despite equivalent labor inputs, as men retained ownership of extraction machinery and ore shafts (t = 7.15, p < 0.0001). Furthermore, sexual harassment and precarious working conditions were universally reported. The study emphasizes the urgent need for formalization policies, mercury-free processing technology access, and cooperative mining rights specifically designated for women miners.

Keywords: Artisanal mining, occupational health, mercury exposure, gender wage gap, informal economy, Tanzania

Manuscript Timeline: Received: 01 April 2026; Revised: 01 July 2026; Accepted: 15 July 2026; Published: 01 August 2026

Citation: Juma, A., & Diallo, M. (2026). Women in Artisanal and Small-Scale Gold Mining: Economic Survival, Occupational Health Hazards, and Environmental Realities in Rural Tanzania. African Journal of Gender and Women Studies, 11(8), 49–56.