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Women in Governance in Central Africa: Status Quo, Opportunities and Challenges

September 11, 2026 In Issue Papers By

Women in Governance in Central Africa: Status Quo, Opportunities and Challenges

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This issue paper examines women’s participation in governance across Central Africa, highlighting progress alongside persistent structural barriers to political and strategic leadership. Despite legal reforms, gender quotas and advocacy efforts, women remain significantly underrepresented, with limited enforcement of measures designed to promote parity. While diplomacy, grassroots initiatives and symbolic leadership appointments demonstrate growing opportunities for women, these advances have yet to translate into broader structural change. The article identifies socio-cultural norms, economic inequality and political violence as key barriers, and argues that achieving gender parity requires moving beyond numerical representation towards genuine access to power, stronger enforcement of legal frameworks and sustained investment in women’s leadership and empowerment.

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Yangueral Ngarari

Yangueral Ngarari is a consultant for the PETRADEP project (Paix, Transhumance et Développement de l’Economie Pastorale autour du Lac Tchad) with GIZ (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit) around Lake Chad, a regional initiative involving countries in the Lake Chad Basin. She holds a Master’s degree in Governance and Regional Integration and specialises in governance, development and project management in Central and West Africa. Her work focuses on political participation, women’s leadership and inclusive governance. As an alumna of the West Africa Civil Society Institute’s Next Generation Internship Programme (NGIP), Yangueral has extensive experience in project coordination, capacity building and supporting civil society organisations, with particular expertise in pastoral communities and regional institutional dynamics.

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    Yangueral Ngarari is a consultant for the PETRADEP project (Paix, Transhumance et Développement de l’Economie Pastorale autour du Lac Tchad) with GIZ (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit) around Lake Chad, a regional initiative involving countries in the Lake Chad Basin. She holds a Master’s degree in Governance and Regional Integration and specialises in governance, development and project management in Central and West Africa. Her work focuses on political participation, women’s leadership and inclusive governance. As an alumna of the West Africa Civil Society Institute’s Next Generation Internship Programme (NGIP), Yangueral has extensive experience in project coordination, capacity building and supporting civil society organisations, with particular expertise in pastoral communities and regional institutional dynamics.

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