Historical lessons for Africa’s gender parity-based sustainable development

Abstract

Scholar shave raised concerns that progress towards gender equity on theAfrican continent is over reliant on aggression and is divorced from inclusive socio economic development. This paper sought to contribute to addressing these concerns by re-examining structural enablers and constraints which influenced relations between gender and socio economic development in past eras. The paper conducts a historical re-examination of past major anthropological epochs centred around their associated modes of production. It argues that such a macrore-examination may reveal key lessons that Africacan draw from in the pursuit of her sustainable development. Drawing on Integral Theory as the primary theoretical lens,this paper finds that aunited effort to industrialise Africa,based on the principles of sustainable development, will support the aim of achieving gender parity-based inclusive sustainable development which will result in peace and prosperity and the realisation of thePan-African renaissance.

Key words: Gender Relations; Integral Theory; Socio-Economic Limitations; Four-Quadrant Model; Industrialisation