Making Taxes Work for Women in Africa
With Chenai Mukumba
The role of taxes in any country is to help it domestically raise the revenues it requires to achieve its developmental objectives. Africa’s ability to raise its own resources currently is hindered by the illicit outflow of revenue which accounts for USD 86 billion annually. As such, given Africa’s limited purse, many African countries are constrained in their ability to invest in key social sectors, many of which are predominantly used by women. Insufficient investment into sectors such as education, health care and social protection is disproportionately affecting African women given that their limited access to the formal labour market makes them most dependent on these very public services.