Trends in Gender Inequalities in Life Expectancies at Birth in Africa, 1950- 2015
Population studies
30
Issue: 2
(11 - 2016)
In this paper, life expectancies by gender are presented for countries and regions in Africa. The gender
gaps in life expectancy are calculated. Data on life expectancies by sex for African countries are available
from the UNDESA and the latest estimates of 2015 are used. Four patterns of gender gap in life
expectancy at birth trends are observed in Africa. The first group have high life expectancies and large
gender gaps and comprises of mainly small islands (Seychelles, Mauritius and Mayotte) and those in
North Africa whole life expectancy at birth has exceeded 70 years. The second group are those
countries where the gap has been stable but narrowed during the peak of the AIDS epidemic but has
started widening in recent times and comprising countries mainly in Southern Africa. Group 3 are those
countries where the gender gaps has been low over the period and have narrowed or remained
consistently low in recent times, mainly in West Africa. The last group comprises of countries where life
expectancy at birth for males exceeds that of females. Currently, Swaziland and Mali are the only
countries exhibiting this pattern. Thus, some few countries in Africa have followed trends that have
been experienced by developed countries and many have followed a different pattern.
Key words: Inequality, gender gap, life expectancy at birth, Life table.
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