Gender-Responsive Macroeconomic Policies and their Impact on Living Standards in East and West Africa: A Comparative Analysis of Kenya and Nigeria

Although gender justice has become an increasingly important aspect of economic development, significant research gaps remain in understanding how different stages of the business cycle, including macroeconomic policies, affect men and women in distinct ways. Africa's economic landscape is characterized by its diversity, featuring unique macroeconomic environments in both East and West Africa. This paper examines the interplay between gender and macroeconomic policy in Kenya, East Africa and Nigeria, West Africa.  This research employs an explanatory mixed-methods approach by integrating quantitative analysis of disaggregated macroeconomic data such as GDP growth, inflation, unemployment, and poverty with qualitative insights from interviews and focus group discussions on Kenya and Nigeria. The findings of this study reveal that (1) although economic expansion enhances employment prospects, its advantages are unevenly distributed, favouring men, especially in male-dominated industries. (2) Inflation demonstrably exerts a markedly more adverse effect on women's living standards owing to their predominance in informal jobs and caregiving positions. (3) Moreover, households led by females are over twice as likely to encounter poverty in comparison to those led by males. The study concludes with policy proposals aimed at strengthening gender-responsive budgeting, broaden social infrastructure, and improve institutional accountability to attain equitable and sustainable growth. Therefore, policy makers should advocate for a more inclusive macroeconomic framework that incorporates gender analysis into fiscal and labor policies.