afr-world-wawgdl-2023-v1 WORLD Policy Analysis Center DataFirst 2025-09-26 Nesstar Publisher Version 2 WORLD African Workplace Gender Discrimination Laws 2023 AWGDL 2023 afr-world-wawgdl-2023-v1 WORLD Policy Analysis Center Nesstar Publisher Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Conrad N. Hilton Foundation William and Flora Hewlett Foundation DataFirst Support Other v1: Edited anonymised data for distribution as public access share-alike data The WORLD Policy Analysis Center (WORLD) is committed to improving the quantity and quality of globally comparative data available to policymakers, citizens, civil society, and researchers on laws and policies that work to support human rights, including economic opportunity, social and civic engagement, human health, development, well-being, and equity. This dataset is part of a series that assesses progress in laws across African countries that lay the foundation for equal opportunities in childhood and gender equality. Women's economic opportunities are adversely affected both by direct gender discrimination and discrimination based on care responsibilities. WORLD's Protection from Gender Discrimination at Work, Africa 2000-2023 dataset was created to assess progress on laws prohibiting gender and caregiving discrimination at work across all stages of the work life course through a systematic review of legislation governing gender equality and labor rights from 2000 to 2023 in 50 African countries. A public use legislative repository is available with the legislation used to code each African country. In some cases the laws made available are only the recent laws and not all the laws that relate to the coded data in the longitudinal African datasets. Africa The data is at the country level and includes the following countries: Algeria, Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Cote d'Ivoire, Djibouti, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gabon, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, South Africa, South Sudan, Sudan, Eswatini, Tanzania, Togo, Tunisia, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe Laws Legislation The data covers laws prohibiting discrimination at work based on gender, marital status, pregnancy, and maternal status, including in hiring, pay, training, promotions and/or demotions, and terminations, as well as measures to support effective implementation, including prohibitions of indirect discrimination, employer responsibility to prevent discrimination, and prohibitions of retaliation for reporting discrimination. WORLD Policy Analysis Center Other Ethics approval was not required because all data is from publicly available legislative texts DataFirst WORLD Policy Analysis Center (WORLD). WORLD African Workplace Gender Discrimination Laws 2023 [dataset]. Version 1. Los Angeles: WORLD Policy Analysis Center [producer], 2024. Cape Town: DataFirst [distributor], 2024. DOI: https://doi.org/10.25828/1g3h-dh96 Public access data for use under a Creative Commons CC-BY-SA (Attribution plus Share-Alike) License pgdw-2000-2023-v1.NSDstat 1189 60 Nesstar 200801 country name 1189 0 Algeria 24 Angola 24 Benin 24 Botswana 24 Burkina Faso 24 Burundi 24 Cameroon 24 Cape Verde 24 Central African Republic 24 Chad 24 Comoros 24 Cote d'Ivoire 24 Democratic Republic of the Congo 24 Djibouti 24 Egypt 24 Eritrea 24 Eswatini 24 Ethiopia 24 Gabon 24 Ghana 24 Guinea 24 Guinea-Bissau 24 Kenya 24 Lesotho 24 Liberia 24 Madagascar 24 Malawi 24 Mali 24 Mauritania 24 Mauritius 24 Morocco 24 Mozambique 24 Namibia 24 Niger 24 Republic of the Congo 24 Rwanda 24 Sao Tome and Principe 24 Senegal 24 Seychelles 24 Sierra Leone 24 South Africa 24 South Sudan 13 Sudan 24 Tanzania 24 The Gambia 24 Togo 24 Tunisia 24 Uganda 24 Zambia 24 Zimbabwe 24 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1189 0 2000 2023 2011.56 6.922 At least some POD at work: gender 1154 35 0 1 0.907 0.29 0 107 1 1047 Sysmiss 35 At least some POD at work: pregnancy status 1154 35 0 1 0.572 0.495 0 494 1 660 Sysmiss 35 At least some POD at work: maternal status 1154 35 0 1 0.412 0.492 0 679 1 475 Sysmiss 35 At least some POD at work: paternal status 1154 35 0 1 0.38 0.486 0 715 1 439 Sysmiss 35 At least some POD at work: marital status 1154 35 0 1 0.475 0.5 0 606 1 548 Sysmiss 35 POD hiring: gender 1154 35 1 5 1 No prohibition 222 2 General prohibition of discrimination in hiring or recruitme 0 4 Broad prohibition of workplace discrimination based on gende 277 5 Yes, gender-specific prohibition 655 Sysmiss 35 POD hiring: pregnancy status 1154 35 1 5 1 No prohibition 895 2 General prohibition of discrimination in hiring or recruitme 16 4 Broad prohibition of workplace discrimination based on pregn 29 5 Yes, pregnancy status-specific prohibition 214 Sysmiss 35 POD hiring: maternal status 1154 35 1 5 1 No prohibition 809 2 General prohibition of discrimination in hiring or recruitme 30 4 Broad prohibition of workplace discrimination based on mater 45 5 Yes, maternal status-specific prohibition 270 Sysmiss 35 POD hiring: paternal status 1154 35 1 5 1 No prohibition 859 2 General prohibition of discrimination in hiring or recruitme 30 4 Broad prohibition of workplace discrimination based on pater 9 5 Yes, paternal status-specific prohibition 256 Sysmiss 35 POD hiring: marital status 1154 35 1 5 1 No prohibition 738 2 General prohibition of discrimination in hiring or recruitme 44 4 Broad prohibition of workplace discrimination based on marit 128 5 Yes, marital status-specific prohibition 244 Sysmiss 35 Equal pay: gender 1154 35 1 5 1 No guarantee 134 2 General guarantee of equal pay 0 3 Broad prohibition of workplace discrimination based on gende 48 4 Guarantees equal pay for equal work based on gender 467 5 Guarantees equal pay for work of equal value based on gender 505 Sysmiss 35 Equal pay: pregnancy status 1154 35 1 5 1 No guarantee 778 2 General guarantee of equal pay 171 3 Broad prohibition of workplace discrimination based on pregn 45 4 Guarantees equal pay for equal work based on pregnancy statu 107 5 Guarantees equal pay for work of equal value based on pregna 53 Sysmiss 35 Equal pay: maternal status 1154 35 1 5 1 No guarantee 758 2 General guarantee of equal pay 166 3 Broad prohibition of workplace discrimination based on mater 32 4 Guarantees equal pay for equal work based on maternal status 84 5 Guarantees equal pay for work of equal value based on matern 114 Sysmiss 35 Equal pay: paternal status 1154 35 1 5 1 No guarantee 808 2 General guarantee of equal pay 166 3 Broad prohibition of workplace discrimination based on pater 9 4 Guarantees equal pay for equal work based on paternal status 71 5 Guarantees equal pay for work of equal value based on patern 100 Sysmiss 35 Equal pay: marital status 1154 35 1 5 1 No guarantee 674 2 General guarantee of equal pay 108 3 Broad prohibition of workplace discrimination based on marit 83 4 Guarantees equal pay for equal work based on marital status 159 5 Guarantees equal pay for work of equal value based on marita 130 Sysmiss 35 POD promotions and/or demotions: gender 1154 35 1 5 1 No prohibition 232 2 General prohibition of discrimination in promotions and/or d 17 4 Broad prohibition of workplace discrimination based on gende 306 5 Yes, gender-specific prohibition 599 Sysmiss 35 POD promotions and/or demotions: pregnancy status 1154 35 1 5 1 No prohibition 879 2 General prohibition of discrimination in promotions and/or d 25 4 Broad prohibition of workplace discrimination based on pregn 28 5 Yes, pregnancy status-specific prohibition 222 Sysmiss 35 POD promotions and/or demotions: maternal status 1154 35 1 5 1 No prohibition 816 2 General prohibition of discrimination in promotions and/or d 23 4 Broad prohibition of workplace discrimination based on mater 44 5 Yes, maternal status-specific prohibition 271 Sysmiss 35 POD promotions and/or demotions: paternal status 1154 35 1 5 1 No prohibition 865 2 General prohibition of discrimination in promotions and/or d 23 4 Broad prohibition of workplace discrimination based on pater 9 5 Yes, paternal status-specific prohibition 257 Sysmiss 35 POD promotions and/or demotions: marital status 1154 35 1 5 1 No prohibition 744 2 General prohibition of discrimination in promotions and/or d 20 4 Broad prohibition of workplace discrimination based on marit 162 5 Yes, marital status-specific prohibition 228 Sysmiss 35 POD employer-provied training :gender 1154 35 1 5 1 No prohibition 276 2 General prohibition of discrimination in training 0 4 Broad prohibition of workplace discrimination based on gende 359 5 Yes, gender-specific prohibition 519 Sysmiss 35 POD employer-provied training :pregnancy status 1154 35 1 5 1 No prohibition 911 2 General prohibition of discrimination in training 28 4 Broad prohibition of workplace discrimination based on pregn 41 5 Yes, pregnancy status-specific prohibition 174 Sysmiss 35 POD employer-provied training :maternal status 1154 35 1 5 1 No prohibition 877 2 General prohibition of discrimination in training 39 4 Broad prohibition of workplace discrimination based on mater 46 5 Yes, maternal status-specific prohibition 192 Sysmiss 35 POD employer-provied training :paternal status 1154 35 1 5 1 No prohibition 927 2 General prohibition of discrimination in training 39 4 Broad prohibition of workplace discrimination based on pater 18 5 Yes, paternal status-specific prohibition 170 Sysmiss 35 POD employer-provied training :marital status 1154 35 1 5 1 No prohibition 743 2 General prohibition of discrimination in training 39 4 Broad prohibition of workplace discrimination based on marit 139 5 Yes, marital status-specific prohibition 233 Sysmiss 35 POD terminations: gender 1154 35 1 5 1 No prohibition 212 2 General prohibition of discrimination in terminations 0 4 Broad prohibition of workplace discrimination based on gende 136 5 Yes, gender-specific prohibition 806 Sysmiss 35 POD terminations: pregnancy status 1154 35 1 5 1 No prohibition 477 2 General prohibition of discrimination in terminations 17 4 Broad prohibition of workplace discrimination based on pregn 12 5 Yes, pregnancy status-specific prohibition 648 Sysmiss 35 POD terminations: maternal status 1154 35 1 5 1 No prohibition 655 2 General prohibition of discrimination in terminations 24 4 Broad prohibition of workplace discrimination based on mater 31 5 Yes, maternal status-specific prohibition 444 Sysmiss 35 POD terminations: paternal status 1154 35 1 5 1 No prohibition 692 2 General prohibition of discrimination in terminations 24 4 Broad prohibition of workplace discrimination based on pater 9 5 Yes, paternal status-specific prohibition 429 Sysmiss 35 POD terminations: marital status 1154 35 1 5 1 No prohibition 582 2 General prohibition of discrimination in terminations 24 4 Broad prohibition of workplace discrimination based on marit 104 5 Yes, marital status-specific prohibition 444 Sysmiss 35 Prohibition of indirect discrimination: gender 1154 35 1 5 1 No indirect discrimination provisions 848 2 General prohibition of indirect discrimination 0 5 Yes, gender-specific prohibition 306 Sysmiss 35 Prohibition of indirect discrimination: pregnancy status 1154 35 1 5 1 No indirect discrimination provisions 991 2 General prohibition of indirect discrimination 28 5 Yes, pregnancy status-specific prohibition 135 Sysmiss 35 Prohibition of indirect discrimination: maternal status 1154 35 1 5 1 No indirect discrimination provisions 957 2 General prohibition of indirect discrimination 4 5 Yes, maternal status-specific prohibition 193 Sysmiss 35 Prohibition of indirect discrimination: paternal status 1154 35 1 5 1 No indirect discrimination provisions 979 2 General prohibition of indirect discrimination 4 5 Yes, paternal status-specific prohibition 171 Sysmiss 35 Prohibition of indirect discrimination: marital status 1154 35 1 5 1 No indirect discrimination provisions 952 2 General prohibition of indirect discrimination 4 5 Yes, marital status-specific prohibition 198 Sysmiss 35 Retaliation prohibited for participating in workplace investigations of gender d 1154 35 1 5 1 No explicit prohibition of gender discrimination at work 107 2 No prohibition of retaliation 477 3 Only individuals who report 165 5 Explicit coverage for workers participating in investigation 405 9 Coverage not specified 0 Sysmiss 35 Retaliation prohibited for participating in workplace investigations of pregnanc 1154 35 1 5 1 No explicit prohibition of pregnancy status discrimination a 494 2 No prohibition of retaliation 194 3 Only individuals who report 156 5 Explicit coverage for workers participating in investigation 310 9 Coverage not specified 0 Sysmiss 35 Retaliation prohibited for participating in workplace investigations of maternal 1154 35 1 5 1 No explicit prohibition of maternal status discrimination at 679 2 No prohibition of retaliation 128 3 Only individuals who report 97 5 Explicit coverage for workers participating in investigation 250 9 Coverage not specified 0 Sysmiss 35 Retaliation prohibited for participating in workplace investigations of paternal 1154 35 1 5 1 No explicit prohibition of paternal status discrimination at 715 2 No prohibition of retaliation 92 3 Only individuals who report 97 5 Explicit coverage for workers participating in investigation 250 9 Coverage not specified 0 Sysmiss 35 Retaliation prohibited for participating in workplace investigations of marital 1154 35 1 5 1 No explicit prohibition of marital status discrimination at 606 2 No prohibition of retaliation 145 3 Only individuals who report 108 5 Explicit coverage for workers participating in investigation 295 9 Coverage not specified 0 Sysmiss 35 Types of retaliation prohibited for reporting gender discrimination 1150 39 1 5 1 No explicit prohibition of gender discrimination at work 107 2 No prohibition of retaliation 477 3 Only dismissal 234 4 Harassment or disciplinary action 97 5 Any adverse action 235 Sysmiss 39 Types of retaliation prohibited for reporting pregnancy status discrimination 1150 39 1 5 1 No explicit prohibition of pregnancy status discrimination a 490 2 No prohibition of retaliation 194 3 Only dismissal 198 4 Harassment or disciplinary action 61 5 Any adverse action 207 Sysmiss 39 Types of retaliation prohibited for reporting maternal status discrimination 1150 39 1 5 1 No explicit prohibition of maternal status discrimination at 675 2 No prohibition of retaliation 128 3 Only dismissal 146 4 Harassment or disciplinary action 59 5 Any adverse action 142 Sysmiss 39 Types of retaliation prohibited for reporting paternal status discrimination 1150 39 1 5 1 No explicit prohibition of paternal status discrimination at 711 2 No prohibition of retaliation 92 3 Only dismissal 146 4 Harassment or disciplinary action 60 5 Any adverse action 141 Sysmiss 39 Types of retaliation prohibited for reporting marital status discrimination 1150 39 1 5 1 No explicit prohibition of marital status discrimination at 606 2 No prohibition of retaliation 141 3 Only dismissal 173 4 Harassment or disciplinary action 88 5 Any adverse action 142 Sysmiss 39 Employer responsibility to prevent gender discrimination 1154 35 1 5 1 No explicit prohibition of gender discrimination at work 107 2 No explicit requirements 936 4 General requirement, but no specific measures 25 5 Employers required to take one or more of the specific measu 86 Sysmiss 35 Employer responsibility to prevent pregnancy status discrimination 1154 35 1 5 1 No explicit prohibition of pregnancy status discrimination a 494 2 No explicit requirements 562 4 General requirement, but no specific measures 7 5 Employers required to take one or more of the specific measu 91 Sysmiss 35 Employer responsibility to prevent maternal status discrimination 1154 35 1 5 1 No explicit prohibition of maternal status discrimination at 679 2 No explicit requirements 392 4 General requirement, but no specific measures 19 5 Employers required to take one or more of the specific measu 64 Sysmiss 35 Employer responsibility to prevent paternal status discrimination 1154 35 1 5 1 No explicit prohibition of paternal status discrimination at 715 2 No explicit requirements 357 4 General requirement, but no specific measures 18 5 Employers required to take one or more of the specific measu 64 Sysmiss 35 Employer responsibility to prevent marital status discrimination 1154 35 1 5 1 No explicit prohibition of marital status discrimination at 606 2 No explicit requirements 464 4 General requirement, but no specific measures 7 5 Employers required to take one or more of the specific measu 77 Sysmiss 35 ISO 3 1189 0 AGO 24 BDI 24 BEN 24 BFA 24 BWA 24 CAF 24 CIV 24 CMR 24 COD 24 COG 24 COM 24 CPV 24 DJI 24 DZA 24 EGY 24 ERI 24 ETH 24 GAB 24 GHA 24 GIN 24 GMB 24 GNB 24 KEN 24 LBR 24 LSO 24 MAR 24 MDG 24 MLI 24 MOZ 24 MRT 24 MUS 24 MWI 24 NAM 24 NER 24 RWA 24 SDN 24 SEN 24 SLE 24 SSD 13 STP 24 SWZ 24 SYC 24 TCD 24 TGO 24 TUN 24 TZA 24 UGA 24 ZAF 24 ZMB 24 ZWE 24 World Bank Region 1189 0 Middle East & North Africa 120 Sub-Saharan Africa 1069 World Bank Income-level 1189 0 1 4 1 Low-income 493 2 Middle-income 672 4 High-income 24 ISO 2 1189 0 AO 24 BF 24 BI 24 BJ 24 BW 24 CD 24 CF 24 CG 24 CI 24 CM 24 CV 24 DJ 24 DZ 24 EG 24 ER 24 ET 24 GA 24 GH 24 GM 24 GN 24 GW 24 KE 24 KM 24 LR 24 LS 24 MA 24 MG 24 ML 24 MR 24 MU 24 MW 24 MZ 24 NA 24 NE 24 RW 24 SC 24 SD 24 SL 24 SN 24 SS 13 ST 24 SZ 24 TD 24 TG 24 TN 24 TZ 24 UG 24 ZA 24 ZM 24 ZW 24