Cette thèse se centre sur trois sources importantes d'inégalité de genre sur le marché du travail en Afrique : (i) les salaires, (ii) l'allocation du temps entre travail marchand et travail domestique, et (iii) les revenus de l'emploi informel. Le Chapitre 2 montre que, en Ethiopie, les progrès en matière d'égalité de genre dans l'éducation sont nécessaires pour accroitre le salaire des femmes, mais pas suffisants pour enrayer l'écart de salaire avec les hommes. D'autres interventions seraient nécessaires, telles que des campagnes d'information et d'autres efforts de sensibilisation sur les dispositions antidiscriminatoires de la législation nationale, afin de compenser l'effet adverse de facteurs non-observables (pratiques discriminatoires, normes culturelles et sociales…) qui contribuent directement au différentiel de salaire entre les sexes et indirectement, à travers la sélection dans l'emploi. Le Chapitre 3 met en lumière la coexistence de deux phénomènes en Ethiopie, une forte division du travail selon le genre et une double charge de travail des femmes. Le pays gagnerait à poursuivre et intensifier ses efforts pour un meilleur accès des femmes à tous les niveaux d'éducation, et pour une meilleure diffusion et application de la loi en faveur du bien-être économique et social des femmes, car cela contribuerait au changement des mentalités et attitudes qui empêchent les femmes d'exploiter pleinement leur potentiel et les subordonnent aux hommes. Finalement, dans le Chapitre 4 nous observons que les femmes occupant un emploi informel en Tanzanie subissent une pénalité salariale bien plus élevée que celle des hommes. Pour expliquer ce résultat, nous conjecturons que l'hypothèse d'exclusion, selon laquelle les individus n'ont pas accès à l'emploi formel en raison des contraintes disproportionnées auxquelles ils font face (fardeau des tâches domestiques, manque d'infrastructures adéquates…), est plus forte parmi les femmes.Classification JEL : J16, J22, J24, J31, J42, J71 / The main objective of this thesis is to contribute to our better understanding of the main factors behind large and persistent gender disparities in Africa's labour markets. This work looks at three key dimensions of labour market gender inequality in Africa: (i) the gender wage gap, (ii) gender inequalities in allocating time to market and household work, and (iii) the gender-differentiated income effect of informality. Chapter 2 shows that, in Ethiopia, progress towards gender equity in education is important to improve women's wages but not enough to close most of the gender wage differential. Other interventions would be needed as, for instance, information campaigns and other awareness-raising efforts in support of the anti-discriminatory provisions of Ethiopia's own constitution and legislation, to compensate for the adverse impact of unobservable factors (discriminatory practices, social and cultural norms…), that directly contribute to the gender wage gap and indirectly, through job selection. Chapter 3 highlights the coexistence of two phenomena in Ethiopia, a strong gender-based division of labour and a double work burden on women. The country would benefit from pursuing and intensifying its efforts to ensure better access to education at all levels for women, and from providing better information and enforcement of the law in support of women's economic and social well-being, as it would help changing mentalities and attitudes that impede women to take full advantage of their abilities and that keep them subordinated to men. Finally, in Chapter 4 we observe that, in Tanzania, women face a significantly higher informal employment wage penalty than men. To explain this result, we conjecture that the exclusion hypothesis, according to which individuals are denied access to formal jobs due to the disproportionate constraints they face (burden of household responsibilities, lack of adequate infrastructure…), is more acute among women.JEL classification : J16, J22, J24, J31, J42, J71

Sub-Saharan Africa is the poorest region in the world suffering from social, political and economic problems. The study focuses on investigation of relationship of capital flight and external debt to long-term economic growth in this region. Firstly the magnitude of capital flight is computed. Using fixed effects model and random effects model we estimate the impact of external debt and capital flight on long-term growth. Moreover the time structure of debt and its source is integrated into model. Our sample consists of 24 countries from sub-Saharan Africa over the period 1989-2008. We have found that external debt has statistically significant negative impact on growth. On the other hand this impact is economically negligible. The long-term growth is also slowed down by long-term debt and by multilateral borrowing. Concerning capital flight its effect on growth is harmful as well. JEL klasifikace: F34, O47, O55, Klíčová slova: zahraniční dluh, únik kapitálu, Subsaharská Afrika, růst

Nous soutenons la thèse que la sécurité alimentaire des pays d'Afrique sub-saharienne peut être renforcée par une meilleure maitrise de l'instabilité des prix des matières premières agricoles constituant leur panier alimentaire de base. A cet effet, nous évoquons dans un premier temps les mécanismes de fonctionnement des marchés agricoles, le rôle qu'y joue la notion de prix ainsi que le lien existant entre l'évolution instable des prix et l'insécurité alimentaire. Nous nous intéressons ensuite au lien existant entre l'insécurité alimentaire et la régulation du secteur agricole, en particulier dans le cadre des échanges internationaux et régionaux. Nous procédons enfin au traitement formalisé de l'insécurité alimentaire. En ayant recours aux outils économétriques, nous mettons en évidence le caractère instable des prix au niveau individuel des pays ainsi que les interdépendances entre les prix des différentes denrées alimentaires et des différents pays. Des mesures de sécurisation alimentaire sont suggérées tout au long de la thèse pour les pays d'Afrique sub-saharienne étudiés. Nous estimons que ces mesures peuvent servir de pistes de réflexion pour l'établissement de politiques économiques agricoles nationales et régionales. Ces politiques auraient pour but final de garantir la sécurité alimentaire des populations des pays de l'Afrique sub-saharienne par une meilleure maitrise de l'instabilité des prix alimentaires. / In our thesis, we assume that African Sub-saharan countries' food security status can be enhanced through a better management of agricultural commodities prices instability, which constitutes the basic food basket of local populations. To this aim, we initially review the dynamics of agricultural markets and the role played by “prices” in this mechanism as well as the existing linkages between unstable price trends and the notion of food insecurity. Focus is then directed to the relationship between “food insecurity” and the regulation of the agricultural sector, in particular within international trade theory frameworks.Finally, we proceed to the assessment of “food insecurity” through the empirical analysis of the instabilities affecting food prices of the region, and also that of price transmission and linkages within and between countries. We then highlight prices instabilities at individual (country) level, as well as the linkage of these prices (therefore of their unstable components) between the various constituents of the basic food basket of a given country, or that of neighboring countries.All along our thesis, food insecurity resilience measures for these countries are suggested. These measures are believed to potentially serve as initial steps in the establishment of national and regional agricultural policies aiming at attaining/safeguarding food security in African sub-Saharan countries.

Background: The current global refugee crisis requires attention from the public health community to improve the health and wellbeing of forcibly displaced groups. Eighty-six percent of refugees are hosted in developing countries, while 58% migrate to urban centers in search of opportunities. Although there are benefits to urban migration, refugees residing in Nairobi, Kenya are vulnerable to police extortion, arrests, deportations, and social exclusion as a result of anti-refugee policies. Despite threats to psychosocial wellbeing, many refugees successfully cope with acute and cumulative stressors to exhibit positive mental health outcomes in the context of adversity. This dissertation explores the ways urban Congolese refugees in Nairobi negotiate and navigate personal, social, and environmental resources to mitigate stress and promote psychosocial wellbeing. Research Aims: The dissertation included the following three aims: (1) document stressors experienced by urban Congolese refugees in Nairobi; (2) describe the range of coping supports available to Congolese refugees; identify how individuals, families, and groups navigate and negotiate these resources; and (3) explore relationships that exist among stressors, supportive resources, and reported mental health status of urban Congolese refugees. Methods: Mixed-methods exploratory research took place over a 12-month period in Nairobi. Preliminary research was conducted between May and August 2012, and dissertation fieldwork occurred between January and August 2014. Qualitative research included ethnographic participant observation, semi-structured in-depth interviews, and small group discussions with Congolese refugees (n=70). Additional interviews were conducted in Kenya with academics (n=3), intergovernmental employees (n=4), representatives from government agencies (n=2), and refugee service providers (n=18). Quantitative research was comprised of two surveys administered to Congolese refugees (N=244) in 150 households. The Self-Reporting Questionnaire (SRQ-20) assessed mental health functioning, and a survey developed in-field inventoried perceived stressors and supports. Results: The results by aim were: (1) stressors fell within three primary domains: inadequate material resources, political and personal insecurity, and emotional distress; (2) Congolese refugees utilized three salient coping strategies, comprised of reliance on religious communities and faith in God, participation in borrowing networks, and managing memories; and (3) isolation was associated with poor mental health functioning, while perceived support from religious communities enhanced mental health outcomes. Recommendations: Organizations should bolster community-based programs and strengthen partnerships with religious communities to improve the psychosocial wellbeing of urban Congolese refugees. Conclusions: Shifting the paradigm with refugee populations from a deficits-centric to resilience-focused framework recognizes the inherent strengths of individuals, families and communities with refugee status, and has the potential to mold future research and praxis that aims to enhance the wellbeing of displaced populations.

Student Number : 9903082V - MSc (Med) dissertation - Faculty of Health Sciences / Chronic infection with the hepatitis B virus (HBV) is endemic to sub-Saharan Africa and south-east Asia where it is a major risk factor for the development of cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Currently available therapy is only effective in a small subset of chronic carriers. The development of novel treatment modalities for the management of HBV therefore remains an important global medical objective. Sequence plasticity of the HBV genome is limited by its small size and the overlapping nature of its open reading frames (ORFs). These features make HBV an ideal target for therapy based on nucleic acid hybridization. The use of ribozymes (RNA enzymes) and antisense molecules to inhibit gene expression is well documented. The recent discovery of RNA interference (RNAi) has added to the arsenal of therapy based on nucleic acid hybridization. RNAi is the process whereby short RNA duplexes (called short interfering RNA or siRNA) mediate the sequence-specific post-transcriptional silencing of genes homologous in sequence to the siRNA. siRNA function by guiding a protein complex (RNA Induced Silencing Complex or RISC) to target mRNA for degradation or translational repression. The protein X ORF (HBx ORF) is a conserved region of the HBV genome and is common to all viral transcripts. HBx is required for infection by the virus and plays an important role in the establishment of chronic infections in vivo as well as in the development of HCC. RNAi targeted against the HBx ORF may therefore prove useful as treatment of chronic HBV infection. Plasmid based expression cassettes capable of endogenously generating short hairpin RNA (shRNA) targeted to the HBx ORF were constructed. The shRNA function as substrates for the RNAi machinery and are processed into siRNA. The ability of the expression cassettes to knockdown markers of HBV gene expression was tested in a human hepatoma cell line. A panel of 10 U6 promoter-driven shRNA expression vectors was generated. The U6 promoter (an RNA polymerase III promoter) is normally involved in the transcription of small nuclear RNA and as such is ideal for the generation of shRNA of precisely defined length. Three cytomegalovirus (CMV) promoter-driven shRNA expression cassettes incorporating ribozymes that produce defined hairpin sequences were also generated. The CMV promoter (an RNA polymerase II) promoter is involved in the transcription of large messenger RNA. Two hammerhead ribozymes lying 5’ and 3’ of the shRNA encoding sequence were incorporated into the cassette. Cis-cleavage by the ribozymes releases a shRNA of defined length thereby overcoming the limitations imposed by extraneous sequences from CMV promoter-driven transcription. U6 promoter-driven shRNA expression vectors efficiently knocked down markers of HBV replication in liver cells. The CMV promoter-driven expression vectors were incapable of inhibiting HBV gene expression; however shRNA generated in vitro from these vectors mediated efficient knockdown of HBV replication. shRNA-mediated inhibition of gene expression therefore holds promise as a novel treatment strategy for the management of HBV and other mobile genetic elements.

Thesis advisor: David A. Deese / Throughout the last fifteen years, the phenomenon of International Election Monitoring (IEM) has become increasingly widespread. IEM works to enhance the credibility and transparency of elections; over time, as the outcome of one election (and the success of IEM) conditions the electoral context of future elections, IEM can encourage internal political reform. In a number of states, particularly in Latin America, monitoring efforts have succeeded in steadily improving domestic political conditions and facilitating democratic consolidation. Yet, IEM effectiveness is conditioned not only by the characteristics of the monitoring groups involved, but also by the domestic context of a state. Hence, the unique structural conditions in Sub-Saharan Africa present distinct challenges and opportunities for IEM. This thesis investigates the relationship between IEM and internal political reform in four Sub-Saharan African states. While IEM can encourage the progress of reform through a feedback mechanism, the extent of such reforms is greatly affected not only by domestic structural conditions, but by additional and often overlooked intervening variables. / Thesis (BA) — Boston College, 2007. / Submitted to: Boston College. College of Arts and Sciences. / Discipline: International Studies. / Discipline: College Honors Program.

In 2015, the United Nations developed 17 goals to work towards sustainable development by 2030. Among these goals, goal number seven focuses on providing clean and affordable energy for all, to solve problems such as poverty and to reduce greenhouse gas emissions around the world. In Sub-Saharan Africa, 600 million people live without access to electricity. Furthermore, millions of people in Sub-Sharan Africa die each year because of indoor air pollution that comes from combustible and inefficient energy solutions. Because of these issues, social enterprises are a vital component to be able to work towards providing renewable energy solutions and efficient cooking solutions to households in Sub-Saharan Africa. This thesis analyses social enterprises working within the renewable energy sector in Sub-Saharan Africa, and investigates what a social enterprise must do to succeed. To answer this question, the authors carried out interviews to identify the factors that contribute to success and barriers that prevent the success of social enterprises active within the mentioned sector and region. The answers from the interviews were later on compared with findings from existing literature discussed in a literature review. Social enterprises in Sub-Saharan Africa that works within the renewable energy sector must work together with local employees to access knowledge about external factors that could engender barriers. Other barriers that a social enterprise might encounter are linked to profitability and affordability, and what the business is primarily focusing on achieving.    Social networks and financial institutions are of importance for social enterprises to succeed in Sub-Saharan Africa. Furthermore, by providing excellent customer service together with having the right abilities and knowledge, a social enterprise will have a higher chance of success. One of the most critical variables when aiming for success in the renewable energy sector in Sub-Saharan Africa is to have a well thought out business model before entering a new target market. This thesis concludes that the identified success factors and barriers, along with the explanation behind them, can be used as guidelines for future social enterprises that want to establish in the renewable energy sector in Sub-Sharan Africa.

Thesis advisor: Brian Gareau / In the past causation theories concerning conflict have centered upon differences between civilizations, ethnicities, religions, and several other dividing social factors. While such factors can increase the likelihood of conflict, this paper discusses the effects of environmental degradation and resource scarcity on conflict in sub-Saharan Africa, with a specific focus on the effects of climate change. Sustainable development practices, especially the use of renewable energy technologies, are identified as potential tools with which to mitigate conflict stemming from the effects of climate change, and current energy initiatives in Tanzania and Kenya are discussed. New energy initiatives in sub- Saharan Africa must look to the future of energy development; they cannot attempt to reproduce the status quo. This paper seeks to qualify why the Occidental world has a stake in the future of sub-Saharan Africa and proposes that developed nations give financial assistance to communities in sub-Saharan Africa so that they may invest in sustainable development. / Thesis (BA) — Boston College, 2013. / Submitted to: Boston College. College of Arts and Sciences. / Discipline: International Studies Honors Program. / Discipline: College Honors Program. / Discipline: International Studies.

Thesis advisor: Donald Cox / I investigate the effect of the medical brain drain on health in sub-Saharan Africa. Such information would be invaluable to policymakers; if doctors are likely to emigrate, there is little benefit in investing in their training. Previous work has mostly been limited to measuring correlations, which fail to illuminate causal pathways; countries with weakly structured healthcare systems may have both poor health and high physician emigration. I address the problem with an instrumental variable. For African countries with historic colonial ties to the United Kingdom or France, I used immigration policy changes in these European nations to instrument for the medical brain drain. Higher rates of medical brain drain cause decreased physician density, decreased rates of measles immunizations among children, and increased rates of HIV prevalence in sub-Saharan Africa. Therefore, I conclude that targeting physician emigration would help improve health in the region. / Thesis (BA) — Boston College, 2013. / Submitted to: Boston College. College of Arts and Sciences. / Discipline: College Honors Program. / Discipline: Economics Honors Program. / Discipline: Economics.

School-based sexual health education is commonly used to promote the sexual health of young people and guide them in their relationships. This thesis reports on research that aimed to provide evidence-based recommendations to optimise the effectiveness of school-based sexual health education in sub-Saharan Africa (sSA). There are six chapters in the thesis. Chapter 1 introduces the thesis, Chapters 2 to 5 consist of four empirical studies, and Chapter 6 provides an overall discussion and looks at the strengths, limitations, and implications of the findings. Chapter 2 is a systematic review and meta-analysis of school-based sexual health education in sSA. It provides some evidence of the interventions in promoting self-reported condom use. However, it shows there are no harmful or beneficial effects with respect to sexually transmitted infections (STI) as evidenced by biomarkers. It highlights the paucity of evaluated interventions using biomedical markers, and reports on the process of evaluation, which limits our understanding of why interventions work or do not work. Features associated with effective interventions are noted. Chapter 3 is a case study involving MEMA Kwa Vijana, an adolescent sexual and reproductive health intervention implemented in Tanzania. This study highlights the influence of structural factors in schools and wider environmental factors on the effectiveness of school-based sexual health interventions. Furthermore, it identifies the social and cultural factors that influence young people’s sexual behaviours and that must be addressed beyond the education and health sectors. Chapter 4 is a multiple case study of seven school-based sexual health interventions implemented in five sub-Saharan African countries. It 4 identifies the design, implementation, and evaluation features that differentiate between effective and ineffective interventions. Chapter 5 is a qualitative study of researchers’ experiences of school-based sexual health education in sSA. This study extends previous work by generating a set of valuable recommendations based on researchers’ experiences of interventions that could improve future interventions in sSA. Overall, this research project demonstrates the potential of school-based sexual health education in promoting sexual health and preventing STIs in sSA. It provides a series of recommendations for the design, implementation, and evaluation of school-based sexual health interventions.