- In Comoros, women are less likely than men to have higher education at the secondary (27% vs. 34%) or post-secondary level (26% vs. 36%).
- Most Comorians (87%) say it is rare or unheard of for families to prioritise boys’ education over girls’, but 11% say this happens frequently.
- Almost four in 10 citizens (38%) say schoolgirls “often” or “always” face discrimination, harassment, and requests for sexual favours from their teachers.
- Among working-age adults, men are more likely than women to be employed full time or part time (27% vs. 12%).
- A lack of childcare is most frequently cited as the main barrier to women’s entry and advancement in the workplace.
- About one-quarter (24%) of respondents report that women are “often” or “always” prevented from taking paid employment by their husbands or family members.
- A majority (58%) of Comorians say women should have the same chance as men of being elected to public office.
- Men are 19 percentage points less likely than women to endorse equal opportunity in politics (48% vs. 67%).
- More than one-quarter (27%) of adults say women “often” or “always” experience sexual harassment in public spaces, such as in markets, on the street, and in public transport.
- A majority (60%) of citizens say women and girls are likely to be believed if they complain of discrimination or harassment.
- But more than eight in 10 (82%) say the police and courts should do more to protect women and girls from such treatment.
In Comoros, gender equality and women’s rights are upheld by the Constitution and the 2017 National Policy on Gender Equality and Equity. Gender issues are also addressed in the country’s development roadmap, Comoros Emerging Plan 2030, which promotes the empowerment of women and girls across all sectors (Madjid, 2023).
However, gender inequality is a pressing concern in the country. Comorian women have notably lower literacy rates than men (67% compared to 73%). They are less likely than men to attain post-secondary education and more likely to have no formal schooling (Union of the Comoros, 2022).
Women’s economic participation is significantly lower, with just 39% of working-age Comorian women actively engaged in the labour force, compared to 58% of men (Union of the Comoros, 2023). This disparity heightens their vulnerability to abuse. Among 78 reported cases of economic violence from April to June 2025, 64% involved women (United Nations Children’s Fund, 2025a).
Young Comorian girls are particularly impacted by gender-based violence (GBV). Reports from 2025 indicate that girls under the age of 18 accounted for about half of all recorded cases of sexual, psychological, physical, and economic violence. And among the incidents of sexual violence, three-fourths (76%) involved girls aged 11-17 (United Nations Children’s Fund, 2025a, 2025b).
Findings from Afrobarometer’s 2025 survey in Comoros show that women face discrimination, harassment, and barriers in various facets of life, both public and private.
Comorian women are less likely than men to have higher education and paying jobs. Although few respondents say that families prioritise boys’ education over girls’, significant minorities report that husbands and relatives prevent women from taking employment and that sexual harassment of women and girls in public spaces, including schools, is common.
A majority of citizens say women and girls are likely to be believed if they report incidents of discrimination or harassment, but most also think the police and courts need to do more to protect them from such treatment. And while Comorians support women’s equal chance at being elected to public office, men are significantly less likely than women to endorse equality in politics.
Related content
