- In São Tomé and Príncipe, women are less likely than men to have progressed to secondary school (43% vs. 49%) or post-secondary studies (7% vs. 10%).
- o More than eight in 10 citizens (83%) say it is rare or unheard of for families to prevent girls from going to school because they prioritise boys’ education, but 15% say this happens frequently.
- o One-third (33%) of citizens say schoolgirls “often” or “always” face discrimination, harassment, and requests for sexual favours from their teachers.
- Among working-age adults, women are less likely than men to be employed full time (20% vs. 32%) or part time (12% vs. 18%). Almost half (48%) of women say they are unemployed and looking for work, compared to 36% of men.
- o A lack of childcare and flexible work arrangements and employers’ preference for hiring men are most frequently cited as the main barriers to women’s entry and advancement in the workplace.
- o More than one in four citizens (27%) report that women are “often” or “always” prevented from taking paid employment by their husbands or family members.
- o A modest majority (54%) of citizens endorse gender equality in hiring, but substantial shares – 34% of women, 42% of men – favour giving men priority for jobs.
- Women trail men in ownership of key assets, including a bank account (31% vs. 49%), a motor vehicle (20% vs. 37%), and a computer (19% vs. 31%).
- Eight in 10 São Toméans (79%) say women should have the same chance as men of being elected to public office.
- o Support for gender equality in politics gained 13 percentage points over the past decade despite slipping by 6 points since 2022.
- One-third (34%) of São Toméans say women “often” or “always” experience sexual harassment in public spaces such as in markets, on the street, and in public transport.
- o Almost three-fourths (73%) of citizens say women and girls are likely to be believed if they complain of discrimination or harassment.
- o But an even larger majority (84%) say the police and courts should do more to protect women and girls from discrimination and harassment.
Women’s empowerment is a question of both individual human rights and social progress. As the United Nations Development Programme (2014) asserts, “Unless women and girls are able to fully realise their rights in all spheres of life, human development will not be advanced.”
In São Tomé and Príncipe, the government has taken impressive steps to provide a framework for gender equality, starting with constitutional guarantees since 1975 of women’s right to own and inherit property and get a job without a husband’s permission (Beeram, 2025). A wide range of legal reforms, policies, strategies, and government entities – including a Ministry of Women’s Rights – have advanced women’s empowerment since then. Among milestones are a 2008 law on domestic and family violence and a 2022 law reserving at least 40% of elective and cabinet seats for women (Martins & Corminales, 2022; Groussard, Ferraz di Ricco, & Martins, 2023; Overvest, 2022).
But translating these efforts into everyday gains remains a challenge. More than seven in 10 women-led households live in extreme poverty (Beeram, 2025), and more than one in four women aged 15-49 have suffered physical and/or sexual violence by a partner (OECD Development Centre, 2025). Domestic-violence cases increased by 20% between 2018 and 2023; while that may reflect growing public awareness and willingness to report these crimes, the U.S. State Department’s (2024) report on human rights also describes enforcement of laws against rape, domestic violence, and sexual harassment as inconsistent or ineffective.
Although the legal age for marriage is 18, 28% of women aged 20-24 were married or in a union before they turned 18 (OECD Development Centre, 2025), and in 2023, about 9% of girls aged 15-19 gave birth (World Bank Group, 2026).
While women have held positions of prominence in the past – including as director of the Central Bank, president of the National Assembly, president of the Supreme Court, and prime minister – the political-parity law has yet to ensure fair representation: Only 15% of parliamentary seats are held by women (Inter-Parliamentary Union, 2026).
Importantly, development partners note that major gaps in available data limit their ability to monitor progress on key gender issues in the country (UN Women, n.d.; OECD Development Centre, 2025).
Afrobarometer’s 2024 survey in São Tomé and Príncipe provides data on how citizens see aspects of women’s empowerment. Findings show persistent disadvantages for women in education, employment, and ownership of key assets. While respondents overwhelmingly endorse gender fairness in politics, they are more divided when it comes to equality in the workplace.
Significant minorities report widespread discrimination and sexual harassment against girls and women, and most citizens say the police and courts must do more to protect them against such treatment.
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