Final answer:
Family and gender norms in Africa are gradually shifting towards more egalitarian views, though traditional practices still hinder the progress of women's rights and development. Increased female-headed households and community-driven programs in places like Senegal reflect these ongoing changes.
Step-by-step explanation:
In recent decades, family and gender norms have been shifting in Africa, moving towards greater gender equality and empowerment of women. Traditional practices such as prioritizing boys' education, early marriage of girls, and female genital mutilation (FGM) are being challenged by new perspectives and community-driven changes. However, women still face significant impediments in accessing education and employment opportunities due to cultural, traditional, and economic factors.
One of the shifts observed is an increase in the number of female-headed households, driven in part by the implementation of neoliberal economic policies and intra-household inequalities. In Senegal, initiatives are targeting girls' holistic development by considering their embeddedness in family, community, and cultural systems, as demonstrated in the Onion Model, which emphasizes collective decision-making and the vital role of grandmothers in girls' socialization.