Gendered Social Capital and the Political Economy of Unequal Educational Outcomes in Ethiopia

This paper examines gender inequality in Ethiopian higher education through the lens of social capital and political economy, reframing educational disparity as a structural failure of the state’s obligation to guarantee the right to education. Using a multi-sited mixed-methods design, the study analyzes survey data from 131 Ethiopian-born participants who completed K-12 education in Ethiopia and pursued higher education either domestically, in the diaspora, or as refugees. Quantitative and qualitative evidence demonstrate persistent gendered disparities across three critical stages: access, participation, and post-graduation outcomes. Female participants were more likely to originate from lower socioeconomic backgrounds, significantly more likely to experience sexual harassment during university, and less likely to secure internships, key pathways to labormarket integration. These cumulative disadvantages translate into lower career satisfaction and constrained professional mobility. Beyond material inequalities, the study identifies a critical political barrier: a pronounced perception gap. Male participants were substantially more likely than female participants to believe that access to higher education is gender-equal, obscuring structural disadvantage and inhibiting reform. Drawing on Social Capital Theory, the analysis shows how gendered access to bonding, bridging, and linking social networks systematically advantages male students while limiting women’s access to institutional resources and opportunities. The findings contribute to political science debates on human rights, informal institutions, and development by demonstrating how patriarchal social structures undermine formal equality commitments, producing durable educational and political inequality in Ethiopia.

Keywords: Gender Inequality, Social Capital, Political Economy, Higher Education, Human Rights, Patriarchy, Ethiopia.