The MDGs and Gender Policy: Towards Achieving Gender Equality and Women Empowerment in Africa By Fatile, Jacob Olufemi, Ph.D and Ejalonibu, Ganiyu Layi Department of Public Administration Faculty of Management Sciences Lagos State University, Ojo-Lagos Tel: 08032177394 Email: ejalonibuganiyu@yahoo.com ABSTRACT The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) were adopted by the General Assembly of the United Nations on 18 September 2000. Nearly 190 countries have since signed up to the declaration. The member countries were expected to domesticate the global agenda based on the peculiar situation in each country. Africa has taken lots of initiatives towards achieving all the eight goals with varying degrees of achievement. This chapter examines the effect of the international “Gender Policy” on gender equality and women empowerment in Africa. It also examines the effort of various governments in Africa at balancing the overarching gender inequality. Using the combination of documentary, analytical and descriptive method, this chapter considers the full import of the MDGs, but focuses more on Goal 3 which is “promoting gender equality and woman empowerment”. The chapter reveals that gender differentials, especially with regards to employment and access to resources tend to favor the male. It identifies the major factors militating against achieving gender equality and it recommends among others that to achieve gender equality, gender discrimination against women in all its ramifications should be strongly opposed by giving women equal representation in politics and administration. The chapter concludes that the international “Gender Policy” if properly implemented has positive element to women empowerment which will enhance gender equality and the achievement of millennium development goals in Africa. Keywords: Millennium Development Goals, International Gender Policy, Gender Equality, Gender Discrimination, Women Empowerment.