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Feminist Studies

African women’s struggles in a gender perspective

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Women’s movements and associations flourished throughout Africa from the 1980s under major socio-economic and political transformations such as the democratisation of political regimes, the liberalisation of economies, and the retreat of the state enforced by structural adjustment policies. At the same time, international aid and the development industry became more oriented to non-governmental and grassroots actors, while there was also an impetus from the international women’s movement and from the UN International Decade for Women (1975 – 1985) to ‘mainstream’ women and their interests (Tripp et al. 2009). In this context, a variety of women’s organisations emerged – from professional and advocacy groups to savings and income-generating associations – which took up women’s issues as well as more general concerns. To this end, some have lobbied for women’s rights and the reform of customary practices and laws, access to land rights, reproductive rights, and legislatures; while others have immersed themselves in day-to-day struggles that aim to alleviate harsh living conditions. However, only a few claim to be feminist, as this term is often regarded a foreign construct and imperialist notion

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: Review of African Political Economy.,
Number of Pages
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ISBN
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Language
English
ISSN
1740-1720
Subject(s)
gender perspective
Political economy
African women
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Article
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