Women, gender, and politics in Africa

Abstract

Women in Africa have had a long and rich history of political activism in different forms, from precolonial to colonial and postcolonial times. African women have been involved in social movements, including the national liberationmovements and women's movements and in political parties. They have also had to face resistance from patriarchal culture and structures. Military and single-party regimes brought additional challenges to women's rights and political empowerment in some African states. In more recent times, Africa has been leading the world on women's representation in parliament. African women have also been at the forefront at global conferences onwomen and they have advocated for the protection ofwomen's rights through the ratification of international and regional treaties and instruments. This chapter provides a broad overview of women's mobilization, political participation and parliamentary presence on the continent, examining the key themes and issues.