African Women: Political, Economic & Social Power - Research Paper Example

African Women: Political, Economic and Social Power Women are considered to hold a pivotal role in every society in the world. The prosperity of a community is only possible through their effort and participation. African women have not been have not been an exception to this reality but have actually have been exceptional in their contribution. The fruits of their efforts in the political, economic and social sectors is living proof of their innumerable contribution As the custodians of the most basic social, political and economic unit, the family, the responsibility they hold and challenges they face cannot go unnoticed. First and foremost is the political contribution that the African women have provided. Apart from the current common occurrence of the powerful positions of governance they hold is their past activities to even achieve this status. In particular, are the revolutionary efforts that have achieved the desired results. The campaign that led to the end of Apartheid is one of the numerous examples. They are considered to be the pioneers of the movement in consideration of the activities that they took part in before the actual campaign had taken place. Two such incidents is when the assembly of twenty thousand women to protest passes laws for women and the demonstration of two thousand women to protest against prejudice in beer establishments. In the same context are the individual efforts of exceptional African women in the process of revolution. One such example is Prof. Wangari Maathai a Nobel laureate and a fearless activist against degradation of the environment. At the time in her county Kenya there was widespread corruption and impunity. The result was public officials and powerful individuals grabbing public resources for their personal exploitation and with the aim of personal benefit. The reason for her aggressive protests through mass mobilization, demonstrations, calls for international help and literary works was the grabbing and exploitation natural resources that were vital for the conservation of the environment. Although the fact that her appeal was to an authoritarian regime was well known to her she pressed on in the process having to endure a lot of personal turmoil. However her efforts bore fruit when the authorities had to take action against these activities due to the enormous pressure she helped create. Moreover, being awarded the 2005 Nobel Peace Prize was only noble considering her sacrifices for a course she believed in. The active roles played by women in liberation movements and socially conscious courses should not come as surprise. It is in the African perception of feminism to recognize the inherent, multiple roles of women and men in production, reproduction, and the distribution of wealth, power, and responsibility for sustaining human life. This perception was effected in the tradition societies of many communities. The political lineage for the leader was mainly matriarchal in basis and the mother and wife to the chosen leader held very powerful and influential positions (Colombus and Wusu 36). This is the reason that in the face of male domination in leadership that has commonly led to fateful results (civil wars, coups and tribal clashes) women have been at the forefront to challenge it and take up this positions at times. A case in example is Liberia where after having the first woman president things have worked out for the better. However, in this positive political spirit of the African women they have faced many challenges and hardships. Since the advent of colonial rule in Africa women have been at the receiving end. The destruction of the African social-economic structures that empowered them has left them degraded and alienated into the lower class of their societies. Since then, they have been made more devastated by men-made wars and conditions of unequal access to economic, social and political resources (Kathreen 45). This challenge has been the greatest and has taken a long time to attain a measure of overcoming it. The result has been scarce and scattered African women in leadership and the acceptance of an unfair reality that women shall always act second fiddle to men in all sectors of life. Suppression of the empowerment of African women by their male counterparts and circumstances of life has been another big challenge. The culture of the alienation African women in participation of major activities has been passed down and at times accepted as the normal way of life. By depriving the girl child education through early marriages, female circumcision and reluctance to invest in their education the African men have contributed their fair share towards political disempowerment of African women. In addition to this is the poverty, poor governance and political instability facing African countries. Therefore, the situation that African women find themselves is not conducive at all for them to attain a sense of political awareness. The final political challenge African women face is the unfavorable and discriminative gender policies stipulated in constitutions of many African constitutions. The government institutions, which are mainly male-dominated, are not sensitive to the matter of gender and therefore downplay the matter. Consequently, it leads to the widely accepted conclusion that only women are best placed to represent needs of women and therefore may be able to push for women participation within the formal political structures (Kathreen 46). Nevertheless it should not go unnoticed that graceful strides have been made and are being made to increase political awareness and participation for African Women. In the economic world the current strides and the marks already made by African women are not only many but also remarkable. In this field the greater outlook of women all over the world gives a clear picture of the situation. Therefore it is not enough to focus only on women in the African continent alone but also those in the Diaspora and also in particular African American Women. This occurrence is a consequence of historical actions that have shaped the order of things to be that African men are mainly involved in administrative activities therefore African women rechanneled their energy to other, often marginalized activities such as trade. In the current economic order African women are gaining more and more economic dominance with time. A research conducted by the National Women’s business council in the United States of America (USA) alone estimated that 365, 110 majority owned, privately held firms were owned by African American women (J. Robinson, L. Blockson and S. Robinson 105) Moreover, facts point to the reality that private African American women-owned firms fare better than those of African American men and the number of African American women entrepreneurs is increasing with a similar comparison. These trends show that not only the USA but the world over that a change in economic growth is in the near future. In Africa where colonialism has ensured the marginalization and degradation there is hope and a lot of potential in African women’s economic power. Fist of all because it has been the norm of African women to participate in trade activities at an equal level with their male counterparts or even better. The advent of colonization despite having been a major setback for the development of the African woman, they have found a way to adapt to the circumstances and manage their way back to their position though mildly. Moreover, the pressure on African governments from the changes occurring the world over has forced them to reanalyze some economic policies to favor the participation of women. In common cases culture has influenced the economic power African women within their communities. A case in example is of the participation Igbo women in the trade of Igbo palm oil and cassavas. The Igbo womenfolk hold this trade with great importance since a husband’s favor towards his wife is determined by her success in the market. Moreover, it’s the norm that the number of children and earnings a woman can call of her own other than depending on those of her husband are the measurement of an Igbo woman’s success (Bessie 64). This is simple example seeks to show the nature of influence that African cultures have on women’s economic participation and their degraded positions as the drivers of the traditional African economies. The world of politics having been dominated by African men there has been little or no space for women leaders; therefore, women have used economic activities and organization to achieve positions of power. Currently, when one thinks of African women who hold positions of influence the numbers are too many to be mentioned. However, there are significant African women who have not only been figures of economic power but also stand out as pacesetters and role models for many African women both young and old. In America an example is Oprah Winfrey a media mogul who has succeeded economically through her business sense and also her mastery her trade. As per 2011 she was the single richest individual of African origin not only in the USA but the world over. This economic achievement by an African woman is only in the dreams of many African men. With the current trend of revolution in economies the world over in the use of technology as a critical component for economic growth African women have ensured they are not left behind. Despite the diverse fronts that technology presents its usefulness especially financially, African women have exploited mostly the communication side of it. Therefore, Information and Communication Technology (ICT) has been in recent time the liberator women in Africa especially through the mobile payphone service. Although ICT cannot be said to help peasant housewives and single mothers from achieving financial stability studies show that it has empowered the with knowledge and helped in the realization of their economic potential (Buskens 93). Since researchers say that technology may be the only way to bring the third world (where most black women reside) to economic stability and industrial maturity it is interesting to note that African women may be the drivers of this occurrence in their countries. Economic development is sought in relation to social justice and peace, however, this are not commonly the results that are experienced. This has bee the root of the problems faced by African women economically. Despite their efforts to alleviate their status economically the perennial men-caused problems such as civil wars, coups, corruption and impunity in governance among other problems have time and time again brought them to their knees. Therefore, it is with great hope that the internationally instigated reforms in favor of the development of African women have been received. Culture has also barred women from achieving their due economic power in a big way. Research conducted in Zimbabwe found that girls from an early age are prepared through education for low-wage white-collar jobs (Colombus and Wusu 46). The role of a woman since colonialism rooted itself in Africa and even after it is far abolished has come to be accepted as managing her family. Therefore the aspirations of young African women in such societies is to get married and raise a family in which some of these marriages are retrogressive and abusive to the women involved. However with the consciousness brought by access to information through the diverse medias women are going against their stereotype and getting separated. These women are responsible for the majority and commonness of medium and small-business enterprises that can be said in general to slowly capture back the economic power of African women. Most of the challenges experienced by African women are experienced in the social aspect of life. To a certain measure so does the level of empowerment. The reason for this conclusion is that this aspect is more in touch with the individual unlike the political and economic aspects of life though they are all intertwined for the wholesomeness of life. Through the social aspect the individual impact of example of a cultural activity is explored and compared to other individual account to determine the full impact of such a cultural practice. Through gender, race, culture, religion, education, family relations and health this subject can be explored comprehensively to understand what African women go through socially. The racial issue has been a consistent one mainly in the twentieth century and well into the twenty-first century its effects are still present and advisable. African women a have had to suffer through double discrimination. At the height of racism, gender discrimination was also prevalent where women subjected to unequal privileges compared to their male counter parts. African women, especially those pursuing positions of higher education and equal status to their male counter parts found it hard to pursue their dreams and aspirations because of the color of their skin. This is the reason that at the height of the feminist revolution where the idea was for global sisterhood African women could not accept to join the bandwagon since they experienced extra discrimination compared to women of other races (Lewis 24). The gender of women has made them to be discriminated for a while in acquiring similar opportunities such as education and jobs as their male counterparts. For the African woman this discrimination comes mainly from culture which mostly dictates that a woman’s place is at home where she takes care of the family as the man of the house provides for the upkeep and participates in administration through decision making. This culture has continued to be accepted even in the modern wild. The Karamajong women in North-Eastern Uganda are a perfect example of victims of this practice. Young girls are between the ages of 13-16 have to undergo through Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) so as to be prepared for marriage. This is not in consideration that they were attending school, they are too young to harbor such responsibilities or they should be allowed to make these decisions when they have attained maturity. Therefore culture and gender discrimination for African women are intertwined in their effects. Family relations have deteriorated with the increase in the level of impoverishment of the African family. The result has been violence, emotional turmoil and costly separations. However violence in terms of physical and emotional abuse ranks highest in this category. The United Nations estimates place at least one in every three African women having been beaten, coerced into sex or abused in a way by either their spouse or someone they know. This has been the reason for the general deterioration of the health of African women compared to other parts of the world. Where the number of African women with HIV/AIDS is two million more than that of African men and their mortality being at higher rate than other women the world over (Mooney 56). However, African women receive recognition in their efforts to bring attention and call for immediate action on the same issues affecting them and the society as a whole. The example of Mamie Till Bradley the mother of the Emmet Till (the racially murdered boy) who by the single action of leaving her son’s casket open for the world to see the badly mutilated and swollen body instigated the momentum of the civil rights movement against racial and any other form of discrimination. Politics and Economics of Africa a book authored by Frank Columbus and Olufemi Wusu gives a mainly political insight of the situation of the African woman. Its contribution has given this essay factual basis on which to lay claims upon. The examples of real communities there in seek to give a touch of reality on the ground. Kathreen Fallons’s research compilation in the book Democracy and the rise of Women movements in Sub-Saharan Africa is mainly built upon situation women are experiencing and have experienced in life. It offers a personal reflection for an individual and the conclusions are only to emphasis the message already stated. It mainly offers an economic insight of African women’s power. African Market Women and Economic Power, a journal by Bessie Midamba focuses on African women in their individual communities. It traverses the African continent region to region to show that African women yield both political and economic power in their communities. The journal makes clear any fallacies or uncertainties made about African women made in the different regions of Africa. Gail Lewis in her journal, Black Women’s Experience and Social Work analyzes the large difference between women of other races and African women in the revolution of feminism. She seeks to show that African women the world over have had much greater discriminations and problems to overcome other than that of gender. Therefore there is need to focus on African women so that the needed empowerment is made available Works Cited Colombus, Frank and Olufemi Wusu. Politics and Economics of Africa. London: Nova Publishers, 2006. Print. Fallon, Kathreen. Democracy and the Rise of Women Movements in Sub-Saharan Africa. New York: JHU Press, 2010. Print. Buskens, Ineke. African Women and ICTs: Investigating Technology, Gender and Empowerment. Pretoria: IDRC, 2009. Print. Midamba, Bossie. African Market Women and Economic Power: The role of Women in the Development of Africa. Lagos: Macmillan, 1995. Print. Robinson, Jeffery, Laquita Blockson and Sammie Robinson. Exploring Stratification and Entrepreneurship: African American Entrepreneurs Redefine Success in Growth Ventures. New York: American Academy of Political and Historical Science, 2007. Print. Lewis, Gail. Situated Voices: Black Women’s’ Experience and Social Work. New Jersey: Palgmee Macmillan Journals, 1996. Print. Mooney, Linda. Understanding Social Problems. Washington: Cergege Learning, 2011. Print. Read More