Women in Contemporary Africa

Paper Summary:

This paper underscores that the idea that women must be inferior to men, which today permeates every level of African society, is not necessarily African traditional patriarchal values but rather a recent social construction of the instability of present-day African society. The author points out that, in the past, women had a clear, powerful social place not dominated by the males because the fundamental unit of African society was the family. The paper stresses that Africa must return to a truly equitable family structure, where both parents retain authority and responsibility for raising children. The author lists that this can be achieved by (1) women not marrying when they are still children themselves, (2) greater education and access to birth control and methods of family planning , (3) fostering African women's powerful networks and (4) changing Africa culturally and politically.

From the Paper:

"Many African countries are still ruled by informal patriarchal norms governing women's place in sexual relationships. In some societies, women are unable to choose their sexual partners or husbands, rather these choices are made for them by their families. In the case of rape, female bodies are used as a tool of political insurgency, as demonstrations of the opposition's strength and will. In situations where men have the predominant social, political, and economic power, a woman is unlikely to be able to insist on the use of condoms, or to take measures to protect herself from HIV."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Berry, Steve. "Women--HIV and AIDS." 2006. [10 Feb 2007] http://www.avert.org/women.htm
• Loth, Renee. "A Culture of Change in Africa." Boston Globe. April 1999 [10 Feb 2007]. http://www.unfpa.org/focus/ghana/culture.htm
• Mezu, Rose Ure. "Women in Achebe's World. Spring/Summer 1995. Womanist Theory and Research. [10 Feb 2007] http://www.uga.edu/~womanist/1995/mezu.html
• "Women and peace in Africa." UNESCO. France: United Nations Educational, Scientificand Cultural Organization 2003. [7 Feb 2007] http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0013/001332/133274e.pdf

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• Analytical Essay # 9169 : "Africa"

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