An ABC guide to ‘African feminisms’

Nana Darkoa SekyiamahFebruary 2014

University of Cape Town

Aïssatou Cissé, Senegal

Fatma Emam, Egypt

Kobina Graham, Ghana

Tina Thiart, South Africa

Eli Tetteh, Ghana

What do you think all these people have in common?

They all identify as African feminists

• Who is an African feminist?

An African feminist

• At its most basic root: An African who is also a feminist

My definitions

Feminist: A person who works to disrupt patriarchy.

Patriarchy: A social system which privileges men over women whilst reinforcing all other types of isms.

Note: Patriarchy plays out contextually

Feminism is an ideology

AFF Charter

We have multiple and varied identities as African Feminists. We are African women we live here in Africa and even when we live elsewhere, our focus is on the lives of African women on the continent. Our feminist identity is not qualified with `Ifs`, `Buts', or `Howevers'. We are Feminists. Full stop.

Caroline Bazarrabusa Horn / Uganda

“I call myself a feminist because I am working hard on becoming a politically effective one. I

believe that my commitment to feminist values grows out of my genuine love and respect for

the woman who raised me and protected me as a child…”

Codou Bop / Senegal

“I call myself a feminist because I believe in equality for all human beings. My struggle as a feminist is to achieve a society without people

being excluded because they are women, or live with a disability, are old, or belong to what in

Senegalese society is called low caste... “

Isabella Matambanadzo / Zimbabwe

“I learnt feminism in our home and family from my mother and my grandmother. It just wasn’t

called or named Feminism, be that with a capital F or just an f. My mother and my grandmother have, to me been the most beautiful women I have ever known. I saw them show solidarity

and sisterhood to women …”

• How can you engage more with African feminists?

Twitter• #Afrifem• @blacklooks• @HakimaAbbas• @nas009• @elidot• @stillSHErises

@kobbygraham@msafropolitan@spectraspeaks@DoaaAbdelaal @Winnie_Byanyima @spectraspeaks

www.africanfeministsrock.tumblr.com

www.msafropolitan.com

www.africanfeministforum.com

What’s new for African feminisms?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fmA9uwh7Tb0