Perceptions of the Feminist Movement and Women’s Rights in the Context of Universal Rights vs Cultural & Religious Norms in African Societies

Purpose – The disposition of contemporary African societies suggest that women are coerced into dependent and exploitative power relations in the name of culture, tradition, and religion. This study aims to evaluate the historical evolution and influence of the feminist agenda and how it has been received in African cultural and political circles. Given that patriarchy systems in African communities are deeply entrenched, this study aims to assess the viability of the feminist agenda in challenging those male-dominated spaces that have contributed to the slow pace of women’s emancipation. Most intriguingly is the view that gender inequality in contemporary Africa was born out of colonialism. Design/Method of Enquiry – Data were collected through scripts and media recorded interviews of experts who are specialised in the African study fields of history, anthropology, sociology, spirituality, and political science. Much of the literature was gathered from secondary information which drew from academic journals, scholarly books, and online publications. Findings – The findings suggest that feminism and universal rights in African polities are often viewed with misgivings as a contemporary phenomenon; a product of colonial legacies infused with neo-imperial impulses. Broadly, this perception runs deep in the African psyche across the continent. This widespread view is premised on the idea that pre-colonial Africa did not have problems of gender equality. The study suggests that the tension between feminism (and universal rights) on the one hand, and culture, on the other hand, can best be resolved through the prism of cross-cultural universals -a theory that seeks to find a common ground between these juxtaposes. Originality/Value – The study contributes of the literature by pushing the envelope of human rights awareness in contemporary Africa beyond cultural and religious discourses. The study brings to the fore, increased societal awareness that the fight for human rights in contemporary Africa is not necessarily a battle between Western and cultural values, but rather, about a fight for or against a human rights disposition. Most significantly, the study advances the argument that the holistic growth of a polity is dependent on all stake holders actively and freely participating in polity governance based on their ability and effort, and not based on gender or on any other consideration. Discriminatory practices against women or against any marginalised persons not only robs them of their ability to fulfil their potential as individuals, but in fact takes back all of society.