Paper short abstract:

Women’s movements have been used to mobilize political action. This paper examines trends and dynamics of women’s movements as activist spaces for mobilizing political change and currency in the context of the on-going democratization of West Africa.

Paper long abstract:

Women's Movements have a long history in civic movements in West Africa. In traditional societies, women mobilize to address issues confronting their wellbeing often with implications for the larger society. Traditionally, women have drawn from customary provisions as well as their collective agencies to advocate in ways that have challenged the forces and factors impeding their progress. During the independence struggles women mobilized alongside men against colonial rule. Yet, within those movements emerged parallel movements such as the National Federation of Gold Coast Women that offered spaces for women to articulate their special interest. Under the current democratic dispensation, women still find reason to mobilize to advance their interests and those of the state. In Ghana, Nigeria, Liberia and Sierra Leone, women have mobilized around violence against women, economic rights and peace and security. The Women's Peace Movement of Liberia, Sister's Keeper in Ghana and the Women's Manifesto Coalitions have all been geared toward political change with some successes and many challenges. This paper traces historical trends for antecedents that can inform current dynamics and justify or not the relevance of women's movements today. It will draw from theoretical analyses around women's agency (e.g., Amina Mama and N. Kabeer) documented sources (e.g., K. Fallon; D. Tsikata) and empirical evidence from country cases (e.g., Ghana, Sierra Leone, Liberia and Nigeria). Such analysis should contribute to the understanding of women's movements as political instruments and their relevance in the on-going democratization processes in the sub-region.