Paper short abstract:

We explore Sierra Leonean perspectives on the current government’s ‘feminist agenda’, including the new 30% gender parliamentary quota mandated for the June 2023 elections. We examine the diverse effects of campaigning related to women’s issues and what this can tell us about feminism in Africa.

Paper long abstract:

This paper explores the roles of (different) Sierra Leonean women in relation to the President’s ‘feminist agenda.’ Elected in 2018, Julius Maada Bio’s government has projected an image of aligning with and for women, namely by promoting girl’s education, creating stricter laws against SGBV, legalizing abortion, promoting women’s menstrual health and most recently, passing a 30% gender quota for the national parliament and local councils just ahead of the June 2023 elections. While this suggests the Bio government is prioritising a women’s agenda, female activist communities (and beyond) have reservations about the realisation of these policies and what the implications will be for women. The findings are the result of research with female political aspirants, activists and market women between mid-2022 and will be ongoing in 2023. Women have concerns about violence being targeted at them due to the social tensions arising from the 30% gender quota. To what extent is the government genuinely committed to ensuring the enactment of this bill and the protection of women throughout the process? Engaging with feminist scholarship on performativity, we explore how Bio’s international projection of ‘feminist agendas’ contrasts to different local ideas about his government’s policies, tracing how different types of agency interact with one another. The paper ultimately analyses the adverse (and sometimes violent) effects of campaigns related to women’s issues, particularly during election periods. The broader implications of this can tell us about the ongoing struggles and successes of Sierra Leonean women, and more generally feminist agendas in Africa.