The Role Of Gender And Women In Political Institutions In Africa: A Case Of Political Parties

Year 2019, Volume: 8 Issue: 1, 124 - 144, 31.03.2019

İsrael Nyaburi Nyadera , Michael Otieno Kisaka

https://doi.org/10.33722/afes.496602

Cited By: 3

Abstract

The
democratization process in Africa opened up space
for the emergence of several political parties across the continent as most
countries moved from one-party rule to
multi-party democracy. This tectonic shift signaled
a new beginning in the political arena, and there were expectations that equal
representation in the political sphere
would be a by-product of the democratization process. This paper underscores
the challenge of gender inequality in representative politics and as it would be expected in patriarchal societies; women
shoulder the brunt of marginalization in the political arena.  It argues that despite the inclusion of
gender-responsive texts in political parties’ manifestoes and constitution, the
gender gap is still burgeoning. It
recommends that political parties should come up with pragmatic strategies to enhance gender equality and cease to
include gender texts as mere political rhetoric. 

Keywords

Gender Inequality, Feminism, Political Parties, Africa

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