In Search of Equality : Women, Law and Society in Africa

Just over 50 years ago, several African countries drew up new constitutions that included additions such as the Protocol on the Rights of Women. Decades later, has constitutional reform brought gender equality to women in Africa? And what does gender equality mean in the everyday lives of women on the continent? The contributors to this volume provide insights into women’s rights in seven African countries: Cote d'Ivoire, Malawi, Namibia, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa, and Uganda. Each looks at the causes, context, and consequences of the struggle to uphold women’s rights. Their case studies illustrate property-grabbing in Malawi, women’s citizenship in Nigeria, and the rise of hate crimes and sexual violence against black lesbians in South Africa, among other issues. Challenges In Litigation On Gender Issues In Namibia / Dianne Hubbard -- Constitutionalism And The Law Of Inheritance : Recent Experiences From Uganda / Florence Akiiki Asiimwe -- Gender Equality In Customary Marriages In South Africa / Mikateko Joyce Maluleke -- Enforcing Women's Rights In Malawi / Maureen Kondowe -- The Justice System And Women's Rights In Côte-d'ivoire / Marie Agathe Bahi -- Ending Impunity For Hate Crimes Against Black Lesbians : An Opportunity To Create Feminist Jurisprudence / Wendy Isaack -- Strategic Litigation Of Women's Constitutional Rights In Rwanda's Changing Judicial Landscape / Eugene Manzi -- Associational Life And Women's Constitutional Rights In Africa / Ada Okoye Ordor Edited By Stefanie Röhrs And Dee Smythe ; With Annie Hsieh And Monica De Souza. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. Across Africa, women's rights under African constitutional law are in question. This book is the first to critically examine the current situation across many African countries. Containing the research of eleven authors from nine African countries, it combines perspectives from Southern Africa (Namibia, Zimbabwe, Malawi, South Africa), West Africa (Ivory Coast, Nigeria, Cameroon). and East Africa (Rwanda, Uganda) on how to advance women's rights nationally and on the African continent.