MALE CHAUVINISM AND CHALLENGES OF CONTEMPORARY AFRICAN WOMEN "VOLUME 1"

INTRODUCTION:
Chauvinism is a vocabulary that carries a controversial undertone. Among many masculinity, it is the belief that men are absolutely superior to women while for the feminists, it is a symbol of male oppression and repression of woman.
In African where chauvinism is a strongly entrenched in both the culture and psychology, this given is gradually being challenged by the contemporary emphasis on gender equality, dignity of woman and various feminists movements.
Although chauvinism is seen as outdated behavioural traits that could rightly belong to the age of homohabilis in the West where it has been relatively overshadowed by chivalry, feminism and all sorts of "political correctness", chauvinism seems to be at the crossroad in contemporary African where it stands out that as one of the items for criticism in the kulturkampf (i.e, culture struggle) and institutional changes that is feisty overwhelming the continent.

That chauvinism still persists in alarming rate in African cannot be questioned. This is already evident in the marginalization of woman in politics abuses of woman in the society, lack of legislation tonto protect woman and remnants of various religious and trample on the dignity of woman.
Recently, women have become target of internet abuses, where they suffer sexual crimes like leaking of "sex taps" and various abuses and denigrations.
Issues like rape, abuse of widows, beating of woman, child marriage and female circumcision are yet to be tackled with appropriate legislations in many African countries. Even when such laws exist, implementation is slow given the weak and dysfunctional nature of African judicial system. Social and religious stigmas often ensure that woman suffer silently and because woman cannot compete for good jobs and are predominantly house wives, they are the most vulnerable during economic meltdown. This expose hopes to critically evaluate the reality of chauvinism in African its consequences and how African women are responding to challenges offered by this status quo.

Chauvinism: living the African
Experience: The reality of male chauvinism in African is unquestionable.
It is boldly written in a patriarchal system that simply relates women.
"The feminization of poverty is global because despites the real strides that have been made by woman, there is am overarching failure to integrate a gender perspective into all political, economic and social transformation"
The political,social, religious, traditional and family structures are grounded on a platform that promotes men as superior to women either explicitly and simplicity.

The political landscape in Africa is clearly structured to favour men. Women are marginalized and women who go into politics are seen as loose and irresponsible. In Nigeria for instance, women in politics are seen to have been successful through "bottom - power" an expression that connotes that it's only possible for women to attain significant political posts through sexual intrigue. Although this is relatively true, since there ate evidences of sex in exchange for political posts, the stigma this has given to women in politics cannot be questioned. In the majority of African countries, only a percentage out of the hundred percent of political Posts is occupied by women. Until recently; women hardly play any central role in the political landscape in Africa.

However, this is beginning to change; Rwanda takes the lead as Rwanda women top the world ranking of women in national Parliaments with 49 percent of representation compared to a world average of 15.1per cent. This is not without a great price, after women suffered rape, humiliation, death and sexual harassment in a genocide that spanned hundred days in 1994. In fact, a new constitution gave reserved seats to women in politics and women have participated in drafting constitution and enacting legislations on the country.

Sadly other countries in Africa have fared badly, few countries where women have made inroads in politics is thanks to the quota system which reserves seat in Parliament for women.
However, this approach has elicited strong opposition from some political actors and even from some populace in a society that is acutely patriarchal. Some women ate also cynical that women should join politics. In a society where majority of women are illiterate, some women find it inappropriate that women should compete With men in the political stage and even see the progression of women in politics as a license for looseness and promiscuity.

To be continued in vol.2.

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