Busingye, G. (2020). Dynamics of African Feminism, Womanism, Agency and Voice Using the Metaphor of Hovering Eagle and Implications on Gender Equity. Journal of African Interdisciplinary Studies, 4(12), 4 – 20.

Using the metaphor of a hovering eagle of the African continent, the article weaves through the rigours of the ideology of patriarchy, which it criticizes using the perspective of African feminism, African womanism and African women’s voices and agency. It is clear that much as some authors wish to lump all forms of women resistance under the ambit of feminism, other mediums, such as womanism and women’s agency, especially in Africa play an equally important role in empowering women to fight and repel oppression initiated within the ideology of patriarchy.. The article distinguished African feminism, African womanism and African women’s agency from the western paradigms based on the fact that the western paradigms were founded on exploitation of African women through slave trade and colonialism. The article uses the metaphor of the goats’ and sheep’s semen, which cannot fertilize the other, unless manipulated genetically.

In so doing, the article, makes a clear case that African feminism, African womanism and African women’s agency cannot be lumped together under the same heading, much as they are all perspectives intended to empower women to fight for their own rights. The possibility of the two systems working together is not discarded totally at the end of the discussion.

Ige, Rhoda Asikia. 2014. “Speaking for Ourselves: African Feminism and the Development of International Human Rights Law.” KNUST Law Journal 6: 105–28.

This paper argues against the negative view that African contributions to international human rights law are minimal. It emphasizes that African women have played a significant role in shaping international human rights law, particularly through African feminism. While a comprehensive overview of these contributions isn’t possible, the paper highlights key areas where African feminism has had an impact. These include: adopting a holistic approach to women’s issues, establishing new standards for women’s rights, expanding the concept of the right to health, promoting women as peace agents, and leading efforts in women’s participation in democratic governance.

Kessi, Shose, and Floretta Boonzaier. 2018. “Centre/Ing Decolonial Feminist Psychology in Africa.” South African Journal of Psychology 48(3): 299–309.

This article proposes that psychology, particularly in its social forms, is well-suited to generate critical knowledge and tools for fostering just and equitable social relationships and structures. It begins by reviewing historical assumptions within psychology that supported systems like slavery, colonization, and apartheid. The article then introduces a framework for integrating decolonial and feminist approaches into psychological work, with a focus on the African context. The authors argue that adopting a decolonial feminist approach in psychology curricula and research is essential to keeping the discipline relevant in contemporary African societies

Kessi, Shose, Floretta Boonzaier, and Babette Stephanie Gekeler. 2021. “African Feminisms, Pan-Africanism, and Psychology.” In Pan-Africanism and Psychology in Decolonial Times, eds. Shose Kessi, Floretta Boonzaier, and Babette Stephanie Gekeler. Cham: Springer International Publishing, 79–102

This chapter advocates for a Pan-African feminist psychology by examining how patriarchal power became entrenched in modern nation-states, often erasing or silencing women’s roles in liberation struggles. It highlights how women were marginalized during the formation of patriarchal states. Despite this, African feminists have continued to challenge the masculinist nature of political struggles. The chapter explores contemporary feminist efforts, including addressing gender inequities, violence, building solidarity with women in war zones, working across diverse groups, and supporting gender non-conforming and queer communities. It argues for a Pan-African feminist psychology rooted in decolonial ideology, incorporating the historical and ongoing struggles of Pan-African feminist activism.

Kessi, Shose, Floretta Boonzaier, and Babette Stephanie Gekeler. 2021. “Towards a Pan-African Psychology of Restorative and Reparatory Justice.” In Pan-Africanism and Psychology in Decolonial Times, eds. Shose Kessi, Floretta Boonzaier, and Babette Stephanie Gekeler. Cham: Springer International Publishing, 149–67.

This chapter examines the psychological aspects of restorative justice, reparations, and reconciliation in the aftermath of slavery, colonization, and apartheid. It considers the roles of apologies and truth-telling as important steps for addressing historical wounds, and reflects on initiatives by African nations and the diaspora to confront internal violence in the post-slavery and post-colonial era. The chapter highlights the complex effects of reparations and truth and reconciliation commissions on individuals’ dignity and well-being, raising questions about the Pan-African vision of unity and solidarity across Africa and its diaspora.

Kusafuka, A. 2009. “Truth Commissions and Gender: A South African Case Study.” African Journal on Conflict Resolution 9(2).

This summary highlights that South Africa’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) failed to fully address the country’s gendered history, despite efforts by women’s groups to include it. The TRC’s “gender-blind” mandate ignored the distinct experiences of men and women, and its shortcomings were compounded by limited time, resources, and the absence of a proactive gender strategy. Although women’s groups pushed for the inclusion of gender issues, leading to initiatives like the Special Hearings on Women, the TRC’s engagement with gender remained superficial, missing the chance to provide a more comprehensive account of apartheid-era injustices.

LeLeolyn, Lovell Marshall Annecka. 2021. “Pan-African Feminism in Britain.” Contemporary Journal of African Studies 8(1 & 2): 21–34.

This study explores the relevance of Pan-African feminism in Britain to global debates and interventions. Women of African ancestry, both individually and collectively, resist marginalization by the state and systems such as education, employment, healthcare, and housing. Respondents express strong support for coalition politics, emphasizing social justice, pride, and integrity, while celebrating Black nationalism as a form of resistance against colonial legacies. The article also discusses the global reparations movement from the perspective of the African diaspora, highlighting its importance in the broader struggle for justice and equality.

Mama, Amina. 2018. “Colonialism.” The Oxford Handbook of Gender and Conflict.

This chapter examines how imperialism entrenched patriarchal gender regimes in modern African states, focusing on the colonial legacy of separating private and public spheres along gender lines. It highlights how sex and gender coercion were central to colonization and how these practices continue to influence contemporary law and policy. The chapter also discusses the ongoing marginalization of women in political and economic life, which has led to the rise of movements challenging this discrimination. Additionally, it argues that military rule and civil war are not native to Africa but are a continuation of the male-dominated colonial security systems imposed during imperialism.

McFadden, Patricia. 2007. “AFRICAN FEMINIST PERSPECTIVES OF POST-COLONIALITY.” The Black Scholar 37(1): 36–42.

The article discusses the challenges of inclusion within the nation-state, noting that it relies on recognition of lineage and belonging, which often excludes those deemed inauthentic. This inclusion is further tied to an ideological worldview that prioritizes property ownership and middle-class status. The African women’s movement’s response to these challenges will be shaped by the interests of its dominant factions and an understanding of the intersectionality of social reproduction and class struggles affecting citizenship and its implications.

The author emphasizes that a key challenge for African feminists is to re-conceptualize citizenship as an inclusive practice that transcends racial, class, sexual, gender, and locational disparities. This new understanding of citizenship should move beyond its historical ties to private property and the commodification of rights as market-based outcomes. Achieving this transformation is essential for post-colonial political discourse and policy. Furthermore, the author argues that for Africa to truly become post-colonial, there must be a radical transformation of the feminist agenda into a lived politics that aligns with the demands for restructuring the state and social institutions. This transformation should aim to create alternative political, cultural, and social systems that nurture creative and spiritual energies and enhance diverse lifestyles.

Ossome, Lyn. 2020. “African Feminism.” In Routledge Handbook of Pan-Africanism, Routledge.

This chapter argues that coherence of African feminism as a political and philosophical tradition is discernible in the articulation of its varying thematic questions to broader emancipatory questions concerned with histories of slavery, colonialism, imperialism, and neoliberalization. That it is in speaking to/militantly resisting/thriving against these subjective orders that feminist intellectual and activist traditions in Africa have, consolidating a standpoint or vantage point that ought to be read as African feminism. This vantage point is historically determined by, and grounded within, the lived experiences of African women.