Women In Africa

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In the twentieth century, the role of women in Africa began to change tremendously as Europeans dominated the countries within. Colonialism had taken root of Africa, starting a war that required the support of women. Colonialism had changed the traditions of Africa, by changing women’s roles in society because of the war. Women stepped out of their domestic roles and helped the liberation and nationalist movement fight a war politically, economically, and socially.
For a very long time, Africa has been controlled by foreign powers, the Europeans. Many Africans refused to give up their lands and their country to the Europeans so the fight for liberation began. The Europeans wanted to control and reconstruct Africa politically, economically, …show more content…

In order to improve tax revenue, many government officials would intrude into people’s homes to collect data. Many women found this offensive because they were invading their privacy. Originally men were only taxed, and now the government began to tax women. The Abeokuta women were the first to be taxed which the Abeokuta women suffered economic hardships like food shortages and could not meet the government’s demands. Women in Nigeria asked the help of many European women to persuade their men to stop the hardships they had caused. The government would also take women’s rice without compensation. The government also compelled women “to buy and resell unpopular goods along with a few sough-after commodities”1 which resulted in no profit causing economic depression. Another women’s complaint was the trade and control of the marketplace. Many markets had failed because of the fees and taxes imposed. Women used the market place for communication and now since many markets had failed, women lost their communication between each other. The colonial conditions started a fight in women. Groups like the AWU …show more content…

When the colonialism had struck many countries in Africa, women joined men to help fight the men’s war. Women’s roles in the war was similar to men’s because the men needed women to help fight since there were not enough men to help fight the war. Women fighting liberation received the same training as men. The war was not to only to be fought by men, but by everyone who lived in the country. This time women could not be at home watching men fight. Women were used in gorilla fighting, supplying food and shelter, and helping carry and hide weapons. In some cases it was easier to use women for mobilizing. Women also used their sexuality to fight the enemy because it was a very great tactic toward the

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