This post was originally published on France24
In this special edition, we’re focusing on women’s rights in Africa. As UN Women writes, women on the continent are the backbone of family and communities. Yet many endure the worst working conditions with unpaid care, low pay jobs and little or no social protection. They also suffer from different forms of violence including female genital mutilation, child marriage and physical violence. So how does feminism fit within this context especially as many conservative male leaders in the region often dismiss it as a Western import. Annette Young talks to Minna Salami, the author of ‘Can Feminism be African?’ Also how Togo’s strict abortion laws mean thousands of women are left with no choice but to seek illegal terminations, often putting their lives at risk. Plus the teenage girls in a Kenyan refugee camp who are learning self-defence in an environment rife with gender violence.