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Gender Stratification and Global Power Politics: Towards the Empowerment of Women in Africa

Adeyinka A. Bruce, Department of Political Science, Babcock University, Nigeria
yinkabruce@yahoo.com

The emerging paradigms of democracy and democratization presuppose human rights, fundamental freedoms and liberty for the individual. It means more than this under globalization. It encompasses the whole gamut of political liberalization. However, there is little consensus on the interpretation of the concept of democracy. Little wonder, democratic practice is not only plural but also fluid in time and space. In these circumstances, there is very minimal correspondence between democracy and development particularly in the developing world, where governance seems to have replaced democracy. All things considered, there is a world of difference between the notion of governance and democracy.
From this perspective, the policies and programs needed to protect the citizens particularly the social categories, women and children from being vulnerable is getting more and more difficult to achieve in the current volatile circumstances of “new democracies” of Sub-Saharan Africa. Thus, within the ambiance of “quasi states” in the continent of Africa and the emergence of global and supranational state the axioms of politics and dimensions of power and its distribution in a society involves not only the measurement of such power but the use to which such power is put.
In this context, the measurement and use of power are critical to positive change and leave as problematic the questions, which constitute the focus of this paper. Where is Africa located in global power politics, especially after the cold war and in an era of globalization and how do these affect gender relations as well as the political consciousness and efficacy of women? What are the historical tendencies surrounding these challenges? How are social movements reacting to the global challenges on the empowerment of women in Africa? Is the agitation for increased political representation of women in decision-making as contained in the Beijing Plan of Action a mere coincidence?