Women pivotal in African communities

African Mommas are women community leaders within African communities and they’re helping to change the roles of women on the continent.

In 2003 in a Botswanan village, according to IOL news, Mosadi Seboko became the first woman to be paramount chief of the Balete people. In rural South Africa, many women are taking the place of chiefs after being widowed if their sons are not old enough to do the job. Women’s power is not always so explicit. If women do yield influence, it’s usually behind the scenes.

David Copland, an anthropologist at Wits University in Johannesburg was quoted in IOL news explaining, “Women often mediate rivalry between men. They are often the power behind the throne.”

The United Nations has said that women’s roles in the household makes them crucial in agricultural production, the informal sector of economies and the development of nations. In 1984 African governments convened and came up with strategies for integrating women in the development process. The strategy came in four parts: promoting and providing women’s health and education, recognizing women’s importance, creating more job opportunities for women and improving women’s legal rights.

But it’s been more than 20 years since then and, for the most part, the governments have not made good on their word to implement such plans.

Women, therefore, are taking matters into their own hands. One Momma from a Maasai community holds a meeting once a month, where she and her fellow women from the community can support each other. On one occasion, they pooled money in order to put one of their daughters in school.

Mommas are part of the changing face of many local communities within Africa as part of the shift from a patriarchal societal structure to one based on a more equal recognition of the value and contribution each sex makes.

Netta Kornberg
Junior Journalist

Junior Journalist Netta Kornberg is a Grade 12 student from Richmond Hill.

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