Social Movements and Democracy in Africa: The Impact of Women's Struggles for Equal Rights in Botswana

by Leslie,Agnes Ngoma

• ISBN13: 9780415978477
• ISBN10: 0415978475
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2006-09-13
• Publisher: Routledge

Summary

This book examines social movements in Africa, analyzing how they emerge and how they may impact public policy, the legal and political situation, and the society by focusing on the following question: How do women's political and legal rights get extended and institutionalized in a patriarchal democratic society? Leslie discusse women's activism in Botswana which, despite being a leading democracy in Africa, maintained discriminatory laws and policies. The book provides a detailed theoretical analysis and measurement of the impact of women's struggle for their rights in the patriarchal democratic state of Botswana. The study analyzes the women's movement, its social protest to challenge the legislature and government to change discriminatory laws, introduce policies favorable to women, and mobilize and empower women. It also looks at how the women's movement impacted public policy, the legal and political system in Botswana. On a broader level, the book discusses how far and in what ways a social movementcan contribute to the deepening of democracy.

Table of Contents

List of Tables	ix
List of Figures	xi
Acknowledgments	xiii
Introduction	xv
Chapter One Situating a Social Movement in Botswana	1	(12)
Chapter Two Human Rights and Social Movements in Africa	13	(22)
Chapter Three Social Movements and the State	35	(14)
Chapter Four Women and the State in Botswana	49	(20)
Chapter Five Emang Basadi in the Policy Process	69	(26)
Chapter Six The Impact of Emang Basadi	95	(34)
Chapter Seven Conclusions: Social Movements in Africa	129	(16)
Appendix A Questionnaire Regarding the Impact of the Women's Movement	145	(2)
Appendix B Questionnaire for Government Officials, Members of Emang Basadi, Women Activists	147	(2)
Appendix C Questionnaire for Legal Professionals: Lawyers, Judges, State Attorneys, Defense Lawyers	149	(2)
Appendix D Questionnaire for Honorable Members of Parliament	151	(2)
Appendix E Questionnaire for Less Educated Men, Women (Impact of Women's Movement)	153	(4)
Appendix F Coding Instructions	157	(4)
Appendix G Coding: Government Questionnaire	161	(4)
Appendix H Coding: Legal Questionnaire	165	(2)
Appendix I Coding: Questionnaire for Members of Parliament (MPs)	167	(4)
Appendix J National Assembly Official Reports (Hansards)	171	(18)
Appendix K Botswana Acts 1973-2000	189	(4)
Notes	193	(2)
References	195	(12)
Index	207