UCLA Center for the Study of Women

My analysis seeks to elaborate on how religion, which came with colonialism, has been institutionalized, making the emancipation of women seem to focus on incremental gains within the existing framework of gender relations. In other words the talk-shop of women’s emancipation in the country is only a way to ease burdens within existing frames of gender relations rather than truly challenging the sexual division of labor on which this framework rests (Seidman, 1984, Bourdillon, 1972). Take for instance the education and income generating programs which are important for improving women’s economic positions. The approaches may alter the lives of women, but neither approach has changed the existing inequalities. Within the auspices of Christianity polygamy still exists, and cases of widows left penniless by their husbands’ families who under customary law inherit all property are still very rampant.