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1/1/1984 - Women Researchers in Africa by Paula Williams

NOT FOR PUBLICATION WITHOUT WRITER S CONSENT INSTITUTE OF CURRENT WORLD AFFAIRS PJW B P Ouagadougou Haute Volta Women Resoa Africa January Mr Peter Bird Martin Executive Director Institute Current World Affairs Wheelock House West Wheelock Street Hanover NH 03755 USA Dear Peter In October route Africa I stopped Europe researchers about their development women forestry One stops Geneva where I women organizations discuss their research women development issues their knowledge women researchers women organizations Africa One organizations I visited Geneva ISIS women international information communicatlon service named after Egyptian goddess Isis ISIS feminist collec second office Rome Both offices documen tation resource center records women groups tacts worldwide They publish periodic bulletins English Spanish different topics women production tourism prostitution motherhood occasloal books their recent Wome_____n D y_elopment Resource Guid____e fo__Er Organization_ Action They involved training sessions cross cultural exchanges Third World women The ISIS staff member I spoke helpful explaining their organization documentation centers I spent hours there looking materials going through their contacts Africa Africa region world which ISIS fewest names Whether because there fewer formal women groups women researchers active feminists Africa whether African women ISIS about other unclear But I names exist hopes I could these organizations individuals Africa ISIS recently received invitation upcoming meeting Association African Women Research Development AAWORD Dakar Senegal December The meeting women researchers Africa seemed important opportunity colleagues I decided I would attend conference Paula J Williams Forest Society Fellow Institute Current World Affairs studying human forest resources Saharan Africa She particular interest women involvement forest resource forest development activities The AAWORD conference composed research seminar business meeting AAWORD members The seminar organized around theme Research African Women What Types Methodo logies The conference attended forty AAWORD members least fifteen observers The conference African women researchers chance spend together sharing their experiences debating their differingperspectives deepening their another The seminar brought together interesting mixture women northern African Saharan African francophone anglo phone Marxist Marxist Although women northern Africa Senegal numero there women parts Africa These women elite group graduate doctorates All fluent either English French often their native languages Some government teaching positions their countries others struggle their research withou government support funding others research grants international organ izations still others study Europe United States The group composed primarily social scientists sociologists anthropologists demographers historians communi cation specialists although archers other disci plines nutrition belong Although AAWORD membership African women researchers members welcomed attend seminar sessions observers The observers primarily researchers development planners activists whose focuses development issues specifically invited attend conference Most Europe United States Trinidad Colombia A African researchers AAWORD members attended observers While excluded observers attended conference The Associatio African Women Research Development Lusaka Zambia members A later first major research conference Dakar subject The Decolonialization Research At conference AAWORD members strongly recommended social science research Africa conducted trained Afri researchers familiar languages cultures being studied Such research should based African realities rather inappropriate Western theories models research techniques The research results should African development rather exported West often happens foreigners carrying research fulfill Ph D dissertation requirements The women researchers called research women often overlooked conventional studies develoPment planning Since AAWORD other workshops presented perspectives numerous international meetings The recent seminar continuation earlier debate Having accepted premise African women should researching situation African women today undertake endeavor As noted speakers approaches difficult critique In examining types methodologies could employed study African women researchers discussed quacy various social science concepts quantitative quali tative historical sources problems analysis interpretation results They debated whether there unique African feminist methodologies These issues discussed various researchers formal paper presentations debated seminar participants discussion sessions working group meetings The participants observers themselves decided whether working group rural development urban lopment As interesting formal presentations discussion debate provocative Three opening speakers critical integration women development approach often adopted Western planners Zenebeworke Tadesse current AAWORD secre suggested engage social change researchers construct alternative structures world rather attempting integrate women existing patterns Marie Anglique Savant current AAWORD president criticized concept women development feminlzation theory modernization theory which postulates social processes development follow universal pattern moderni zation The simplicity modernization theory accounts failure development projects regarding women Filomena Steady suggested research Africa African women designed their domination exploitation rather positive social change The integration women development approach involves Europeanization African women consequent their status These researchers suggested various alternative strategies Tadesse proposed women collected engage social change Savane argued researchers examine exchange resources performance activities fetching water firewood within households basis Steady suggested research committed social change present future analysis small scale micro andlarge scale macro socialstructures focus working analyzing social groups rather imdividuals Participants discussed other Western social science concept theoretical assumptions problematic African cultures Certain concepts household fertility assumptions Western family structure economlcs division labor built conventionally defined inappro priate African realities These terms under heavy criticism Western feminist researchers Even terms which relatively unproblematic Western society difficult measure Africa Although African societies highly accurate traditional means measuring individuals their Farthermore cultural factors modify interpretation although conventional census definitions consider those under sixteen children married African woman fourteen behaves adult fulfilling adult roles cannot considered economically active child The definition womanhood greatly among different cultural groups country One Tanzanian researcher Betty Mlingi recounted Tanzanian groups consider becomes woman marries others child still others birth first child This definitional difference raises problems design studies comparable across national population The cultural preference areas children serious ndercounting population When adult interviewed about number children house sponds about number researcher figure children household eight girls Some researchers suggested important analyze misinformation women lives exists The reporting children occurs because social pressure people If couple already three advised children however couple eight girls encouraged trying Similarly reluctance governments change defini tions fully include women activities political economic considerations For example country Gross National Product GNP calculated GP measures determine eligibility international Consequently domestic informal sector activities women included country GP wrise Even countries agree Such defini tional changes relative increases might country country change country relative standing terms Several researchers noted inherent biases censuses other quantitative bases difficult design representative samples It difficult decide sample women different social classes strata income measures household heads usually assumed indicators women standards living their potential social power The AAWORD seminar considered which various quali tative research methodologies could employed particularly defining research problems questions understanding African women themselves understand their lives contradictions which This approach particularly stressed working rural women often llterate conventionally definsd unable researchers written questionnaires So researchers other means examine women knowledge women lives working histories analyzing contents women songs examining meaning women magic having groups women their perceptions situations dramas living working rural women observing their daily lives The latter although recognized important seldom African researchers intellec tuals throughout world typically dwellers lacking daily intimate contact rural women Ayesha Iman researcher Nigeria illustration drama evaluate effectiveness development project She evaluating church training found difficult women express criti cisms ofthe project their loyalty church So asked group which filmed analyzed project could improved In group define important thought should areas project Christine provoked great debate observations agricultural Uganda She argued accepted common observations women perform agricul tural slowly could differences content their Obbo presented qualitative infor mation agricultural women Uganda noted women meticulous thorough their hoeing control weeso Since women thorough slowly consequently repeat weedings frequently Although weeds problem forb0 subsistence crops women ticular weeds certain crops spinach I Obbo presentation particularly interesting I never before considered women might noxious problems other difficult resource management problems those which confront Many AAWORD articipants quite upset however Obbo acceptance analytical consideration statements women slowly strong Several insisted countless studies shown women often requiring strength endurance women harderdlonger Questions raised presentation papers using various methods historical research When women absent conventional history quite challenging Sometimes exists overlooked historical archives Other sources tapped diaries An example diaries historical analysis presented Soha Kader She examined diary secluded middle class Egyptian woman written century She suggested women could consi dered feminists seemed rather content perhaps happy their lives This presentation touched heated discussion whether women could considered content their lives unaware alternatives living almost entirely within confines their homes whether possible measure happiness In workshops discussions participants debated could analyzed arrive explanations rather merely descriptions women lives results should Several speakers stressed conduct research wit__h rather African women share discuss results Meaningful talks women which researcher would share experiences women working trying understand their lives suggested greater value superficial questionnaires larger sample women Many African researchers argued research should Its action improve lives women Suggestions action oriented perspective should influence selection research problems steps taken research concluded For example researcher could design intervention packages strategies women could employ better their situations suggest these women along discussing research results The AAWORD members varying opinions degree which their research proaches uniquely African whether African women researchers cribed feminist Some believe their constitutes break Western science whereas others believe larger critique ominant research paradigms In terms feminism participants their research differs significantly Western feminists Many African women example preoccupied Western women problem housework although ncerned value recognized However feminism believed struggle women against oppres universal objective Western Third World women researchers regardless situational differences specific problems addressed Another researcher reminded women researchers should limit themselves feminist approaches causes women oppression limited reasons dominance Some these latter issues raised addresses Senegalese ministers which opened closed conference The first Moussa Balla DaffY Minister Scientific Technological Research stated research African women constitutes fundamental question juncture decolonialSzation research He remarked search research methodologies important indigenous confident African development Maimeuna Kane Minister Social Women Affairs suggested AAWORD formed faith future African women She government policy makers research women But cautionned researchers often research women msrginal areas overlooking important factors which addressed development planning The challenge translate research models reality Some interesting issues conference formally raised A important factor political situation within which African researcher works support which research Many these women difficulty obtaini research funding their governments Some women talked privately about their problems conducting research critical govern policy cannot currently their countries because political situation Research difficult government places priority A researcher Cape Verde illustration diffi culties conducting historical research When independance achieved Cape Verde colonial archives moved building housing could another Consequently obliged travel Portugal former colonial power access copies records AAWORD seems forum African researchers interact influencing research policy decisions The organization successful obtaining international funding activities conference example received funding Swedish government Ford Foundation UNESCO Furthermore result activities AAWORD other groups Third World researchers international rganizations harder Third World researchers development research formerly Some Western observers noted AAWORD inter acting Western researchers group originally unded There seems mutual learning process Western researchers become aware Fast research practices exploitative sought undertake ethical while African researchers acknowledged Western researchers sympathetic their useful sensitive research which benefited their countries The AAWORD conference quite informative viding overview current research African women I quite encouraged several these researchers stressin imortance researching daily activities women their Farticipatien agricultural tasks their fetching firewood water Although AAWORD members conducting research women involvement firewood other forest resource I ether researchers Dakar whose touches topic One Jill Posner whose study street feeds suggests complexities interactions between cuisine firewood consumption The other Fatou Sou researching women energy issues Senegal Gambia Jill Posner study series studies street foods being undertaken Euity Policy Center EPOC The Equity Policy Center Washington D C based organization established Irene Tinker conduct pollcy oriented research development issues particular interest women EPOC chosen study street foods foods often consumed streets urban areas constitute signifi growing service sector Third World cities important source employment source nutrition Posner American researcher previously worked West Africa Peace Corps volunteer conducting research Omn local markets Her study examined street foods Ziguinchor regional capital Casmances southwestern Senegal She undertook surveys those cooked variety street foods surveys consumers Posner found thlrds street vendors women women vendors specialized selling different types The likely foods brochettes shish kebobs which require initial capital investment yield higher profits foods porridge fruit women While explicitly studied street foods urban growth probably altering consumption tterns forest products First firewood street foods shift previous patterns There economies scale large quantity cooking opposed household cooking The forms repre changed patterns example Posner found selling brochettes Ziguinchor their charcoal Second other forest products ingredients street foods worth examining I learned Fatou Sou research women energy I Geneva Elizabeth Cecelski Cecelski managing project International Labour Office ILO United Nations women energy nutrition She currently researchers countries looking women activities family nutrition affected their spend searching transporting firewood other locally available fuels Two studies being conducted Africa Ghan Mozambique The final reports project should within Cecelski recommended I should Fatou Sou I Dakar working related women energy study ILO After AAWORD conference I Institut Fondamental Afrique Noire IFAN where Sou works sociologist about Sou worked number studies regarding women energy In example survey energy consumption Gambia Since women responsible managing household energy consumption Gambia survey addressed women She however predominant involvement women sector great interest Gambian makers Currently Sore undertaking study funded ILO assess various energy projects Senegal affected women She examined reforestation projects designed firewoo cookstove windmill thermodynamic projects One reforestation projects industrial tation designed firewood charcoal focused replacing decimated natural forest growing exotic trees trees native The project detrimental women opportunities First overlooked women needs indigenous species baobab In local women gthered numerous resources these trees medicine either their local markets important source employment Now women further search resources Second project employed young workers nurseries planting sedllngs No workhad offered local women My recent Dakar earlier Geneva provided overview women researchers Africa their Western colle agues working uncover reality women lives These efforts benefit sharing knowledge among researchers policy makers urban rural women The existence women networks whether formal informal holding conferences talks researcher women conducts research important means striving towards visions world social alternatives which improve lives women children constitute social development The challenges great I believe women researchers Africa start Sincerely Paula J Williams Forest Society Fellow Received Hanover