Blackwell Reference Online

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More often than not, women's movements seek to secure and sustain equal rights and opportunities for women in their economic activities, personal and social lives, and politics, and also discourage undue male dominance and exploitation as much as practicable. It could be in the form of campaigns, protests, or organizational activities. The goals of the movements vary from country to country. In Nigeria there have been several protests by women's movements arising from the distortion in sociopolitical/ economic arrangements between men and women in the colonial period. The ethnic groups comprising pre-colonial Nigeria were self-governing kingdoms. In these kingdoms, women had powerful associations through which they organized and acted socially, economically, and politically. The associations enabled them to put up a united front to endorse or condemn states of affairs in their communities. For example, in Yorubaland their roles cut across politics, culture, and economy, while the Iyalode served as the head of the women through the women's movement organization called Obirin Ilu. Through this group, women acquired wealth through agriculture and trading. Among the Igbo the political culture could be described as dual-sex. Under this structure, women had their own governing councils to address their specific concerns and needs. The council protected women's social and economic interests ... log in or subscribe to read full text