Feminist Organising and Activism in Ghana: Commonalities, Differences, and Challenges

Abstract

Research on digital feminism and feminist activism in Ghana has increased in recent years. Studies that focus on digital spaces such as  Facebook and X, previously known as Twitter, have explored and profiled the nature of the activism, the issues it examines, its impact,  and public reactions to the movements. A noteworthy aspect of findings from these studies is that these digital spaces have offered  feminists distinct audiences and outlets to address issues which may not have been the focus of older movements. While the older feminist movements have focused on policy-oriented issues such as women’s political participation, economic rights, education, and  gender-based violence, digital activists have concerned themselves with resistance and protests around bodily autonomy, sexual desires,  and orientation. Extending these studies, we explore the connections or commonalities between digital and pioneer forms of feminist  organising in Ghana. Engaging digital archives of activism led by older feminists and interviews from young feminists in two digital  movements in Ghana, #PepperDemMinistries and #HijabIsanIdentity, we compare the tools and approaches used by feminist activists in  the country, analyse the points of convergence and divergence and examine how the two generations respond to the intergenerational  shifts in feminist activism in Ghana. We conclude that while feminist organising in Ghana is evolving into digital spaces, digital feminist activism in Ghana is a continuation of the older forms of organising employed by pioneer feminists.