This paper examines how traditional African narratives and rites of passage have shaped gender roles for women in West and Central Africa. It explores how these roles have changed with the advent of colonialism and modernism and argues for a balanced approach that integrates traditional strengths with modern needs to achieve. Read the paper.

psycho-cultural sustainability andpositive gender socialisation for women.

Rites of Passage as the Foundation of Gender Roles

In traditional African cultures,

rites of passage are the foundation for understanding and socializing gender roles. Our research found that birth and puberty rites clearly define these roles.

Birth Rites: From the moment of birth, gender and sex are intertwined. In Nigerian societies, the first question asked about a newborn is often, “Is it a boy or a girl?”. The boy is traditionally seen as the heir who will carry on the family name. This differentiation continues throughout childhood, determining household chores and privileges. For instance, among the Nso people of Cameroon, naming ceremonies are gender-sensitive, and from birth, children are expected to grow within the gender boundaries defined by their culture.

Puberty Rites: These are the most gender-sensitive of all rites and focus on socializing boys and girls into their future adult roles. During these rites, boys and girls are often separated to learn gender-specific tasks, moral instruction, and societal rules that will make them responsible adults. For example, among the Nso, there are separate traditional associations for men (like theNfu, protectors of the clan) and women (like theChong, nurturers of the clan).

Shifting Perceptions: From Complementarity to Hierarchy

A key finding is that despite the prevalence of patriarchal systems, many pre-colonial African societies practiced

gender role complementarity, where the distinct roles of men and women were mutually reinforcing and interdependent. Women were often considered the custodians of traditional values and held significant power.

In some societies, women held high positions of political and spiritual power. For instance, among the Igbo of Nigeria, theUmuada (a woman official) regulated the moral conduct of other women.

Among the Akan of Ghana, women were responsible for the moral and ethical upbringing of children.

A proverb from the Bamilike of Cameroon states that a good woman is “worth far more than diamonds” and her husband “trusts her without reserve”.

This balance was disrupted by

colonialism, capitalism, and globalization. The introduction of colonial education, cash crop farming dominated by men, and European patriarchal beliefs placed women on the “lower rungs” of society, eroding the previous gender complementarity. This has led to the current marginalized status of many African women, which doesn’t accurately reflect their historical power and influence.

Implications for Psycho-Cultural Sustainability

Psycho-cultural sustainability is the idea that a successful transition to sustainability requires a change in individual mindsets and cultural values. For gender, this means creating harmony between a person’s mindset (psyche), their physical body (soma), and societal beliefs (society/environment).

The shift in gender roles has created new challenges. Women are increasingly taking on economic responsibilities, but there hasn’t been a corresponding redistribution of domestic tasks, leaving women to bear a “triple role” (productive, reproductive, and community management). Furthermore, conflicts and health emergencies often force women to take on tasks previously done by men, further altering traditional roles.

Advancing gender equality is therefore crucial for sustainable development. The paper advocates for a positive socialization of women that supports their participation in politics, leadership, and economic development while also valuing their traditional roles.