Challenging Patriarchy

The papers in this collection capture some ways in which the rollback of democracy
has manifested in the East and Horn of Africa region. The articles not only highlight
regression in the various thematic spaces; reproductive health, religion, media, social
and political movements as well as the state of constitutionalism, but also recommend
interventions and concepts that can gear states towards an inclusive democracy.
The role of patriarchy and other interlocking oppressions remains a deep concern that
requires a multi-faceted response depending on the different contexts within which
power is exercised. While the push for inclusive leadership in the East and Horn of
Africa has yielded visible gains with more women elected over time, power has not
shifted to reflect the increment in those numbers. Eliminating gendered inequalities
remains a legitimate struggle in the wake of the commercialised and violent politics
that limit the participation of women and citizens in general, particularly those of
lower social-economic status. The few women operating within the patriarchal state
structure survive by adapting to it with little collective women agency to show.
State structures have mutated to look more accommodating of women, all the while
maintaining gendered notions and norms instrumental in determining who accesses
and retains power. Political repression, the resurgence of the autocratic rule as well
as the rise of the capitalist ruling elites all pose a great danger to inclusive leadership
in the region.