Dictators Inside and Outside of the Ivorian Household

Though the Ivory Coast is considered a republic where men and women are given free reign to vote, it appears that the country has become susceptible to the cruelty of dictatorships within their governments and at home. This form of government first afflicted the Ivorians about 10 to 11 years ago when ex-President, Laurent Gbagbo came into power. However, there is more than one dictator in the Ivory Coast. Many women are oppressed and subjected to some type of control by their spouses in the West African country. The power that comes from the government is translated into the everyday lives of the people of the Ivory Coast and used to separate two genders.

Women and girls of the Ivory Coast are slowly becoming equal
to their male counter parts, starting with an education.
(Picture taken from Unicef).

Throughout history, it is plain to see that women have struggled to gain rights in the Ivory Coast. In the 1960’s, a family code was enforced which brought a substantial amount of inequality between the two genders. Yet, in 1983, the National Assembly amended the family code, eventually giving women back the rights they had lost twenty years prior. According to the Journal of Social History, the National Assembly, “granted women equity with their husbands within legal marriages as well as greater economic autonomy.” Women created profits for themselves off of services and crafts they made and sold to others.

In addition, throughout the country’s history, it is customary for women to get married at a young age. These girls, 11 to 14-years-old, are getting married to men twice their age. However, this is now illegal and has been since the first family codes of 1964. In the early 1990’s, the Washington Post wrote an article about the lives of these young girls post-illegal matrimony. The article states, “Constance Yai, a prominent women's rights activist in this West African country, sees only tyranny in the tradition. Her battle to eradicate childhood marriage is for her a struggle between an oppressive Africa tied blindly to traditions versus one urgently seeking to embrace the modern world.” An increasing amount of women are raising their voices in order to gain rights.

An Ivory Coast woman exercises her right to vote.
(Picture taken from Radio Netherlands Worldwide Africa).

Previously, Ivory Coast was considered a one-party state. However, today, as the Journal of Social History said, “it is now a multiparty democracy, and new, politically active women’s groups are now emerging whose leaders are not culturally based or politically dependent upon the nation’s leadership.” Women are coming out in numbers to vote and show their dominance, which could result in forthcoming government changes. In the future, Ivorian politics will create parallel changes in the family structure. As women have more influence, they will also gain more power  within their republic.