For decades, West African women have been mobilizing for legal recognition of gender equality, yet the intersection between women’s mobilizations and the law remains largely unexplored. This research project aims to bridge this gap by conducting studies that explore the intersection of gender, activism, and law in West Africa from the 20th to the 21st century. By examining the history of women’s mobilisations for legal rights, the project seeks to provide a fresh perspective on the political and social history of the region during both the colonial and post-colonial periods. It aims to offer new insights into the legal construction of political and social inequalities over time.

This project adopts a multidisciplinary approach that aims to bring together researchers from a variety of fields, including historians, sociologists, anthropologists, political scientists and legal experts. By doing so, this program aims to overcome disciplinary and methodological barriers that hinder the historical analysis of the relationship between law and mobilization, as well as the origins of certain legislative debates that have been ongoing for decades. GLOW also promotes multiscalar approaches, analysing both local mobilisations and the impact of international standards on mobilisations and legislations. In addition, the collaboration between anglophone-speaking and francophone-speaking researchers is central to the project, as it highlights the differences and similarities in legal heritage and moves beyond linguistic and imperial boundaries.