The Quiet Women Revolution in Sao Tome

Though the idea of a balmy island may conjure up images of idyllic lifestyles, the fragility of the enchanting islands of Sao Tome and Principe is obvious. Like in other developing countries, women in Sao Tome and Principe too, face societal and structural challenges to their development.

Although the constitution of Sao Tome and Principe accords equal rights to men and women in crucial areas of political participation, access to basic education, business and entrepreneurial activity, a typical Sao Tomean woman still encounters societal discrimination.

Having descended from the white colonists and African population who settled in the then uninhabited islands from late 15th century, the minority descendants of African plantation workers from the first half of the 20th century have largely assimilated themselves into Creole culture. On the other hand, the Angolares, who were descendants of a maroon community of 16th century, constitute a distinct sociocultural group.

Their societal mores and traditional conventions drawn from their backgrounds, continue to prevent many women from reporting incidents of abuse or resorting to take legal action. Speaking out against injustice and discrimination within families is still largely taboo. After its independence in 1975 from Portugal, Sao Tome has not been able to establish institutions for university education, which has acted as a deterrent to women’s empowerment.

Many of their cultural mores emanating from their colonial past continue to guide their present societal orientation. Though 80 percent of the population is Christian, tribal African beliefs tend to coexist with Christianity. Under the kinship system, descent and inheritance are passed through both father and mother, but are kept distinct.

The conventional conjugal bond is the customary union, but formal marriages are not common in Sao Tome, and which is only practiced only by the educated elite. Polygamy is a common practice where a man’s many wives never live together in the same residence. Local society tends to view polygyny as almost a normal condition.

It is quite common that a man who is legally wedded, is also romantically involved with several other women. The man ends up being financially strained and unable to take care of his own family. Consequently, one sees several households being headed by women.

The family law in Sao Tome and Principe sets the minimum legal age for becoming a major at 18 years, but still, about 20 percent are married by the age of 15 yrs., mostly to men who are at least a decade older. Only half of the girl students go on for higher studies, while the rest end up in marriages, becoming mothers at an early age.

On average, a woman has 4 to 5 children, but what is interesting is the fact that high status is attached to women who bear children, regardless of their paternity. Co-parenting, with active participation of godparents is not uncommon. Though Sao Tome society is not matriarchal in nature, mothers play a guiding role in ensuring that children are raised by a parent or relative when there is an economic crisis. Older men and women tend to be treated with great respect, particularly if they have many children and grandchildren. Entry into a person's home is a privilege. Acquaintances often converse on the street or across a garden hedge rather than enter a house or yard.

After the 1990s, several government and non-governmental campaigns and liberal governmental legislation guaranteed legal equality between the sexes and officially promoted emancipation of women. As a result, women in Sao Tome and Principe enjoy a relatively better position in society as compared to women in other parts of Africa.

In last 50 years, female population for Sao Tome and Principe increased several folds to reach 111,585 persons (half the population of Sao Tome), which is significantly higher than in 1978, when it was just 40,000. The sex ratio of the population is almost equal.

But what has largely gone unnoticed is, in last two decades, women in Sao Tome are quietly driving social and economic change in Africa’s smallest nation. Although São Tomé and Príncipe is a male-dominated society, women are increasingly playing critical roles in all major formal and informal institutions.

For several years after independence, the president of the National Assembly and the minister of foreign affairs were women. In 2002, Maria das Neves was appointed the country’s Prime Minister. She held the post from 7 October 2002 until 18 September 2004 and was the nation's first female head of government. The country has also had many women occupying ministerial positions.

Almost 17 percent of the total population of Sao Tome and Principe is involved in the fish business where women are involved in several activities, such as unloading of the boats, direct purchases from fishermen and processing of fish. 

There are more women than men, engaged in socio economic activities like conservation, poverty alleviation or dealing with tropical diseases.

In a typical household, women manage their money independently of their husbands. Marriage to a woman with land or other property does not give the husband automatic access or control over those resources. The country has more 30 per cent female employment relative to population ratio, while women represent 41% of the workforce.

There are several factors contributing to this ongoing positive transformation of daily lives of women in Sao Tome. One major reason is due to the intermarriages with foreigners. They have given rise to a generation of mixed-race, with no single cultural heritage. This has led to liberal cultural perspectives resulting in a broader mental outlook, including towards the role of women in their society. The role of social media in the country has also helped to catalyse this trend. The gradual opening up of the tourism sector has witnessed more foreign visitor arrivals, which has positively impacted the local economy as well the mental makeup of the society. Another factor is the growing engagement and integration of Sao Tome in the global economic system, with assistance from international organizations.

An critical development is that the increased female participation in local politics, has added good value to the democratization of national politics of the country. As a result, more and more women entering areas like politics, business, culture, hospitality, tourism, entrepreneurship etc.

The progressive legislation enacted by the Government of Sao Tome in July 2022 allocates a minimum of 40% seats for women in elected bodies and in cabinet. This is a shot in the arm for the hardworking women force of Sao Tome.