Months ago, a South African friend was asked to write a review on different types of feminism existing in the world.

She was shocked to see that the review aimed at explaining to young people what feminism stood for didn’t list African feminism. Her shock gave me an opportunity to reflect on that too.

I know African feminists have this beautiful charter they are so proud of but is it enough to build feminist thinking?

And what actually is African feminism?

I’m an African myself and feminist. Is that enough to make me an African feminist?

Did African by origin, progeny and nationality all have to be African feminists when they speak out against patriarchy, sexism, neocolonialism, imperialism and religious fundamentalism in the context of Africa? And besides that are non Africans allowed to ideologically join the African feminism?

I’m invited for the third African forum to join my voices to those of the sistas who are doing amazing work to free African women’s minds from the conservatism disguised under many patriarchal values.

I’m here to add to their inter-generational mind but also queer the forum. I’m not talking here about LGBTI issues. I’m thinking of creating a space where we will be free to say sex doesn’t exist.

I want to see the point where sistas will stop considering themselves as women and start thinking just as human beings, beyond all the construction of the society. Just two days after the world women’s forum in Bukavu,Eastern Congo,  I arrive in Dakar. Don’t say I didn’t tell you.

By Francoise Mukuku, Democratic Republic of Congo