Research Plan

Title: A Study of Feminist Movements in African and Assessing Whether They Have Eliminated Domestic Violence in Africa

Introduction

This research is important since it will focus on studying feminist movements in African and analyzing whether they have eliminated the problem of domestic violence. The study will mainly focus on secondary data sources such as articles, magazines, journals and books since interviewing people will not be accurate in this research. The study will put more focus on visiting the library in order to get as much information as possible on the problem of domestic violence with my main focus being the African countries. Much time will be consumed during this research since it will require analyses of different women groups and how they have contributed to elimination of domestic violence. In addition the study will answer whether or not the governments have contributed in the fight against domestic violence. There are some challenges that will be encountered in the research since it is difficult to tell the situation in the African countries at the moment without carrying out interviews. The research can be expensive if interviews are to be carried out yet they cannot be accurate since some people will not share their confidential information to strangers. The research materials will be enough since I will focus on visiting the library and getting information online from various articles. The study will be successful if it answers research questions in order to determine if feminist movements have contributed to elimination of domestic violence in Africa.

Hypothesis, Research Questions, Goals of the Project

The ultimate goal of the project is to determine how the feminist movements have contributed toward the problem of domestic violence in Africa. The research aims at analyzing challenges faced by feminist movements as they eliminate the problem of domestic violence. The research looks at the problem of domestic violence and its effects on African women. In addition the research analyses measures taken by feminist movements in their fight against domestic violence in the African countries. The research discusses domestic violence and identifies that it is a major problem not only in Africa but has become a global problem. The gaol of the project is to examine whether feminist movements have contributed to elimination of domestic violence in Africa or not. The study will focus on major women groups that have been known to fight against domestic violence and indeed look at the measures put in place in the fight against domestic violence. The research questions to be addressed include:

What is domestic violence?

What organizations are involved in the fight against domestic violence?

Is the government in African countries involved in the fight against domestic violence?

What is the contribution of the community in the fight against domestic violence?

Do traditional practices contribute to the problem of domestic violence in the African countries?

What challenges do women groups face in the fight against domestic violence?

What measures have the women groups put in place in the fight against domestic violence in Africa?

Have the women groups succeeded in the fight against domestic violence in Africa?

Background and Significance

Violence against women as discussed by feminists and the UN can be described as any act of gender known violence that harms women physically, sexually and emotionally that end up causing suffering to the lives of women. It is reported that large numbers of women and children go through domestic violence especially in Africa. Women go through different types of violence for example domestic violence, forced marriages, female genital mutilation, rape, gender based violence, human trafficking and different assaults. Women experience violence even by people they love and trust where many ended up dying in the hands of husbands, family members and lovers as well. Violence against women and girls not only in Africa causes suffering, pain and emotional problems that ends up causing trauma and death.

Violence end up incurring high economic costs in terms of high judicial costs and loss of productivity among those affected. The governments in different countries globally spend much money in order to fight domestic violence and solve the violence cases. Feminist activists have come up in support of ending domestic violence but have not yet succeeded since many cases are reported in the African countries. Different laws and rules have come up in order to fight domestic violence in Africa though violence cases are still reported on daily basis. Preventing and ending up domestic violence needs much attention and finances which the African governments fail to give. Funding is a major problem to those organizations and feminist activists who fight against domestic violence. Most organizations need funding in order to deal with gender violence cases therefore governments in different countries need to fund the organizations.

Research Method, Design and Statistical Analysis

The first research question will be answered through looking at different women organizations that fight against women violence then pick the ones that fight against domestic violence. This means that different women organizations will be analyzed in order to pick those organizations that specifically deal with the problem of domestic violence. The second research question will be answered through focusing on different African countries where domestic violence is a major problem and them looking at the government’s efforts in the fight against domestic violence. The governments’ measures in the fight against domestic violence will be analyzed in order to determine whether or not the governments have been involved in the fight against domestic violence. The third research question will be answered through scrutinizing different communities therefore examining whether they have contributed to promotion or elimination of domestic violence in the African countries. The fourth research question will be answered through identifying different African traditions and analyzing the traditions that promote domestic violence. The last three research questions will be answered through analyzing the measures put in place by the women groups, challenges faced by the organizations in the fight against domestic violence then analyzing whether or not the organizations have contributed towards elimination of domestic violence. Through answering the research questions, this study will identify possible measures put in place in the fight against domestic violence, possible challenges, governments’ contribution and role played by the media in the fight against violence. The research questions will be analyzed and answered through qualitative techniques in order to know numbers of people affected by the problem of domestic violence.

Potential Risks

The study will require confidential information from affected people. People may not be willing to disclose whether they go through domestic violence since the African communities support some practices that promote domestic violence. Information acquired therefore might not be accurate since some people will not disclose the truth therefore numbers of people facing domestic violence will not be true and accurate. The research will consume much time since one has to focus on different African countries and identify women groups in those countries. If the research was focusing on only one African country, it would have been much easier and more accurate.

Potential Benefits

The research will identify possible measures put in place in the fight against domestic violence and come up with some more measures which can be used in the fight against domestic violence. The research will identify women groups and how they have helped in elimination of domestic voice. The research will look at the contribution of the government in the fight against domestic violence meaning that African governments have been involved in the fight against domestic violence in order to ensure women do not suffer. The results from the study will be of importance to women groups since it will identify countries where domestic violence still takes place. The study will ensure domestic violence is eliminated since different governments and women groups will be interested in the research in order to tell whether domestic violence is still a problem or not. The study is important not only to women groups but women in Africa as well since they need to support measures taken by women groups in the fight against domestic violence.