This compilation of articlescommemorates the 200thanniversary of the abolition of the slave trade and the 50th anniversary of Ghana's independence. Drawing on lessons from the slave trade, studies of the international finance institutions, and the struggles of many African people to make a living, these essays provide insights into how free trade policies have a profoundly negative impact on democracy and justice in Africa. Whether it is the effects of trade policies on informal street traderswho in Africa are often womenthe decimation of a country's health system as a result of the World...

While it is true that, like elsewhere in the world, African women are not yet equal to men, toiling day and night amidst grinding poverty while facing harsh cultural, traditional, and social prejudices is only part of the story. The writings in this book show that women in Africaare fighting for their rights with grace, tenacity, and eloquence. The contributors describe how they won the cross-continental campaign for a protocol to protect the rights of African women and what still needs to be done to ensure that women enjoy these rights in every country. In a rich variety of articles, they...

African perspectives on development and social justice in Africa are rarely heardand this book offers a collection of editorials from Pambazuka News that explore concerns including underdevelopment, aid, trade, debt, and globalization."