Women's cotton and the spaces of gender politics in northern Cote d'Ivoire

Abstract

This article examines how the gender politics and power relations associated with women's cotton are spatially manifested in northern Cote d'Ivoire. As women seek to gain economic autonomy through cash cropping ventures, they face constraints based on gender, particularly in the form of restricted access to resources and inputs controlled by men. They are further impacted by sociocultural and economic status, as well as external political and economic forces. Additionally, their struggle extends beyond the space of the household to personal fields and local markets.