Democratization and the hidden public - The impact of patronage networks on Senegalese women

Senegal has been at the forefront of democratization in Africa and has consequently increased the representation of political minorities. Despite the growing presence of Senegalese women in elected office, they continue to confront many political obstacles, including exclusion from positions of influence within state and party structures and lack of resources to mobilize support. While these difficulties may be attributed to gendered conceptions of political leadership, democratic reforms have also not altered the patrimonial nature of politics and the structural constraints it imposes on the political participation of women. Women have therefore had marginal access to the hidden public of patronage networks.