ABSTRACT
This chapter describes a comparative assessment of "gender equality" in line with the religious traditions of the three popular religions in Africa. The intersections of culture, religion, and gender in the context of African religious, Christian, and Islamic traditions have produced a clash between women's right to non-discrimination and their right to freedom of religious practice. African traditional religion, Christianity, and Islam are hierarchical and institutionalized religions that are patriarchal in character and thus incompatible with gender equality and democratic values. Although African traditional religion is more receptive to the concept of gender equality, there are many restrictions in the area of taboos attached to various cults, which hinder the full maximization of their potentials. The chapter discusses women and their religious roles compared to their male counterparts in these three popular religions, giving an expose of the challenges that women face in these religions and the ways gender equality can be effectively realized.
