BRIDGING WORLDS: SAHRAWI WOMEN’S FIGHT AGAINST COLONIALISM AND PATRIARCHY IN THE REFUGEE CAMPS AND THE SPANISH DIASPORA

Abstract

This article seeks to understand the diverse roles of Sahrawi women in the refugee camps, in Algeria, and in the Spanish diaspora, relating to women’s resistance efforts against Colonialism and Patriarchy. Drawing from academic literature and primary sources, this article discusses the historical role of women in the Sahrawi society, both in the survival of the people and within the resistance movement. A debate emerges between the perspectives of the Sahrawi women in the camps and those in the Spanish diaspora, which roughly present different standpoints on women’s emancipation and rights. Through a Decolonial Feminism framework, I examine the differences between the day-to-day lives of the women in the camps, who must focus on survival, education, and health, and those in Spain, who present a distinct lens of issues from their outside perspective. Overall, the article advocates for the recognition and amplification of Sahrawi women’s voices, emphasising their crucial role in the pursuit of liberation from both Colonial and Patriarchal oppression. Lastly, it calls for a greater focus on the occupation of Western Sahara and the liberation of the Sahrawi people.