The Revolutionary Feminism of Thomas Sankara
Thomas Sankara, the revolutionary leader of Burkina Faso, is well known for opposing the neocolonialism of the Global North. But on International Women’s Day, we should also remember his strident commitment to women’s liberation.
Thomas Sankara, photographed on February 1, 1985. (William F. Campbell / Getty Images)
On March 8, 1987, Thomas Sankara, the revolutionary leader of Burkina Faso, spoke to a rally of thousands of women in the capital of Ouagadougou to mark International Women’s Day. Calling for the collective transformation of society, Sankara placed the fight for gender equality at the heart of his socialist project in the former French colony.
As we mark the 113th celebration of International Women’s Day, Sankara’s revolutionary words are a bold reminder of the day’s socialist foundations.
“The Revolution and Women’s Liberation Go Together”
Sankara came to power in 1983 during a period of immense upheaval. A revolution had been unfolding across the African continent as country after country threw off the shackles of colonialism. But despite the liberatory aspirations of anticolonial movements, women too often remained cast aside.
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