Resumen de Language planning and gender planning: some African perspectives
The goals of language planning in developing countries have usually focused on national Integration and educational policy. But language planning can also be linked to ^gender planning with specific stages offemale empowerment. In Africa women have been active in the economy, and in theforeign Service, before becoming effective in domestic politics. Fullfemaleparticipation in domestic politics is partly hampered by the linguistic demands of the electoral process. Women are less effective political Speakers in European languages than are men. Traditionally African women were "custodians offire, water and earth" and were therefore central to rural economies. Westernized women öfter colonialism arefreer, better equipped with a European language, but offen less central to African economies. There is a need to try to enable African women to retain the economic centrality they had traditionally and still cultivate the advantages of modern skills andnew gender rights. Language planning can bepart ofthis gender reform.
