Finding Africa's 50 best women writers

Following the success of Africa’s 100 Best Books of the 20th Century, the Zimbabwe International Book Fair has begun the process of identifying Africa’s 50 Best Books written by women. The main reason for this project is that "the representation of women on the [100 Best] list was depressingly low; only 17 titles by female authors made it to the final list yet women make more than 50 per cent of Africa’s population," says the ZIBF.

The process of calling for nominations, selecting a jury, choosing the 50 books and announcing the final list begins in May 2004 and will be completed by December 2005.

Nomination criteria will be set by a jury. This will address such issues as who an African writer is and who can make nominations.

The jury will comprise 10 individuals from diverse backgrounds who are authorities in literary criticism. At most there will be two males among the jurors. The jury will constitute two members as consultants and two members from each of the regional divides of Africa: southern, west, north and east Africa. The individuals could be academics, critics, publishers or journalists.

Apart from highlighting the contribution that has been made by African female authors to African and world literature, the aims of the list will be to act as a marketing tool for the promotion of African Literature in general and female writing in particular; place African female writing on the world map and keep it in the public eye; stimulate debate on women’s writing and contribution to world literature; and encourage more women to write as well as the translation of more books by women.

According to the ZIBF, the overall goal of this project is to direct the world’s attention to the achievements of African women that have remained largely on the periphery or treated as second class to men’s writings.

"It is ZIBF’s hope that the project will provide a window of opportunity to the old and young alike, inflame their intellects, and contribute to the expanding universe of thought. ZIBF’s hope and expectation of the list is to see it promoting awareness by exposing the amount of work that has been done by women in culture, creative writing, and scholarship; to stimulate reading of the existing canon of such writing; encourage further work in this area; and in particular encourage more African women to get published.

"By promoting literature written by women we will help to enhance their societal status, and encourage the education of a girl child. ZIBF believes it is time Africa celebrates the works of its illustrious daughters who have made enormous sacrifices to promote and contribute towards the liberation of other women the world over," says the ZIBF.

This project is being undertaken with the support of the Canadian embassy in Zimbabwe.