Sahrawi Women and the Liberation Struggle: Agency and Resistance in a Minority Context

Abstract

This paper aims to explore Sahrawi women’s experiences of maternity within the Sahrawi liberation struggle, framing it as both an individual and a collective act of resistance against the occupation of Western Sahara. Rooted in the pronatalist politics of the Sahrawi liberation front’s (Polisario), it investigates how Sahrawi women approach biological reproduction as part of a minority group. Choices of biological reproduction among Sahrawis are inscribed within a history of occupation and refuge that, together with colonialism and nationalism, also shape Sahrawi women’s agency in navigating the socio-political dimensions of reproduction. This paper critically engages with an increasing number of humanitarian interventions in reproductive health, exploring the balance between addressing health concerns and the potential imposition of Western perspectives on biological reproduction. Empirical evidence highlights Sahrawi women’s adaptive strategies within in response to changing realities, emphasising the intricate interplay between reproductive autonomy, collective resistance, and identity.