A Contemporary Review: Religious Pluralism, Inter-Faith Dynamics, and Women's Agency in West Africa (2021–2026)

This systematic review synthesises contemporary scholarship (2021–2026) to critically analyse the interplay between religious pluralism, inter-faith dynamics, and the assertion of women's agency in West Africa. It addresses a significant gap by examining how women navigate, negotiate, and are affected by the region's intricate religious landscape, characterised by the co-existence of Islam, Christianity, and Indigenous spiritual traditions. The methodology entailed systematic searches in Scopus, Web of Science, and African-specific databases using defined keywords and explicit inclusion criteria, prioritising empirical studies and African scholarly voices. The analysis reveals that West African women are not passive subjects but active agents who employ religious pluralism as a strategic resource. The findings detail women's innovative engagement in inter-faith dialogue, their reinterpretation of religious texts to advance rights, and their utilisation of multi-faith networks for socio-economic empowerment. Concurrently, the review identifies persistent constraints, including patriarchal structures within religious institutions and the instrumentalisation of inter-faith tensions to curtail women's public roles. It concludes that a nuanced understanding of these lived experiences is essential for developing effective, culturally-grounded policies that promote gender equity and inter-religious harmony, thereby contributing a vital African-centred perspective to global discourses on religion and gender.