The rapid growth and vibrant pulse of the African church is often powered by the unwavering faith and tireless commitment of women, sometimes constituting up to 90% of congregants in some churches.

The burrnesha tradition is a centuries old practise in which women swear an oath of celibacy to village elders and live as men. These women are known as the burrneshat, or sworn virgins.

From 1944 to 1990, Hoxha’s rule of terror murdered 5,577 men and 450 women in Albania. Communist regimes throughout history have produced their fair share of cults ...