Africa had been carrying the negative narratives that did mean to amplify its degradation in all aspects. All predicaments, such as hunger, migration, poverty, exploitation, and the like had been the identity markings of the continent for centuries. However, these days the trend seems to be a past; recorded as history. Years are disguising the changes and commitments of the people on various issues. Agendas are being proposed to get their target on themes like gender.
Though the continent is still characterized by the domination of male sections over women, the region is under a progressive move in many ways. Since the agenda of 2015, the attention given to the equality and empowerment of women remains the most important issue to be achieved by the countries of the continent. Countries take that agenda into their policy and have been moving forward to succeed it. Accordingly, in recent years, women have taken political seats and are exhibiting their skills and efficacy at various levels as per the agenda.
Women are coming to the frontline as leaders in those competent places of their male counterparts. However, as patriarchy needs time to pull out its roots, barriers related to this ideology are still challenges that women are obliged to face in various leadership positions and even in their social interactions.
While asked what leadership means to her, Everjoice J. Win an Executive Director of The Shine Campaign in Kenya said: “As a woman leadership means to me is about working collectively with others around shared values and visions. More importantly, it is about challenging and uprooting the systems that have not only generated gender inequality but also racial inequality and many of the other inequalities that we know exist in many of our society.” As the concept of leadership posited, it is about identifying the relevant system and career to be achieved from the wrong one. Thus the director understood her role in parallel with the theory.
The next question raised by the moderator was about the barriers that African women face when they get leadership positions.
The executive director’s response was the following: “The written and unwritten rules, the written laws, and the policies are sometimes the sources of challenges. So, those kinds of systems and norms that are written down and that are formal and well-known tend to keep women out. Then, we have the visible sort of barrier that is violence or the threat of violence. Again, there is a hidden kind of barrier that you sense while you are entering decision-making spaces—no sooner have you learned that decisions are not being made in the place that you have been made to sit.
So, you can sit on all you like in parliament and get elected. If decisions are going to be made on that part of headquarters or in military barracks, why are you wasting your time? So, the hidden barriers of decisions you are trying to influence are just getting in the way. Then finally we have visible barriers, which many of us talk about in terms of norms, values, beliefs, stereotypes, and attitudes both within ourselves as women.”
In the words of this woman, more than the visible challenges, the hidden ones have an immense power to affect the psychological and moral readiness of female leaders in certain ways. Though they are in the seat for passing a decision, taking that mandate from them and letting them be symbols is the barrier that challenges the confidence and commitment of women in the position. Thus, the mental consciousness, patience, passion, and strength of the women themselves are quite necessary to cope with the situation in Africa.
In this regard, in Ethiopia there have been very strong, elegant, committed, and goal-oriented women leaders who influence male leaders to compromise on debatable issues. As history documented, for instance, Empress Taytu Betul was the one who portrayed effective governing quality and guidance in the imperial period of the country. As stated in different historical chronicles, when the deceiving treaty ‘Friendship and Commerce Treaty’ between Italy and Ethiopia was first introduced, which comprised Article 17, a hidden intention of Italy to make Ethiopia a colony, Taytu got angry since she identified their concealed goal immediately.
Following the article, tension mounted up. Then Taytu persuaded her husband Emperor Minilik to declare war to safeguard the sovereignty of the country. She was very tactical and smart in leading the war equally with her husband. As history acquainted it, she was guiding her husband and leading the troops smartly and strategically.
Everjoice J. Win was also asked about the solution to the mentioned barriers to women leaders. She said, “Mentoring, advocacy, and training are the underlined tools to build up the skills and knowledge of leaders. Since leaders are possibly from various specializations, in a given leadership they cannot be perfect in leading the position. Thus, as the Director said when women took leadership too much expectation is not good. Instead stretching training and mentors are very relevant for the efficacy of the women. That is why when leaders retired from their leadership roles, they ran to establish organizations that aimed at mentoring prospective leaders since they practically experienced the challenges very well.”
The other speaker on the issue was Shamillah Wilson. She is a coach, activist, and social entrepreneur. She said, “We need multiple strategies at multiple levels. We need to nurture those kinds of spaces so that at multiple levels there is this proliferation of leadership in so many multiple forms. Thus, I think we need to continuously understand that in women’s leadership, things are shifting so fast and also we need to acknowledge the ways women are leading.” When women get into a certain political leadership, barriers are obvious as the above women confess from their experience. Thus crediting the efforts of these leaders is very important to increase their effectiveness and to exhibit their potential.
Shamillah Wilson believed that in spaces where all those invisible values, norms, and attitudes play out in reality that give rise to the visible kinds of laws or rules, should be challenged. “We need to have a kind of pushback, challenge and organize against that in our different configurations.” In a given leadership position, those realities that are driven by the social norms and values will influence the acknowledgment of rules and laws on gender-related issues. When a woman stays on that seat, these things are going to be challenged. Therefore having that chance in that space is an opportunity to reshape the rules and laws on gender.
The woman also added the importance of continuing to create opportunities to increase the visibility and voice of particular groups of people that may not be visible in the leadership. She believed that women in a given position needed to echo the voices of the marginalized sections of society since they better know and understand their environment. Thus, the position is an opportunity for representing these people.
Shamillah Wilson added that women need to be very strategic regarding the resources they need to make. “The resources available for this, I think, are one of the reasons why there are a lot of great success stories across the organizations of the African continent. “Initiatives are not able to become sustainable and entrenched. Thus, women need to be cautious about such realities and plan effectively.”
In general, as per the agenda, the continent is progressively considering gender issues seriously. Women are increasingly taking positions and exhibiting their potential equally. The possible barriers they face need to be curtailed by mentors and training. Their commitment and strength are quite relevant for using their seat as an opportunity for a better leadership atmosphere for females.
BY MEKDES TAYE (PhD)
THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD SUNDAY EDITION 10 NOVEMBER 2024
