Narratives are basically created and disseminated by societies on some issues that are commonly the concerns of that specific society. Since narratives require the willingness, readiness, effort and cooperation of the society, they take times to get through the community. Narratives are made on the concerns of the community; therefore, everyone in the group has an interest on the raised subject.
Hence, they attract the attention of the community to have the same stand on the narrative. Though in most cases narratives are used to convey negative implications about a particular subject, there are also positive narratives aimed at strengthening social cohesion, urge the society to do more and be cooperative on many issues.
Positive narratives can be seen in nation- building process instilling a sense of patriotism. On the other hand, negative narratives are very destructive; affecting the passion and even identity of a given nation or segment of the society. Since they are said or acted massively, their influence is very huge. Among the various types of negative narratives, those targeting women take the dominant place, particularly in Africa.
Negative and positive narratives can be exhibited in certain forms of language and style. In a given language the proverbs, folktales, metaphors, and the dictions themselves could be deliberately modified and altered to affect targeted society or individual negatively or positively.
In Africa, there have been numerous expressions that were used purposely to mark the inferiority and incapably of women. For example:
A woman is not sent to collect a debt (Kenyan)
Who follows a woman plan will draw himself (Senegal)
Should I believe a woman? Better ally myself with death (Benin)
If friendship includes the wife it will perish (Cameroon)
A mother of only daughters does not laugh in front of others (Rwanda)
These and other more expressions transcended and persisted for generations. However, these days, they have become narratives that are less pronounced by the people as African women are progressively taking positions which were once reserved for men. History has recorded the increasing presence of number of prominent women in leadership positions including in politics and other professions.
The 2024 Africa’s Soft Power Summit 2024 was held in Uganda. At the Summit, experienced women leaders were invited to the podium to share their experiences. Moderator of the Summit stated the leading gist of the Summit. “In African culture, the power of women creativity, innovation and intellectual prowess represents an invaluable asset in shaping global narratives, influencing international relations and driving sustainable development.” In this statement, it is seen that currently African women are acting beyond the deep-rooted negative narratives and the globe is seeing the reverse output.
These days, the very untouched positions of politics are becoming the favorite spaces taken by women. Africa had started viewing effective women leaders in various political positions. A participant in the Summit said, “I think an opportunity that a woman has to really unleash her own potential is the best story to tell other women that it is possible.”
The long attached negative narratives aimed at letting the women stay at home, take-care of the family members and perform household chores. This was functional for a longer period in the continent’s history. Thus, when the women started to break this shell and shine out as her counterpart, she need to equally inspire other women that it is possible to crack the shell, free herself from the barriers and can do as males do. In this process the participants of the Summit said that the women need to look for the available mechanisms that help them exalt the desolation carefully.
In the stage former president of Malawi, Joyce Banda, was the icebreaker of the discussion. She believed that African women can lead even more effectively than their counterparts. She argued that it is up to the commitment and cautiousness of the women. Women have the capacity and they have efficacy for exhibiting themselves in various spaces. The key is in the hands of the women themselves. She said, “You must decide it is a deliberate move. You must do something about yourself to make sure that you live an extraordinary life.”
The former Ethiopian President Sahle-Work Zewde reflected the same idea at the stage which was coordinated by IGHE. She said that in Ethiopia the involvement of women was too limited due to various factors related to patriarchy. However, the year 2018 was the turning point regarding women issues. She said, “What has happened in Ethiopia was a miracle … the work has just started…women are starting to grow under the ladder. In Ethiopia there is a door of opportunity that has opened; the owner is us.”
Joyce Banda argued that women can lead even better if they remain calm and firm. She said, “You must know what belongs to you and not give up. You must take it but you must move very cautiously because they can just shoot you out and you may lose.”
The leaders commonly underlined that the walk to any space in the continent is not a simple task. But women should overcome the challenges. For Sahle-work “the challenges are the mindsets.” She reflected that the women themselves need to look in to themselves and empower themselves. Then when they start acting, the negative narratives will simply be fabrication.
Since 2018, an increasing number of women have started taking various spaces. She reminded that more than half of the cabinet was taken by women representatives. The two former presidents strongly believed that African women have the potential to serve more on any space. Sahle-work said, “We women can show that we can deliver and we can also deliver differently.”
Joyce Banda advised African women who are at any competitive positions that falling could be faced by any women. At such moment women need be smart in handling the context. “When you fall imagine that you have fallen in the middle of the road. You have to wake up very quickly. This life is about move on. This life is about falling up and starting all over again,” she added.
Participants of the Summit, particularly the former presidents, also highlighted the importance of cooperation among women. Joyce put this the following way: “When you go up the ladder, get to the top, and don’t push the ladder. Leave it there so that others can also climb on it.”
This sentiment was also echoed by King Nea Achebe, a traditional ruler at the Summit, who stressed the need for a shift in mindset and legislation.
These prominent women leaders that portrayed their efficacy practically have many implications. The deep-rooted narratives can simply dispel its exhibition. This is possible since the coming generation better followed the practice than words. In this regard Blen Salihu, women right activist and lawyer on advocacy council for legal reform in Ethiopia, believed that the appointment of the woman as president has a greater impact on the coming generation. “Young women see that women are trusted with some of the toughest tasks in the country. This is huge. It matters a lot. For a young woman grown up saying, ‘I could become a president or may be a prime minister, or mayor. And it could become normal for people to say, ‘we need more women in this board room, legal counsel etc. this going to have a lasting impact.
Since women constitute half of the given society the issue of their inclusion and participation had been a hot agenda for many years. International, national and community level organizations and associations raise the issue of women to be their core target to achieve sustainable transformation in the continent. The African Union took women issue as its basic agenda aiming for substantial progress by 2023. In that it clearly proposes that women equality and participation could be improved for equal share at the mentioned year.
This plan is possibly achieved with the enactment of rules and regulations. These enactments can be influential if they are examined in certain sectors like educational curriculums. With the support of governments’ commitment and dedications, African women can exhibit their potential, practically overcoming long-attached negative narratives at the end of the day contributing their share to the continent’s transformation.
BY MEKDES TAYE (PHD)
THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD THURSDAY 2 JANUARY 2025
