Leadership in Africa has for a long time been characterised by unequal power relations and patriarchal norms. It is so deeply entrenched that many have ceased to question it, accepting it as the order of the day.
Leadership, particularly in the political arena has been perceived to be largely the reserve of men. As a result, African women continue to be disadvantaged in their pursuit for headship. This is simply unacceptable given women represent more than 50 per cent of the population of the African continent but are systematically excluded, marginalised and under-represented in all spheres.
The United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development compels nations to ensure women’s full and effective participation and equal opportunities for leadership at all levels of decision-making in political, economic and public life. It is without question a premise of human rights and natural justice that all people must be treated equally.
Furthermore, the development deficit that arises from not fully and fairly engaging more than half the population of the African continent cannot be ignored. It is simply reprehensible that due to entrenched patriarchy, negative traditional and societal inclinations and norms, women especially in Africa continue to be denied equitable treatment and opportunity in leadership arenas and platforms.
Women’s rights movements across the continent have led the charge in shifting this tide but for leadership to successfully impact on the lives of women and girls, this model must evolve.
Having women claiming more leadership positions and being treated with equality is not a women’s agenda, it is a social agenda. It is a collective social responsibility to consciously recognise and actively dismantle the barriers that undermine women’s leadership potential. Social accountability is about the ability of individuals, groups and civil society to demand and pursue accountability from power holders.
Therefore this is an agenda that must be internalised and championed by governments, development organisations, public and private sector, media, academia...in short, by all of us!
Africa and the world at large must quickly adapt an inclusive approach of transformative leadership.
Transformative leadership for women’s rights is about achieving fundamental, sustainable and lasting change for women’s rights. This approach challenges and transforms power relations and structures in all their different manifestations into an enabling environment for the leadership potential of individuals.
The responsibility to realise transformative leadership for women therefore runs the gamut from the individual to the societal level. It moves away from tokenistic engagement of women in key processes and instead recognises and leverages the critical value of their full engagement and contributions. In the discourse on women, peace and security for instance, research has shown that in peace processes where women are integrally involved, agreements were almost always reached and more critically, implemented. Where women hold leadership roles in policy making and political spaces, access to services such as water, education and childcare is increased. These are only but a few examples which no doubt display the transformative impact of women in leadership.
Transformative Leadership for Women’s Rights also entails both men and women working together to transform systemic oppression against women for the realisation of women’s rights recognising all the while that the approach must ensure that women are the authors of their own story and vision for success.
It is therefore within this context that the concept of the upcoming African Women Leaders Symposium was born.
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