International Women’s Day was celebrated globally on March 8. This day takes its root from the early nineties when generations of oppression and inequality drove women to become more vocal and active in campaigning for change in status quo.

This change would see more women take up roles and be involved in decision making alongside men in all spheres of power.

The day serves as a platform to salute some of those heroic women who go an extra mile for the ideal of social, economic and political equality.

These women are the pioneers and unsung heroines, who relentlessly work to rise and take senior positions amongst men, but are not acknowledged because of the primacy of the traditionally male dominated world culture.

It is a day to inspire women, celebrate their achievements and promote the entire cause of social, economic and political equality.

Empowering women and fully leveraging their skills and leadership in the economy, in politics and in society are essential to maximising a nation’s competitiveness.

This is because diverse and inclusive leadership is more likely to find innovative and creative solutions which foster inclusive growth. Men and women alike, each have roles that they perform better than the other.

This is why we must persistently continue to advocate for and invest in changes that support the advancement of women within our organisations, industries and work processes, by addressing issues of unconscious bias and enlisting the support of both women and men in developing solutions.

Meanwhile, women have over the past years made tremendous achievement in breaking down themselves from social barriers. Education, for instance, is an essential means of such improvement. Knowledge and skills are necessary to fully participate in the development process.

This is not only because education is an entry point to opportunity but also has positive ripple effect within the individual and across society. Knowledge is power, but knowledge equally shared between men and women is more powerful.

Today, we have some of the greatest female scholars who have gone against the odds in redefining gender roles. They are heads of renowned corporate companies, research institutions, international organizations, et cetera.

We have had women presidents, prime ministers, ministers, permanent secretaries, company senior executives and so on. Generally, there is a lot of improvements with regard to women’s representation in the public and private sectors  today as compared to the past.

However, challenges still remain in women’s access to opportunities and equal treatment in some parts of the world. Major structural, legal, social and economic barriers to their empowerment persist and range from discrimination, mechanisms of promotion, women’s choice of career path, difficulty in achieving work-life balance and maternity issues, among others.

Absence of female leaders in any society today must be a matter of concern because it is not as a result of a lack of qualified women, but of society’s inability to recognize and reward the full potential of women. It is cited that lower levels of inequality in any society is correlatively linked with a greater share of women in public and private sectors.

Rwanda is a very good example where women have been given the much required space for leadership and active participation at all levels. Consequently, it is out of this that the country is one of the fastest growing economies, besides other achievements we have and continue recording. 

The Rwandan society has embodied this through strategic initiatives, partnerships that expand access to leadership opportunities, national policies and programmes supporting community’s appreciation and trust in women leadership.

This was well demonstrated in the just-concluded mayoral elections where women clinched some of the top slots, including the Mayor of the City of Kigali, the country’s economic hub.

Women are more solutions-oriented and natural and creative multi-taskers. Many women have worked hard from taking gender out of the equation to simply being recognized for their skills and talents.

They have moved past their fears, anxieties and embraced confidence, which are the first step to take in embodying the traits of a leader, and also the step towards breaking down gender barriers.

The more the women leaders, the more attention to addressing issues such as gender-based violence, family-friendly policies and responsiveness to citizen needs through their constant advocacy, something that male counterparts may take long to bring on board. In fact, their role in developing a peaceful society and a prosperous nation is undeniable.

They follow up and ensure that decision-making bodies reflect the diversity of the societies they represent and guarantee a balanced perspective in designing and implementing these rules, thus enabling an inclusive approach to policymaking and service delivery to all groups of people, including the marginalized.

It is said that behind every successful man there is a successful woman. So, men and women must mutually play their respective roles and strive to complement each other in their shared struggle to improve life.

Indeed society at large must protect and preserve the feminine character to promote equality and socio-economic practices in our daily life patterns!

oscar_kim2000@yahoo.co.uk