Some of us have been around women long enough to know that they not only are the fairer sex but core members of society. The man is the head of the family but the woman is the backbone.

She closely knits together her household members making sure everyone gets enough love and attention. She selflessly cares for everyone from her husband to the lastborn child that would normally be of no consequence but because of its mother’s love, can afford to order everyone around because mom will deal with anyone who upsets it.

A house becomes a home when there is the warm and tender love of a woman, be it a wife or a mother. The man’s role is important, needless to say, because without his provisions the home would barely survive, but it is the woman’s role to ensure that these provisions are well utilized and everybody benefits sufficiently from them.

Just like the family, which is the basic unit of society, the community at large is built and coordinated by women. They carry out the most important roles of reproduction, rearing the offspring and offering basic material and emotional needs to their offspring and spouses making them acceptable and fit for the society.

Men have always been better at decision making due to their authoritative nature and the fact that they are physically endowed to carry out several duties efficiently. However the old saying that ‘behind every successful man is a great woman’ has taken on more meaning as women’s roles gain more recognition.

In fact most countries are appreciating women’s contribution that they are entrusting them with sensitive tasks like leadership. Our own parliament is composed of 56% women leaders.

Though biblically she was just the man’s companion, the woman was created in a very special way. She is very delicate but possesses several survival tactics such as resilience and ability to bear so much pain yet offer so much comfort.

Most gender based violence cases reveal that women can endure a lot of suffering for long periods of time and still be able to carry out their duties perfectly.

Take for example our grandmothers and their mothers before them who prior to the Gender Awareness Campaign had to undergo severe physical and emotional abuse and still carry out tedious domestic duties to appease their husbands and families that upon marriage became their sole purpose of living.

In the traditional setting a woman lived to get married and if the deal went bad there was no turning back. At most she could run back to her parents but since this was considered a disgrace, all efforts were made to return her to her husband rather than solve the conflict which at times became perpetual.

But we have to give it up for the woman who in spite of this oppression bravely carried out her duties, at times toiling heavily to provide the best for her children and supplement her husband’s income with whatever economic activity she could lay her hands on.

The woman’s gallantry is more evident today as she concurrently runs her domestic and professional duties at times successfully juggling a job, family and education.

The woman has realised that she too has the capacity to fend for herself economically and has ceased to wholesomely depend on the man, who is typically supposed to provide all her needs.

In Genesis 2:21,God saw it fit to provide man with a worthy companion, therefore put him to sleep and created her from one of his ribs. The bible though written in a conservative era did not overlook the woman’s vital role in the community.

Right from the beginning when God created Eve she had the mandate of loving and advising Adam. Even though her first advice was fatal and led to sin (Genesis3:6), God did not eliminate her but preserved her for her next very important role-reproduction which was fundamental for the survival of mankind.

God included the woman in His plan to save humanity. He chose a humble virgin, Mary to bear the Messiah, Jesus Christ who saved the world from sin and eternal condemnation.

Mary was totally submissive to God’s will despite the risk it posed to her engagement and marriage. This brings out some of the qualities of a woman that make her effective in her roles-humility and obedience.

I think the woman makes a good leader because she is compassionate and selfless in nature. She strives to instil virtues without being forceful or rebellious, something which has brought men down in leadership.

I am dedicating this piece to my mother and all the women who bore and brought us up, for their courage and love. I want to remind all the women who do not realise how special they are; "You are very special in God’s eyes. He created you in a delicate and detailed way for great purposes.

It does not matter whether you think no one loves you because God does and has sustained you all this time for His will. When you are hurt, cry to Him, He will rush to your defence.

Remember Jesus had great compassion for suffering women like the one with the blood disease, the prostitute caught in fornication whom he saved from the death penalty as well as His own mother, Mary whom He entrusted to His best friend John(refer to the four gospels ).

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