African women and young girls have urged their governments to create and implement policies and legislation that advocate for their economic empowerment.
This, the young women leaders meeting in Nairobi, Kenya said, will brake the gender biases that for far too long, have deprived the African woman a seat at the political and leadership decision-making table.
A group of young panelists drawn from several African countries at the ongoing 3rd African Girls and Young Women (AGYW) Festival organised by the African Women in Development and Communication, FEMNET in Nairobi concurred that a litany of gender biases still stifle women rising in political positions and decision-making processes in society. The festival is part of a myriad of activities celebrating the 20th anniversary of the Maputo Protocol.
The presenters while making a presentation under the topic “Girls and Young Women Must Lead”, further made the appeal to the young women leaders to use their innovative nature to be part of political leadership.
Habiba Abdi, the Deputy Secretary General United Democratic Movement Party, Youth League, and the Vice President of Technical University of Kenya stressed the need for mainstreaming of women in leadership to ensure access to even those ladies living in remote areas.
“In most African countries, women are mostly judged on their gender than what they can offer on the table. Until women and girls start being judged on their strength and ability then they will occupy the decision-making table,” said Abdi.
Abdi reckons that most African women don’t believe that they can lead noting that, “most women prefer staying at home and taking care of the family, and believes that decision-making is for men.”
“Women below 40 years don’t venture into politics. It is only men who believe they should be at the decision-making tables,” added Abdi.
Ms Abdi urged men to support initiatives of change made by women noting that, “it’s all about the impact that such initiatives create on societal development that matters”.
Hawanatu Mansaray, She Leads Program Champion from Sierra Leone while giving an account of how her country has leapfrogged on issues of women’s rights urged women to own the space at the decision-making table. The She Leads consortium brings together child rights organisations, feminist/women’s rights organisations, and GYW-led groups and aims to increase sustained conversation on women’s and young girls’ rights.
“In our country, for example, the government has adopted Gender Equality and Empowerment Act that has pushed for 30 percent women’s presentation in the political space. As African women, we have to own the space in the decision-making process,” said Mansaray.
Caren Cheptoo, Kabarak University President says that online activism in promoting women’s and girls’ empowerment but she is quick to caution that, “Women need to be very cautious on when and what to post online.”
Cheptoo adds that gender bias is the greatest challenge she is facing in her position as president.
“I had seven male competitors when I was running for office, people judge us according to our gender rather than what we put on the table,” noted Cheptoo, a final-year Law student.
Source: Africa Science News