Women, youth can change leadership

Woman Rep Mishi Mboko (third right) with Muhuri official Rukia Rashid (right) and other women leaders in Mombasa during a past event. PHOTO | KEVIN ODIT |

What you need to know:

  • If poor leadership, characterised by male-dominated drivers, is the cause of many problems in Africa, then it calls for a re-thinking to fix it.
  • Eight of the 10 countries listed in the 2016 Fragile States index described as “very high alert” are in Africa.
  • A major characteristic of visible leadership in Africa is male-dominated, aggressive, and harsh.
  • Leadership that projects certain masculine traits such as aggressiveness, overconfidence, and loud commanding voice or presence is often associated with decisiveness, strength, and control.
  • The, more feminine traits of caring, modesty, and being soft-spoken are considered timid, weak, and irresolute.
  • We must restructure what leadership means in the African context and what it needs to look like.

Many have described the developmental challenges facing Africa as a tragic lack of leadership. If poor leadership, characterised by male-dominated drivers, is the cause of many problems in Africa, then it surely calls for a re-thinking to fix this anomaly.

It is a fact that a major characteristic of visible leadership in Africa is male-dominated, aggressive, and harsh. It is a shocking reality that eight of the 10 countries listed in the 2016 Fragile States index described as “very high alert” are in Africa. 

Furthermore, it is a telling revelation indeed that 70 per cent of the top 20 fragile states are African countries. What this means is that at least 25 per cent of the continent is at boiling point and has a high probability of prolonged conflict, stunted economic growth, tipping into further chaos, or at risk of losing developmental gains in previous years of stability.

Whether in politics, industry, business, media, or arts, the structures of leadership are a reflection of the traditional structures in society that promote headship of men and recognise their “natural” assumption of leadership in all areas of society. 

A hearty mix of religion and culture further provides impetus for supporting this position that has in turn created gender roles and stereotypes that are transmitted into public life and corporate culture. But what does this mean to the dynamics of leadership in the country and the implication that these positions are largely occupied by men?

And if these positions have defined the continent but we still mark negative impact, is it not time to shift the paradigm? Shouldn’t we re-evaluate the gender implications and their impact on leadership in Africa?

MASCULINE TRAITS

Leadership that projects certain masculine traits such as aggressiveness, overconfidence, and loud commanding voice or presence is often associated with decisiveness, strength, and control. The, more feminine traits of caring, modesty, and being soft-spoken are considered timid, weak, and irresolute.

A woman leader projecting a feminine image is viewed as incompetent. Ironically, if she exhibits typical masculine behaviour, it elicits negative reactions that seek, once again, to question her credibility and intentions.

Fortunately, we are currently seeing a global upsurge in women leadership in politics and business life which challenges conservative views about women’s roles. Audaciously, we need to face the reality that if the current kind of leadership is not working, then we definitely need change. 

This is not a replacement of power or personalities but rather a shift from traditional and conservative forms of leadership and power structures that exclude women and limit their involvement in decision-making.

The top performers in the African Development Bank’s Africa Gender Equality Index 2015 are South Africa, Rwanda, Namibia, Mauritius, Malawi, Lesotho, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Cape Verde, and Madagascar.

These countries have done more to implement gender parity laws and policies in their countries and the result is greater wage equality between women and men, as in South Africa, and greater representation of women in parliaments, as in Rwanda, which is the global leader.

The African Union in its vision document, Agenda 2063, themed “The Africa we want”, seeks to drive the continent’s inclusive growth and sustainable development. Aspiration six of the document specifically works towards an Africa where development is people-driven, unleashing the potential of women and youths.

This speaks to inclusion policies and practices that ensure active participation as well as creating the opportunities for both women and young people to be a part of decision-making. This is the Africa that will acknowledge the full participation of women in leadership roles that will in turn transform the continent and galvanise positive change.

We must restructure what leadership means in the African context and what it needs to look like. Leadership is about how those in top positions exercise power and influence. Leadership must serve both women and men, young and old, the empowered and marginalised, weak and strong, poor and rich.

The kind of leadership we need in Africa must be transformative. It must first address the question of inequality, exclusion, and identity. Without an honest reflection and commitment to reform, legitimacy is lost.

Leadership in government must reflect the diversity of its people and ensure representation of its citizens — it must be inclusive and thus boldly gender-balanced.

The writer is the interim director at the Pan-African Programme, Oxfam. [email protected].