Women In Development

Last week a very important international women’s conference was held in Belfast, Northern Ireland at which the focus of the discussions was on sustainable peace and the special characteristics of women that are often ignored and sidelined in national and communal development programs.

Irish women highlighted how for 30 years they had suffered the brunt of the misery brought about during the ‘troubles’ and yet they refused to be cast aside from participating in the negotiations and discussions that led to the Good Friday Agreement of 10^th April, 1998 which brought peace and stability to this battlefield that did not discriminate amongst men, women or children. Combatants were not identified by age, gender or uniform. They were marked by geographical location, religion, and political persuasion.

Powerful women that emerged through the Northern Ireland conflict spoke with confidence, knowledge and experience that left the delegates inspired about the possibility of women around the world taking up more central roles in the social and economic development agendas of their countries.

In many countries women have proven quite conclusively that they are more committed to their employers, that they are less corrupt than men, that they can work as long hours as their men folk, and that they are more reliable than men. Even in the face of this evidence employers continue to prefer to employ men over women. It is quite obvious that these decisions are propelled by some kind of xenophobic fear of women gearing to take over a man’s world, and the paradoxical conclusion that women are the ‘weaker sex’ and therefore should be preserved at home for the purpose of propagating the human race.

When we assess the gender demography of many towns and cities in Africa we note that women generally account for at least 55% or of the population. In post conflict countries, women account for over 65% of the population. This suggests that women are a ‘silent’ and ‘ignored’ human resource that if called upon, could dramatically impact on the social and economic development of our countries.

In business, women tend to be more conservative and measured on profit margins and risk taking. These are two positive characteristics that banks offering loans would appreciate. Furthermore, women often clean up their work spaces at the start of the day and clean up at the end of the day. Paper work, equipment, tools and raw materials will therefore be properly managed and accounted for every working day. Most small businesses in urban areas are run by women. In addition, there are many more women headed single parent households than those headed by men.

Evidence shows blatantly that single parent headed households headed by women usually result in more balanced children and stable homes compared to those headed by men. This information suggests that generally women don’t breakdown irreparably after an emotional bout such as divorce, retrenchment, dismissal or bereavement. They pick themselves up at some stage and carry on with life as best they can irrespective of whether they receive help or not.

In Zambia our lived experiences show similar results.

Former Minister of Health Professor Nkandu Luo has never been held back because of losing her Cabinet position or her seat in Parliament. She continues to push ahead in her own right. She stands in the front line both as national leader and provider for herself and family.

Current Minister of Local Government Sylvia Masebo is as charged and vocal as she has ever been throughout her political career. Ms Masebo puts effort and passion in her work at the office and is not depended on anybody to feed herself. Her presence is felt throughout the nation.

Former Barclays Bank of Zambia boss Margaret Mwanakatwe excelled in her work at the Zambia Investment Centre to the extent that she became the first Chief Executive of a Bank in Zambia and subsequently climbed the ladder of success to head an international bank in a foreign country.

Ambassador to the United States of America Inonge Mbikusita Lewanika has done a splendid job of marketing Zambia to the American people as both an investment and tourism destination. One wonders what positive work she will be allowed to do in Zambia when she completes her diplomatic tour of the world.

Zambia has broken some regional records by acknowledging the competence and integrity of women through the appointment of a woman as Deputy Chief Justice.

There is a long list of women achievers in Zambia who should be considered as assets for national development. Women bring to the table a special unique profile that will propel the country forward towards equity, prosperity and sustainable peace for the foreseeable future.

Norway, Burundi and several progressive countries have recognized the potential of women and that they are equal partners to their men folk. As such, new legislation has been drawn up that ensures equal rights for both men and women. Furthermore, some bold laws have been passed to promote women in politics, business, and community development. Norway demands that the Boards of Public Companies and those of Private Listed Companies must have at least 40% women representation.

We should be proud of our achievements in supporting the integration of women in all spheres of our development, but we can do more. We must not become complacent and should continue to employ all our human resources covering men, women, the elderly, and the youth. As our country develops in this modern and demanding world, the challenges are continuously evolving and the best Zambian should always be chosen to serve the country in politics, business and the public services sector.

It is often said that behind every successful man is a supportive woman. The time has come to re-cast this saying. We may want to consider a new saying that says ‘when men and women join hands to work together they will achieve full success’.

Published 1 July 2008