Women and Gender; Continent's Women Are Ready to Lead

Christina ThompsonSeptember 9, 2006
ISSUE: GENDER AND FAMILY

In an article called “Women and Gender; Continent's Women Are Ready to Lead” published by newspaper Africa News on September 7, 2006 talks about the moves that women in Africa are making. Women have not had a important role in government in the past in Africa. The article explains that the countries of Mozambique, Rwanda and South Africa are the only ones in Africa to have 30% of the seats in parliaments held by women. From a global point of view only 12 countries have 30% of women in parliaments in their national governments.
Inonge Mbikusita-Lewanika is the first woman to run for president of Zambia in Africa. The article stresses t hat women who are in positions of power are faced with many obstacles because they are expected to keep up certain “typical woman roles” and their new jobs. Women are looked to to raise the children, clean the house and take care of the family and while trying to balance their professional life makes it very difficult for women internationally.
In the article it says that “To gain positions of authority, women frequently have to be overqualified just to be noticed, says Ms. Lewanika. That, she says, is a direct reflection of how societies view women - as not as good as men. And when women do get appointed, "you hear people say, 'She is just like a man.' In other words they relate to you as a man if you are an achiever." (page 2)
I believe that this article is very true. Women are now in position of power but they are expected to hold 2 full time jobs—career and stay at home mom. It’s impossible to do both because of the heavy work loads in both positions. Modern moms often depend on outside help to balance their life. Africa is way ahead of the United States having an woman president already, while most say that they would not trust a woman as president here in the U.S. I feel that we can learn from Africa’s model and allow women and men to work together and achieve great things.

SOURCE:
“Women and Gender; Continent's Women Are Ready to Lead” Africa News . 08 08,September 2006. LexisNexis. UNC Greensboro.