In the face of the greatest global crisis in a century, communities across the globe are encountering an insurmountable number of issues. You’ve heard it before, we are only as safe as the most vulnerable in our society. COVID-19 has brought more attention to the inequities we have always known and too often ignored, shrouded in the shadows of bias, racism, and blind privilege. Without solidarity and a holistic, community informed response, the pandemic will only accelerate the already disproportionate and unjust actions. In this great moment of social change, women leaders are uniquely positioned to succeed. Often leading with community lens, women often have higher levels of emotional intelligence and altruistic tendencies. This is not a new fight for women either; one hundred years after the women’s suffrage movement, women are still fighting discrimination founded on the basis of sex. Thinking of the big picture, if women could have made the world a more equitable place alone, they would have done so already.
Globally, women continue to advocate for their right to leadership positions, equal pay, and fair treatment under the umbrella of patriarchy. Without recognition for this issue, patriarchal structures will continue to challenge peace and divide society into “us” versus “them,” leaving us with a mess.
Women and girls who don’t fit in a rigid definition of womanhood are often ridiculed with labels, stereotypes, and sexism. Expected to stay home, tend to children, and keep the home tidy. Women in certain parts of the world are tracked for success by age and childbearing capabilities. On the other hand, a male counterpart is immediately lauded for success as a young professional, even if it means time away from his family. Succumbing to these unrealistic social standards, this division leaves a community more vulnerable to conflict.
After the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, Rwandan women stepped up to lead, as an estimated 70% of the population was comprised of women. United with a vision for social cohesion, Rwandan women championed, cultivated, and encouraged a more peaceful future. Pioneers like Louise Mushikiwabo wrapped the community with heart and compassion defined by the need for solidarity in their community. To this day women hold a significant majority of leadership positions in civil society and government roles. For the last decade, Rwanda has topped charts setting the new status quo in Africa for female leadership and gender equity. Even with the statistics at hand, there is still work to be done to fulfill true gender equity.
Building community resilience requires that we continually revisit space to welcome women and girl’s leadership as part of a larger system of transformation. Preaching equity and subsequently acting on our word requires each of us to examine how we uphold structures that favor persons of privileged identities. This is really the root of peacebuilding and social justice, constructing and harvesting space to uphold dignity and prosperity of all lives. Everyone can be a leader, but not everyone is provided the space to unleash their leadership potential.
Luckily, actors in civil society, non-profits, and other community based organizations are laying forth the framework to strengthen the equal role and inclusion of women and girls. Beginning with the sourcing of safe spaces, such groups are inviting this leadership. When small groups coincide in self-reflection, critical thinking, and compassion, they can seed the roots to sustain systemic change. Changing patriarchal systems begins with a conversation. Making a stake for shared behavior change in small groups influences actions of greater communities over time, and this is precisely the type of leadership we need at a time like this.
By Hannah Wood
Peacebuilding practitioner and feminist