Let’s Stop Lambasting Our Women’s As per Their Active Participation in Politics!

I feel very staggered, flabbergasted, bowled over, perturbed and provoked beyond all human endurance, when men use the key board to lambaste and attack our own women as far beyond the red sea.

At home they are to do all sorts of household work like cooking, washing, cleaning, harvesting etc. In the early days women were seen as wives who were intended to cook, clean, and take care of the kids. They were not allowed to vote while men took care of having jobs and paying any bills that had to be paid. Soon enough it caught on that women should have a bigger role than what other people thought they should have.

Gender equality is, first and foremost, a human right. A woman is entitled to live in dignity and in freedom from want and from fear. Empowering women is also a vital tool for advancing development and reducing poverty. Empowered women contribute to the health and productivity of whole families and communities and to improve prospects for the next generation.

Today women are playing important role in all spheres of life. They are no longer confined within the four walls of their parents’ or husbands’ house.

They have come out of the kitchens and are working hand in hand with men in all the development programs of the government. By receiving higher education they are becoming pilots, doctors, engineers, hospitality professionals, teachers, administrators etc. They have been able to prove their worth.

They not only do their household work but also work outside of their houses. They are contributing much to the economy of the country.

I discovered my life was 87% positively impacted by women! My full-time parent I learnt most from (Mom), my teachers right from kindergarten to university (8/10 have been female), all my advocacy campaigns were 64% women dominated!

Therefore, we need to amplify women’s voices out there, no matter how small their contribution is to society. The teachers, mothers, cooks, civil servants, employees, employers, leaders and more! Regardless of whom they are married to, background, looks and more! Women are the most vital part of our society and are to be celebrated. Every day, I choose to celebrate the women in my life, past and time to come.

When they’re in parliament, for example, they promote women’s rights legislation. When women are in sufficient numbers in parliaments they also promote children’s rights and they tend to speak up more for the interests of communities, local communities, because of their close involvement in community life,

The evidence shows that female leaders typically have more compassion and empathy, and a more open and inclusive negotiation style. This is not, of course, necessarily true of all women -- there are many different leadership styles. That said, modern ideas of transformative leadership are more in line with qualities women generally share: empathy, inclusiveness and an open negotiation style.

Today's global problems require leaders that have diverse skill sets and innovation that can only come from diverse ideas and players. Women bring the skills, different perspectives and structural and cultural difference to drive effective solutions. In short, female leaders change the way global solutions are forged.

But having more female leaders from politics to the boardroom is important for another reason, too. Simply having female leaders changes the norms about who can lead and what qualities are necessary in leadership. Having women in leadership roles is breaking down cultural and structural barriers improving leadership around the world and showing everyone what women can achieve.

Women face several obstacles to participating in political life. Structural barriers through discriminatory laws and institutions still limit women’s options to run for office. Capacity gaps mean women are less likely than men to have the education, contacts and resources needed to become effective leaders.

Now it has come to the realization that true development of the country is not possible keeping half of population idle at home. So it needs no telling that women are playing a great role in the socioeconomic condition of our country.

Therefore we have to give the women’s the room to so case their talents beyond any imagination. It is the only way we can make The Gambia great once more again.

By: Saidina Alieu Jarjou

Blogger/Activist/ Watchdog.