乐鱼 体育

While Africa鈥檚 history celebrates many women political leaders, former President of Malawi Dr. Joyce Banda argues that this rich tradition will only continue if policymakers, community leaders, and civil society take steps to advance those born to lead.

Building on her March 2017 publication  Dr. Banda released a toolkit that details how policymakers, civil society organizations, community leaders, and the international community can advance women's leadership in policy and political positions in Africa.

On July 17, the Women in Public Service Project and Africa Program at the 乐鱼 体育 hosted a conversation with Her Excellency Dr. Joyce Banda, former President of Malawi and 乐鱼 体育 Distinguished Fellow, and civil society leaders on how to advance women鈥檚 leadership in Africa. The conversation was moderated by Gwen K. Young, director of the Global Women鈥檚 Leadership Initiative and the Women in Public Service Project.

Key Quotes

Dr. Joyce Banda

鈥淚ncome is key, business is key. When you bring income to the household, the women begin to make decisions and give the opportunity to the girl child to go to school.鈥�

鈥淲hen women become leaders, they focus on issues of women and children.鈥�

鈥淲e need a toolkit to continue to fight for women鈥檚 participation in leadership because the continent of Africa has made good progress.鈥�

鈥淣ow we know that it can be done. Therefore, we must run. We must be talking to our friends and partners [who] can help us accelerate that speed, making sure that we get as many women as possible into leadership.鈥�

鈥淚鈥檓 calling upon my fellow women to rise, to understand, to be counted, to fight, to change mindsets at [the] grassroots.鈥�

鈥淎 change of mindset will be key for us to achieve the participation of women in leadership.鈥�

鈥淲omen are risk-takers鈥� They put their people first. It鈥檚 not about the votes, it鈥檚 about the people who gave them the mandate to lead in the first place.鈥�

鈥淲omen believe in peace and in dialogue.鈥�

 

Dr. Joannie Marlene Bewa

鈥淲omen鈥檚 leadership is not only about having great dreams, but also being able to have a strong ecosystem of alliances that can support [women] in implementing and guide women in decision-making.鈥�

鈥淎s part of the African continent, we have values specific to ourselves that we don鈥檛 defend and we still believe in鈥� This is a great opportunity for us to leverage [the] skills within this community of traditional religious leaders.鈥�  

 

Karen Sherman

鈥淓ducation is key to workforce outcome.鈥�

鈥淭he woman earning an income is really a game-changer in the family and in the community. It changes how she鈥檚 treated, elevates her status. It gives her voice and agency within that family and within that community.鈥�

 

Pape Samb

鈥淲e need to educate men to be a partner in empowering women鈥� We need to educate men and young boys to understand how we define work in the household, how we define work in the economic market and in the social market.鈥�

鈥淲ithin our government, we should start having a network of men advocating for women.鈥�