Premier's Perspective: Empowering women vital for all

Women's Month is celebrated every year in August to reaffirm our commitment to achieving full respect for women’s human rights both as a moral obligation and as a keystone for a safer, fairer and healthier world.

Every year this time we ask again and again whether women do really need a month for empowerment, or are they born empowered beings anyway.

The answer lies in the modern outlook that we live in. Despite making a breakthrough in almost all walks of life, women are still considered to be second to men.

It is very encouraging to see women performing well in areas that were traditionally regarded as male-dominated and it gives us the important assurance as a nation that we are on the right track in the pursuit of equity.

In most fields, from big corporations listed in the Johannesburg Stock Exchange down to parliament, local municipalities and boards, women have become a force to be reckoned with.

However, there’s much work to be done. We still have some distance to go before women are impartially afforded the opportunities which would maximise their potential, but it is so exciting that women talent is in abundance that it cannot be ignored.

Despite some progress in moving towards gender parity in certain areas, such as political representation and in some boardrooms, many challenges remain. The pace of change in reducing inequality is unacceptably slow. Why?

Sociologists and researchers explain the reasons why power and influence is driven simply by three ‘Cs’. They say the male approach to business and life tends to be authoritative and is dominated by three key inherent male characteristics – criticism, command and control.

The female approach to business is dominated by three key inherent female characteristics – creativity, communication and cooperation.

The reason these three Cs are important to business is that the three key female characteristics are exactly those essential for building tomorrow’s successful businesses. Command and control are beginning to play a much lesser role.

A world where women lag behind is not only an unequal world but also an unjust one – it’s an unfair world. Can the world be different from what it looks like?

I believe it is quite possible. We stand at a very important point in time in history, a time when a crucial difference can be made.

Here is how:

lDump negative judgments about women, whether by choice or necessity;

lBe aware that working women are contributing to the economic health of their families and their communities, and developing skills that we need for our country’s future;

lOffer them good, fair wages that pay for the basics of life and create economic security;

lAllow them flexible work hours to accommodate parenting and elder care;

lGive women unbiased information about their job prospects and welcome them to a wide range of professions and occupations;

lSeek women to serve on the boards of your companies. Develop them into leaders for your company;

lCreate an environment where they can earn their success and enjoy economic freedom and mobility;

lGrant them access to quality, affordable childcare and good transportation options;

lOffer them opportunities for further training and advancement;

lAcknowledge that there are already many strong, smart, talented, women who are ready to contribute;

lEncourage women to run for public office at all levels of the public and private sector;

lSupport their candidacies;

lEducate them about the issues that matter to you, value their perspectives; and

lValue their contributions as highly as men’s.

Women empowerment is about giving them basic rights and making them aware that they are a part of the society and have equal rights, as they are equally important.

We need to promote a culture that respects women as equal members of the society, only then can we truly excel as a progressive and strong society.

Today, empowering women is not just about equality between the sexes, it is about creating a healthier and happier world.

The Eastern provincial government is determined to empower women by giving them equal rights through social, political, legal and economic measures.

As we celebrate Women’s Month, let us remember that our country’s vitality and future depends on our ability to develop the full range of talents and life prospects of all of our people.

When we empower every single woman, this undoubtedly helps create a better Rainbow Nation and a better world.

Phumulo Masualle is Premier of the Eastern Cape Province. Follow him on @EC_ Premier and on Facebook at Masincokole