Introduction
Leadership is more than occupying a high-ranking position, it is a skill set that is used to address complex problems. It requires problem solving, critical thinking, empathy, communication; all qualities that both men and women can develop in their lifetime. Being an effective leader is not measured by the number of degrees or certificates one possesses, by how many years of experience one has gained in a position, and it is not by the gender of the individual. However, women face barriers when pursuing leadership positions because there are more men in leadership than there are women. Women leaders are a minority, and this is no surprise because men dominate leadership roles across every sector including the government, education, military, education, corporate organisations, and religious institutions. The gap between men and women is caused by multifactual issues such as beliefs and perceptions that have existed for generations.
Gender Socialisation, Bias, and the Leadership Gap
Leadership usually favours men more than women because of the biased perception of leadership that they are exposed to from the early stages of their lives. Women’s access to leadership positions remains unbalanced with male counterparts, and the gender bias against women still resonates deeply in society. Studies have shown that only 24% of women occupy national parliaments as at February 2019 and women represent 34% of managerial positions around the world. This unbalanced representation of women in leadership is a result of gender socialisation. Gender socialisation begins from the grassroot level of a girl’s life and this affects her views of what constitutes a leader, her confidence and her political aspirations. Society enables how individuals learn and adopt gender roles, they are embedded with culturally prescribed expectations for men and women. In fact, from the age of four or five, children are entrenched in culturally gender roles. For example, cooking and cleaning are viewed as a woman’s responsibility, so from an early age, young girls are raised to be home nurturers. Meanwhile, society views men as the bread winners of the home, whose role is to solely provide for the family. Also, society views activities like riding a motorcycle or jobs like construction work masculine and is therefore considered to be a male gender role. Furthermore, the reinforcement of gender roles occurs in the school environment. Boys are encouraged more than girls to pursue science and mathematics subjects while girls are usually encouraged to pursue humanities subjects. This pattern, although may have not been on purpose, has been progressing for decades and has become a norm. Individuals have been indoctrinated to view the female gender as the weaker gender, thereby limiting the advancement of women in leadership positions. Even television media reinforces gender-based stereotypes. Men are always present in advertisements promoting businesses, real estate, and health while women are mostly present in advertisements that promote cooking, cleaning or childcare. The exposure to such gender biases could be the reason why some young women do not impulsively pursue leadership positions. Gender bias and socialisation have consequences because they can limit young girls’ choices that can influence their university, career path and leadership aspirations.
Breaking the Glass Ceiling
In Nigeria, the numbers of women representing in politics are low. For example, in the 2019 Presidential elections, out of the 73 candidates, 5 were women and currently in the House of Representatives, 5% are women. Despite this glass ceiling, there are women are hoping to make a change, like Zainab Sulaiman Umar, who is 26 years old who decided to seek a seat in the Kumbotso Constituency for the Kano State House of Assembly in 2018. She experienced physical violence during her campaign, but this did not deter her from her goal. It has been a battle to create more space for Nigerian women in politics, but despite this, there are women who have decided to break this glass ceiling. Women have the capacity to lead effectively when they do not lead authoritatively, but lead to create a culture where people feel valued. Prime Minister of New Zealand, Jacinda Arden is a prime example of a great female leader, who focused on eradicating the outbreak of COVID-19 rather than just controlling it. Her mode of leadership was received with high praise. Women are raised to believe that their main purpose in this world is become homemakers. However, there are women who have overcome this rhetoric and established themselves as leaders. They have broken the glass ceiling and have given hope to every young girl that a woman can set out to achieve greatness despite what life throws at her. Research studies have shown that girls outperform boys in school, however these academic achievements do not translate into leadership positions for girls. Many women are still experiencing gender discrimination when it comes to advancing in their careers. In fact, for the same position, men are still paid more than women. This is why at the grassroot level, young girls should be filled with courage and confidence to pursue leadership positions they may strive for in the future.
Normalising the Idea for Women in Leadership
Given the biases that exists concerning women in power, it is vital that young girls are exposed to leadership development opportunities from the early stages of their lives. Reaching girls at the adolescent stage of their lives can offer the opportunity to guide their development, their confidence and identity in positive ways. Youth development programs should consider that men and women experience life differently. Leadership programs should be tailored to the specific needs of women. Girls respond to leadership that is inclusive and empowering, not commanding and controlling. A young girl developing her self-esteem is vital for her future leadership aspirations because it is at the adolescent stage that self-esteem can be made or broken. Developing decision making skills, confidence, assertion and vision are important competencies that young girls need for leadership development. Therefore, gender accommodating leadership programs may not be sufficient to address the barriers that young girls face. To conclude, having more women in leadership positions can progressively reduce gender biases and women in power will become role models who will normalise the idea that a woman can lead too.
By Dr. Aderonke Folorunsho
