On the Importance of Having Women in Leadership Positions
The following is a section from a recent speech given by Nancy Prager-Kamel, Chairwoman of the Association of Foreign Press Correspondents in the United States, during the United Nations General Assembly for a closed session with world leaders, ambassadors, and their spouses. Later, another adaptation of this speech was given for The European, Eastern European, and Central European Annual Women’s Forum.
Leadership has long been understood as those people at the top, with title, position, authority, wealth, or other traditional attributes of power. Yet, in recent years, we’ve seen a profound shift in what leadership looks like and means. From Tunisia and Egypt to Burma… women, who have long been frozen out of official power positions… are finding ways within this new environment to exert their own leadership potential—drawing on strengths they have always possessed, strengths that set them apart.
We all know that women bring to issues: different skills.
First, women build consensus and cross lines to uniquely aid in conflict resolution. In Northern Ireland, it was women like Inez McCormack who took bold risks to reach out and work with other women across the political and sectarian divide to begin to foster coexistence, to build trust, and create an infrastructure within the community that would two decades later, be instrumental in implementing the Good Friday Peace Accords. Until her recent death, she campaigned for fulfillment of these rights as key to an understanding of conflict resolution and based on the practice of justice.
Second, women act as unifiers and collaborators.
Third, women are remarkable change agents.
Fourth, women listen, share responsibility, and understand that leadership is not about individual success – it’s about collective progress.
All of these points bring to mind another example: In the late 2000s, Mu Sochua, a Nobel Peace Prize nominee, was elected to serve as a member of Cambodia’s Parliament. Among the core issues of her platform was anti-trafficking efforts in Southeast Asia. She took politically difficult stances as the country’s Minister of Women’s and Veterans’ Affairs, challenging colleagues when she felt they weren’t working hard enough to ensure justice for women. She even faced a crisis of conscience when a union leader and opposition party member was murdered in what many believe was a political assassination and stepped down from her position, citing corruption within the government.
Sochua joined the opposition party, where she continued her mission as a watchdog for government transparency and accountability. She is a fierce advocate for Cambodia’s most impoverished and disenfranchised citizens, walking the campaign trail from village to village, drawing international attention to their basic needs: safe shelter, security, and opportunities for their children.
Fifth, women multitask and advocate for teamwork.
Sixth, women are inclusive and pay it forward.
Several years ago, I was asked to bring the highest ranking woman in the Kuwati government to the White House to meet with then-First Lady Hillary Clinton. Dr. Rasha Al-Sabah wanted advice on stimulating women to mandate for the right to vote, which was constitutionally granted but legally denied. Within a few years, women had not only the right to vote but the right to run for office!
Similarly, Rola Dashti, a pioneer in the movement for women’s rights in Kuwait, lobbied on a platform of democratic reform, gender equity, and expanding the roles of women in public life. She finally won a seat and joined three other women in becoming the first female parliamentarians of Kuwait. She was the first woman elected to chair the Kuwaiti Economic Society, and founded the Women Participation Organization to involve women in politics.
Once politically empowered, women became accountable for the delivery of their message, a platform building a strong and inclusive future for their respective countries. These women are risk-takers whose vision and drive create bold initiatives in the pursuit of a better world.
In observing the common factors that unite these women and the numerous others seeking political positions, we look at several key considerations and necessary steps for those interested in entering public office.
We all must support and stay true to our commitment and enable women to be the engines of progress in their communities, in their regions, and and throughout our shared world: Not limiting our world to half of its capacity but rather utilizing all of our resources. In recognizing the transformative power of women we acknowledge them as change agents who responsibly ignite the sparks of social, economic and political growth.
