Women Leadership In A World Of Change
“The world of humanity has two wings -- one is women and the other men. Not until both wings are equally developed can the bird fly. Should one wing remain weak, flight is impossible. Not until the world of women becomes equal to the world of men…can success and prosperity be attained as they ought to be.” ‘Abdu’l-Bahá
We are learning a lot about equality these days. How all humans are equally susceptible to viruses and other zoonotic diseases. How humans with darker skin colors are equal to those with lighter tones. How women can equally contribute to the development of local communities and national economies. I want to explore this concept of women’s equality, and the value of women in leadership, particularly in creating new, just solutions for this rapidly changing world we live in.
As we celebrate the United Nations’ International Day of Peace on 21 September each year, we must remember how women have contributed to these peacemaking efforts around the world. Former United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations, Mr. Hervé Ladsous, said, “Women can and must play a leading role in political participation, conflict resolution and the transition from conflict to peace”. (2)(3) In her study, Alchin notes that women in peacekeeping negotiations have a calming effect on men which decreases violence; women are more inclined to work with, and have access to, locals; they are better respondents to victims of sexual violence; and women are inspirational to local women. (4)
Yesterday, Chelsea Clinton spoke at the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) plenary session on Wildlife Trafficking. So did Maxi Pia Louis, from Namibia, sharing her expertise on local livelihoods, poaching, and enforcement of conservation values. We learned from them that we must consider the whole family – children and adults, and family lifestyle needs – to have lasting impacts on saving wild species and our planet. Earlier in the conference four women leaders spoke of their journey within AZA to executive positions and addressed some of the issues that they faced. Today, the Women in Leadership session is on. Go watch and learn. Celebrate all your women colleagues. They bring balance and new ideas to a world currently steeped in patriarchy and “power-over” dynamics. Let’s remember to bring “power-with” decisions, and heartfelt compassion, to the forefront. Assist and encourage your women colleagues to rise in the AZA, to make your institution stronger and perform at its highest capacity. (5)
Bringing women to the table, and including their voices in solutions for change, is vital. Go ask the women in your life for opinions and solutions, and be curious and open to what you hear. Consider and act on their wisdom. Enjoy the peaceful results!
Resources:
1. Brain difference between men and women: https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnins.2019.00185/full
2. Women in peacekeeping: https://unu.edu/publications/articles/why-un-needs-more-female-peacekeepers.html
3. Women at the Peace Table: https://www.unwomen.org/en/digital-library/publications/2000/1/women-at-the-peace-table-making-a-differenc
4. Alchin’s study on women making a difference in peacekeeping operations: https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/37438222.pd
5. Rise of Women Leadership in Business: https://gethppy.com/leadership/the-rise-of-women-leadership-in-business