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Rutendo Gwatidzo-Changing Perspectives
Happy women’s month to all women!
March is generally known as women’s month, and today we are celebrating International Women’s Day.
What is women empowerment?
Women empowerment can be described in many ways but they all bring out the aspect of promoting self-worth within women. It is a way of promoting decision making in women and their ability to make choices. Women empowerment allows females the right to influence social change for themselves and others.
It is also a way of giving women access to opportunities, resources and power to control their own lives both within and outside their homes. Sadly, the subject of women empowerment has been misunderstood by many for a long time, and is still being misunderstood today.
Millions of people from across the world still think that empowerment is all about controlling men. For this reason, many women are still suffering all forms of abuse, restrictions and discrimination.
We have great authors and leaders who lived before us and realised that when you empower a woman you empower a nation and the whole world. They fought hard to change women’s narratives from being that of belonging in the kitchen to influential spaces in different circles.
Since then, women are becoming more recognised, which is a beautiful thing. Instead of being surrounded by bitter, wounded and wasted women, the world is getting full of females who are changing outcomes for the better.
The global population of women is rising at an alarming rate, and it only makes business sense to empower them in the corporate world. Sometimes it only takes women to understand women, hence it may be a disaster for organisations if only men are found in leadership roles.
The majority of women have lived their lives and died without being fulfilled due to limitations placed on them. The nature of women is to be fruitful and multiply what they have. No wonder why some mothers used to have 10, 12 or even more children.
Some of them were treated like baby making machines. In an attempt to make men happy, they conceived many children, only to suffer rejection. A significant number of men would just fill up homes with children whom they were not able to look after.
The woman would then struggle to feed them, educate them or shelter them. The most painful part would be that of being left alone with the children after the man moves on with another woman, dies, or even when the man would work hard but not get enough for the family.
Being helpless is depressing, heartbreaking, and takes away self-esteem and confidence.
However, the sad narrative keeps getting better with each generation.
May we all take a moment to appreciate the great leaders who lived before us and who fought to equip women to rise from the bedroom to the boardroom!
The move brought healing to many, both men and women alike; the empowerment brought about new ideas, creativity and innovation. The involvement of women brought balance in different areas of life, be it in the business, health, politics or even social circles.
May we all continue to allow more women to discover their purpose, bring meaning to their life and that of others by empowering them.
We all have a role to play in women empowerment, because we are all surrounded by women in everything we do. In this month of celebrating women, be challenged to start by empowering those females around you in the best way you can.
Practical steps
The subject of empowerment may sound intimidating, yet basic things can be part of the required tools. Empowerment may be in the form of affirming women around us in the things that they do.
Let another woman know of her value even when she doesn’t see it herself. Shut down negativity, be honest, open, authentic and trustworthy as you go about it.
The same way you feel like sharing your story, listen to other women’s stories and experiences to see how best you can help them to make lemonade out of the sour lemons they would have come across.
I believe that we all have women we should appreciate in our lives, and at least in this month; may we appreciate them!
How about surprising someone this month? Obviously, a woman.
Buy a gift or just find a way to make it known that you appreciate her and you support her in what she does. Let it start with you and let it be contagious.
Many have the misconception that empowering women is about making them stronger, no.
They are already strong: it is just about changing the way their power is perceived or has been perceived.
Organisational status
The beauty about today’s corporate structure is that many women are graduating and are allowed to take up high positions. However, a significant number of them still suffer abuse and discrimination from their male counterparts.
On the other hand, we also have women who miss it when they get into power. Most of what they do is to the contrary. It’s sad to see women crushing each other. Its’ not like they should crush men, no.
It’s just that they should know better not to do that, firstly, to another woman, and to anyone else.
We appreciate those organisations with women in top positions, and we encourage those without to consider doing so. If given room, women are multipliers by nature, hence allowing them the chance to be effective and efficient in business as well as the economy at large is definitely an awesome move.
All the best to all the women who are trying to make a difference.
One author once said, “It took me quite a long time to develop a voice and now that I have it, I am not going to be silent.”
May we all be inspired and provoked to make a difference in the life of at least one woman per month. By the end of the year, we would have made a huge difference in the nation and beyond. Remember to start with those around you.
Rutendo Gwatidzo is the managing consultant at The HUB HR Consultancy— a culture and change management organisation. She is a multi-award-winning leader as a consultant, speaker and mentor. She also authored the books, “Born to Fight” and “Breaking the Silence”. Contact detail – 0714575805 [email protected] / Rutendo Gwatidzo official fb public page.
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