Her achievements have inspired many women across the continent and have put them in the spotlight to look forward with optimism. Although it has taken long for this evolution among African women, it comes at a time when women around the world want their voices to penetrate all spheres of freedom and equal opportunity. Late Kenyan born Wangari Maathai was considered a no nonsense environmental crusader. One who stood her grounds in a male dominated society. This virtue earned her many awards, and the most celebrated was the 2004 Nobel Peace Prize that crowned her efforts in sustainable development, democracy, and peace.
The 2011 Nobel Peace Prize given to President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf of Liberia and Leymah Gbowee, a Liberian peace campaigner for their outstanding achievements in promoting peace, democracy and their non violent struggle for the safety of women and their rights can be credited to the late Maathai who nursed hope for women participation in national and community life.
President Ellen Johnson is the first woman who went into records as the first democratically elected female president in Africa and was re-elected for a second term credited by her vision to bring peace in a war thorn shattered Liberia, and her efforts towards “a zero tolerance against corruption.”
Leymah Gbowee through her grassroots network in Liberia began raising her voice in the year 2000 to protest against the use of rape and the continuous deployment of child soldiers. Her peace network and civic education to women encouraged them to take part in elections.
Cameroonian born Professor Rose Gana Fomban Leke, renowned scientist from the University of Yaounde 1, Cameroon, was awarded the African Union Nkwame Nkrumah Scientific Awards for women scientists in Africa. She received the award alongside other six women from the then Jean Ping, African Union Commission President, during the launch of the Pan African University on Dec. 14, 2011, in Addis Ababa Ethiopia. This was in recognition of their hard work on new research findings on malaria prevention and other diseases.
President Joyce Banda of Malawi on April 7, 2012, made a triumphant entry to the top position following the sudden dead of her predecessor, Bingu Wa Mutharika. Her dedication to women’s rights through her activist track record has given hope to many women in the country and beyond. Her grassroots organizations like the National Association of Business Women, hunger project, Young Emerging Leaders Network, and the Joyce Banda Foundation, brought to the fore women’s plight in Malawi. Statistics reveal that as of 2009, women representation in parliament in Malawi increased from 14 to 22, an eight percent increase. Gender gap ratings in Malawi also noted a remarkable progress. It improved from 81 out of 115 countries in 2006, while in 2011, it progressed to 65 out of 135 countries.
The hotly contested position of the president of the World Bank in 2012 saw the endorsement of an African lady, Ngozi Okongjo-Iweala, who is presently the Finance Minister of Nigeria. She was tipped by many as a favorite for the prestigious position. She served as Managing Director of the World Bank.
On June 15, 2012, Fatou Bensouda, a 51-year old lawyer from Zambia became the first woman and African to head the International Criminal Court (ICC) at The Hague. She replaces Luis Moreno-Ocampo who has been at the helm of the ICC for the past nine years. Before her appointment, she served as deputy to Ocampo since 2004. Bensouda also worked as a trial attorney at the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda in Arusha, Tanzania before joining the ICC. In her own words, “those who are trying to bring unspeakable atrocities, suffering to civilians anywhere in the world will be held accountable.”
Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma became the first woman to occupy the position of the African Union Chairperson in a hotly contested election on July 15, 2012 against incumbent Jean Ping. She has been described as a competent administrator with a recommendable conciliatory record and approach. Dlamini-Zuma is coming at the helm of the AU when many unfinished challenges loom across the continent. Her success will be measured in her ability to reconcile the many differences that has hindered the continent from attaining a meaningful development approach and reduce poverty to its minimum across Africa.
These are the glaring and encouraging stories of African women who see the sky as their only limit. African women are gradually coming out from their shelves to say what a man can do they can also do it and even better. Women have the power to innovate and create change but this can only be accomplish if the women folk join hands together from their grassroots organizations and communities irrespective of what differences they may have.
A leader can come from anywhere and from any background but the success of that leader will also depend on his or her supporters. Men will only support their wives to be leaders or to hold equal positions if the women themselves proof that within their circles there is a uniting force that can never be put asunder at any time and in any given circumstance. This is the era for African women to rewrite African history and proof to the world that gone are the days when African women were meant to be mere housewives.
Nfor Canicius
