“I am not a woman prime minister. I am a prime
minister”. Indira Gandhi
There is a saying that “if you cannot
find it on google, it does not exist”. Now you check your search engine for “Asian
women leaders quotes” and if you get one headline result, get back to me
please! With this pretext, I researched on women’s leadership in Asia and I
must say I am so disappointed at the moment, more so when I look at the
situation in my own country!
More women have reached the pinnacle
of power in Asia in recent years than in any other part of the world. If you
look at the record, Sirimao Bandaranaike of Sri Lanka became the world’s first
female elected head of state in 1960, has been followed by female leaders in
India, Pakistan, Indonesia, Bangladesh, Thailand, Myanmar and the Philippines.
The other side of this record is that almost every one of them has actually risen
to power through a family connection. They are all the daughters, wives, or
widows of former government heads or leading oppositionists. But, what’s wrong
with this?
Female leaders and family connections
Female leaders and family connections
The rise of female leaders does not
seem to reflect any change in the patriarchal nature of Asian societies. It has
only helped to demonstrate the power of a name and the persistence of political
dynasties. Megawati Sukarnoputri, the daughter of the founder of Indonesia,
Sukarno, during a mass campaign once asked, “So what’s wrong with being a
housewife?” The number of women leaders who have attained top political
positions in their own merit is so low. It also reflects on the rarity of
policies in Asian countries that favour the equality of women and that liberate
women from traditional roles in households.
Not to blame
the system but we also need to see the character of our politics, which has come
to political maturity following the examples of dynasties. Where is the figure
who will change the way we do politics? Will we get more Modi in our politics who
paved in way for seven prominent women leaders in India’s high cabinet ranks?
Twenty five percent women in Indian Cabinet is perhaps the first in the history
of Indian Government. Notably except for one minister, all six women made to
top political power on their own caliber, without having to depend on family
connections!
The other day I
was so proud see Sushma Swaraj, India’s External Affairs minister in Nepal, who stood
out amongst male politicians, wearing a smile and emanating the woman power
alongside the state power she was entrusted with. I did not see a single woman
leader on Nepal side at any occasion!
Token women leaders
I know that most of us are in business to help and empower other women and to make a difference. But I believe that now it’s time for us to step into our power and make the changes we want to see in the political arena. We should stop pledging our refuge in the cosy and secured space of party politics - the space which is controlled by male politicians who love to maintain women’s “tokenism”!
It also looks as if we will need to skip a generation before someone arrives with the guts to carry out the necessary revolution. We may not yet have even heard the name of the next great women leaders in this political arena of Nepal. But I am hopeful, some women will surely emerge from the large untapped reservoir of empowered women. And, to state the least, I feel some fire in my belly! Shall we challenge our heroes and go out looking for our she-roes now?
Follow me on twitter @sobstToken women leaders
I know that most of us are in business to help and empower other women and to make a difference. But I believe that now it’s time for us to step into our power and make the changes we want to see in the political arena. We should stop pledging our refuge in the cosy and secured space of party politics - the space which is controlled by male politicians who love to maintain women’s “tokenism”!
It also looks as if we will need to skip a generation before someone arrives with the guts to carry out the necessary revolution. We may not yet have even heard the name of the next great women leaders in this political arena of Nepal. But I am hopeful, some women will surely emerge from the large untapped reservoir of empowered women. And, to state the least, I feel some fire in my belly! Shall we challenge our heroes and go out looking for our she-roes now?
