The Advantages Of Including Women In Government Institutions As A Means To Improving The Management Of Socio-Economic Resources Of A Nation
As a primary cross cutting subject in development theory and application, nowadays gender perspectives have changed extensively from the advocacy of women’s rights on the ground of sexual equality in the 1990s to issues relating to public affairs of the country, to economic long term plans to achieve specific desired results. What started as a matter of importance in women’s ongoing discrimination, disadvantage, the absence of recognition of women and their specific needs, has turned to be a general concern in the way men and women relate. Gender equality is a human right. This on its own, is reason enough for development assistance to consider the issue. There are a number of good economic views for doing so. As an illustration, many studies have review that countries with high levels of gender equality record high numbers of economic growth in contrast to countries with less levels of gender equality. Equal opportunities for men and women are consequently critical for growth and development, for the reason that no society can hardly grow economically, politically or socially in a situation where half of its population is treated as peripherals. The aim of this assignment is to talk about the benefits of making women part of government institutions as a means to improving the management and distribution of resources of a nation.
The involvement of women in the style of governing and its set of political principles is of strategic value not only to empowering women, if it were not for the reason that it has extensive advantages and effects. It is also important for the reason that, women’s political participation and leadership are inevitable for democracy to flourish extremely effectively, this implies that, it is not barely important to make women part of it, if not to make certain that there is powerful representation. The full, fair and impartial involvement of women in the affairs of the community, especially government is absolutely necessary to building and strengthening powerful, bold and strong democracies. “Democracy not accompanied by women cannot exist”, Madeleine K. Albright former US Secretary of state. It is not on the subject of men opposing women, other than that, systematic investigation has indicated that, when you have more women in government decision-making positions, you succeed in attaining policies that profit women, children and families in general.
Women’s participation in decision-making is to a high level advantageous and their role in planning and applying public policies has an optimistic effect on people’s lives. Having enough numbers of women in legislation furthers the progress of children’s rights as women tend to speak for the benefit of the communities because of being engrossed in community life, Karam, (2005). Decision-making begin to be favorable during the time that women participate in series of steps towards achieving a particular end. It means that the decisions made will be thought of the whole nation and the implementation process of the decisions will be accomplished for it is a reflection of collaborative contributions from all members of the community not having the use of discrimination. Traditional ways of ending wars, in which armed forces come together behind doors not open to all, to persistently work out agreements between enemies to stop fighting for a certain period of time are falling short in the face of the 21st century conflicts. Figures of armed groups has become greater in amount and size extending upwards in the past ten years. Observable detailed examinations of eighty years of immense times of difficulty reveal that, determined peace keeping attempts are in many instances achieved in the short term only to be unsuccessful undertakings in an arduous search for long term peace. To some extent, as a means to dealing with these challenges, messages for inclusive proposals to resolving conflict and insecurities has grown strong in expression. In the area of international development, decades of evidence of women’s constructive effects on socio economic consequences has changed the manner in which government, donors and aid organizations are functioning. The same cannot be mentioned in the field of peace and security, to which women have been greatly and consistently kept out. But new investigations in qualitative and quantitative research has the latent qualities to transform the relative social quo. Outlying existing facts and statistics, show how women inclusion makes it easier to keep conflict from happening, bring into existence and strengthen the state of feeling safe in the time that war ends.
Observable evidence is overwhelming where women’s inclusion is said to be important. Tranquility usually prevails whenever women are in positions of power arising from their status. There are good causes as to why this is so. Women further the progress of dialogue and enhance trust. They consistently eliminate causes to conflict and help create temporal and permanent alliances for peace. Women bring distinct views to convey what peace and security refer to and how they can be put into practice successfully, contributing to a more holistic interpretation of peace that addresses long term needs, as well as short term security. Whether keeping conflict from occurring, cause to bring peace, steps towards achieving it or rebuilding their societies, women take an inclusive approach. Exclusion of identity based groups, whether religious, ethnic or cultural is a significant contributor to war, state of being extremely poor and state failure. With their collaborative reactions to keeping conflict from occurring, making peace and rebuilding communities, women persistently address this cause of conflict and lack of stability, by making sure that peace lasts. The possibility of trouble and danger and beginning of wars can be used to add strength and exacerbate women’s marginalization or it can be used as a favorable time to empower women and increase opportunities for powerful outcomes for all, Marie, (2015). When women are included, it benefits entire communities collectively, not just women.
Renowned Indian Swami Vivekanda once said, ” There is no chance for the welfare of the world unless the condition of women is improved. It is not possible for a bird to fly on only one wing, ” Women have repeatedly been victims of behavior involving force, assault and other hostile treatment in the society or government controlled by men. All these wicked practices worsen the social standing of women. Women empowerment has developed to be a much raised and talked about subject around the world and is not a new abstract idea. Encouraging women to take part in governance is extremely important if we are to have a bright future in the family, society and nation. Women empowerment is entrusting women the full skills to take part socially, economically and politically in an equal manner to male counterparts, Lopez, (2006). The concept of women empowerment originates from the indisputable truth that women are weaker than men, and that they in many instances have a harder time accomplishing by effort their goals. Economic empowerment increases women’s means to economic resources and opportunities inclusive of jobs, possessing money, property and other useful things, expertize development and market information. Women’s empowerment is a way a human right and required as a prior condition to sustainable development and for achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Increasing the role of women in the production and consumption of goods, services and supply of money, is one way of solving financial and economic difficulties and decisively important, for economic quick recovery from the difficult conditions. Women have immense, positive influence on the economy in business, agriculture among the famous ones and nowadays are farmers, Chief Executive Officers of companies, doctors, engineers and keep specified positions that may have been too unlikely in the past. There is no refusing to admit as the truth that, women have made exceptional progress in the last decades. In Zambia alone, women statistically obtain more college and graduate degrees than men and amount to almost half of the people available for work in an area or particular firm or industry. And up until now, in spite of the fact that women constitute substantial energy in today’s economy, the country continues not to be ready, as women’s roles are not acknowledged and rewarded. And men nevertheless seem to get further, getting satisfying jobs, better positions and salaries. Observing trends in top management positions, women are nearly not there. A growing body of evidence reviews that, official organizations with important roles in a country (government institutions), who make use of women with senior managerial responsibilities, perform much better than their competitors by all available means of profitability. The benefit of including women at top management positions is that, women are more effective at establishing and pursuing growth opportunities within an institution than male leaders. Besides that, women have an advantage of being able to spread their ideas and see hindrances more extensively as they center on original ideas when discovering by chance or deliberately solutions to accomplishing the institutions desired results. Research has made it known that, women leaders gather and examine in detail more variables in the decision making process, giving them the means to perceive an extensive range of spectrum capable of solving a problem. Since women care to enquire and give their attention to separate in many instances incompatible options, they too get better scope of the problem at hand. As a result, institutions headed by women are strategically connected and more cohesive, ultimately leading to an increased profitability.
Corruption is not gender neutral, that is to say, women experience it not the same way men do, which can restrict their access to services open to all as they are the chief users of services such as schools and health facilities. Corruption in this area affects women to a great scale. The state of being corrupt deprives the citizenry of resources meant to assist people in need, often women and children as the funds never stretch out to them because of corruption in the system. In fact, more women sixty percent than men fifty-two percent indicates that there has been an increase in corruption levels in public institutions over the past three years according to Transparency International Global Corruption Barometer. At the same, studies have indicated women to be effective at recognizing corruption practices and more likely to find them unsatisfactory. It is in accordance with reality that since women are underrepresented in public employment and have restricted opportunities to power networks and decision making, they are not so much likely to be part of the dishonesty practices. But this too makes it difficult to access if women would show more moral principles in leadership and management if they had equal access to positions of power that men have traditionally held, Goetz, (2007).
Gender inequalities are likely to continue and are occasionally even strengthened if gender is not thought of carefully throughout the course of planning and implementation of anti-corruption initiatives, Young, (1993). Any successful anti-corruption campaigns must include women, for when women speak, they speak for both sexes, different from men who first focus on their pockets and tummy. Giving a woman a voice to fight corrupt activities is an important step towards a fairer society. Millions of lives are endangered by being extremely poor, food insecurity and climate change, conveying an earnest and insistent cry to act. 2018, proved to be a potential year when more150 global leaders, Zambia included, met at the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The list of matters addressed at the summit served as a detailed proposal to action by the international community and national governments to improve people’s lives and further the well-being for all in the next fifteen years. Each of the seventeen SDGs centered on a different aspect of development, including goals to completely get rid of poverty, promoting good health, making sure there is peace and justice, assurance to the right to clean water and more. Whereas each goal has an effect on particular areas, their purpose is contingent on comprehensive integration representing the way they are encountered individually. Women, in particular those in developing countries are disproportionally affected by the development challenges. As an illustration, climate change has serious consequences for agriculture and women farmers record forty-five to eight five percent of all food production developing countries like Zambia, where sixty percent women labor force is occupied with agricultural work. In the context of climate change, traditional food sources have become insufficient for the demand and unreliable implying that, women and households that rely on them, must effectively deal with the lack of both food and income.
As leaders from every side of the world sat in that meeting to change our world by means of sustainable development, they auspiciously, did not miss the opportunity to put women at the center of their deliberations. One significant aspect was to include women in their midst, an indication that, the need of women in governance continue to be regarded as important as stipulated in the SDGs 5:5, whose aim is “to ensure women’s full and effective participation and equal opportunities for leadership at all levels of decision making in political, economic and public life”. Not only is this a goal in and out of itself, but also women’s inclusion in governance is principle to accomplishing other global priorities. For example, SDG 6 says, ” to ensure availability and sustainability of water and sanitation for all”. Research on local councils in Zambia indicate that in areas with women led-councils, there is sixty percent more drinking water projects than in those with male led – councils. This relaxed relationship is probably due to the fact that, women are likely than men to be responsible to work, such as providing water to the family, for cooking and cleaning and for farming tasks. Women consequently, frequently have the greatest understanding of the shortages that exist and can provide necessary information of how to advance their rights by having a strong and controlling influence in strengthening development. Sustainable development is attained when women are regarded as full partners in whichever vigorous attempt.
Nonexistence of women leaders in any society today must be a subject of worry for the reason that, it is not as a result of a lack of qualified women, but of society’s inability to identify and reward women’s full abilities and qualities. Many women struggle with barriers to their leadership, as shown in real life that they currently have greater access to leadership roles than at any other period in history. In spite of the fact that no one would give conflicting views that gender equality has reached its destination or is even near at hand, such piece of data indicates exceptional social change in women’s roles and obligations. The inroads of women into positions of power and authority reflect many underlying changes, above all, women’s high level of education and paid employment. Given the profound changes taking place in women’s roles and in the cultural theory of good leadership, it is easy to understand that women will continue climbing toward greater power and authority. The 20th century shift toward gender equality is without stopping but is ongoing. The presence of more women in leadership positions is one of the clearest indicators of transformation. In fact, their role in advancing a peaceful society and a prosperous nation cannot be disputed. It is said, ” behind every successful man, is a successful woman.
