Time for women to rise in all spheres of society
Zimbabwe needs to take advantage of its demographics in terms of gender diversity as it seeks sustainable solutions to current economic challenges.
WHILE the mantra of women’s economic empowerment could now sound boring or even patronising depending on how one looks at it, the country’s rich human capital should work in its favour.
Women need to come to the party or rather be allowed entry into the party. They are not gate crushers anymore. In the same vein they also need to lift themselves up and not expect handouts or perennial hand-holding if they are to become effective players in the economy.
The Institute of Directors Zimbabwe board chairman Mr Benson Gasura said something I found to be quite profound yesterday.
“We can’t have women in the majority in churches and in (political) parties but not on boards,” he said while addressing a networking breakfast attended by Zimtrade chief executive Ms Sithembile Pilime, industrialist and former ZNCC president Oswell Binha, FBC head group marketing and public relations Priscilla Sadomba and other senior bankers and business executives yesterday.
What I found most profound was the truth of his statement and its glaring implications on the challenges women face in climbing up the corporate ladder and yet they are in the majority and even in charge in other spheres of life.
And Mr Gasura was not just lamenting about the issue but IODZ has started to do something to correct this misnomer.
Indeed there is so much information and a lot of research done pertaining to women’s participation in the economy it’s an issue we are all aware of. But IODZ has decided to move a step further in a manner that is set to revolutionarise boardrooms.
In fact this ceases to be a gender issue but it is now more about using available resources to inject fresh ideas and better ways of running boards in the public and private sector is critical.
I believe the economy is in a transformational phase and could certainly use more manpower and a richer and diverse human resource base to steer the ship back onto a growth path.
It is an already established fact globally that women bring value to the table once placed in decision-making positions.
But statistics in Zimbabwe show that women account for only 10 percent of board members and yet they are in the majority down the ladder.
Therefore, the IODZ seeks to change this to ensure more diversity and increased effectiveness on boards.
Research has also shown that the same people are recycled on various boards thus compromising corporate governance tenets in some institutions while depriving firms of new innovative ideas required to whether the current economic storm.
The IODZ thus seeks to train women and empower them to widen the base from which company board members can be selected.
It is imploring on Zimbabwe-Stock Exchange listed companies to take the lead in address gender disparities on boards and other aspects to ensure more effective leadership and direction right at the top.
IODZ executive director Mr Edward Siwela was upbeat that the “Women on Boards” programme would yield results for this economy.
“Corporate Zimbabwe, in particular the blue chip companies listed on the Zimbabwe Stock Exchange remains locked in the old paradigm with boards that largely lack diversity and fall far short in terms of gender diversity, in particular women representation.
“This scenario is aptly captured by Russell Reynolds Associates (2016) who, in their study of “how boardroom heterogeneity is perceived and valued by directors” with special focus on gender in Fortune 259 company boards observed:
“Way back when it all made sense, having people on your board of directors who were reliable, like-minded and known entities was the most logical strategy to build a board,” wrote Mr Siwela in the IODZ newsletter.
Indeed Russell Reynolds posit that the demographic makeup of a board promotes effectiveness. Such countries as the US and Canada have adopted programmes to ensure more women sit on boards.
Training programmes in this instance ensure that a reservoir of qualified women corporate director candidates for board appointments is available.
IODZ is running courses for those aspiring to be appointed to corporate boards for the first time to give them foundational training.
This is a key strategy that will surely change board demographics in this country over the next few years as the gender discourse assume a new and more meaningful dimension.
What is also interesting and quite progressive is that the IODZ programme will also bring together women that are already serving on boards and those that are aspiring to.
This mentoring and coaching programme will obviously have a phenomenal impact on the complexion of corporate boards in this country.
The Constitution of Zimbabwe calls for the promotion of gender balance in the society and that women should participate in all spheres of society.
This is quite critical for this economy as it seeks to adopt strategies that will ensure it registers the 3,8 percent GDP growth forecast by the World Bank.
We hope the corporate sector will support such initiatives as the IODZ
Indeed Zimbabwe has the wherewithal to overcome present economic challenges and emerge victorious once again if such initiatives are followed through.
Tidbits
In the jungle, The biggest animal is the Elephant, The tallest is the Giraffe, The wisest is the Fox, The fastest is the Cheetah. But besides all those wonderful qualities the Lion is the KING of the jungle even without ANY of them.!! *Why??* Because . . . The Lion is courageous, The Lion is very bold, The Lion is always ready to face any challenges and barriers that cross its path, no matter how big/bad they are . . . !
The Lion walks with confidence. The Lion dares anything and is never afraid. The Lion believes he is unstoppable. The Lion is a risk taker. The Lion believes any animal is food for it. The Lion believes any opportunity is worth giving a try and never lets it slip from its hands. The Lion has charisma . . . !
*So . . . *
◆ What is it that we get to learn from the Lion?
◆ You don’t need to be the fastest!
◆ You don’t need to be the wisest!
◆ You don’t need to be the smartest!
◆ You don’t need to be the most bril
liant! ◆ You don’t need to be generally accepted to achieve your dreams and be great in life . . . !
◆ All you need is * courage*
◆ All you need is * boldness*
◆ All you need is the will to try.
◆ All you need is the faith to believe
it is possible.
◆ All you need is to believe in yourself, that *you can* do it.!! It’s TIME to bring out the Lion in you ...! “Face the terrible, face it boldly” *Phillipians 4:13. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.* Hats off to IODZ. In God I Trust!
◆ Feedback: victoria. ruzvidzo@gmail.com/ WhatsApp 0772129972.