Justina Mutale: Advancing Gender Equality

The eminent Dr. Justina Mutale, Founder & CEO, Justina Mutale Foundation, talks exclusively to Sabin Muzaffar about educating women to unlearn traditional mindsets enabling them realize their full potential.

Tell us about yourself and the journey undertaken to work for the cause of women?

I have a personal and vested interest in championing the cause of women. I come from a background of strong, powerful and assertive women, who have always defied the gender dynamics.

I grew up believing that women are the world’s most potent force, they are natural leaders, the backbone of society and guardians of the world. I strongly believe that unleashing the powerful potential of women and girls is the key to many of the critical issues facing the world and humanity today, issues to which the world as yet has no foreseeable end, such as the continuing environmental degradation; rising poverty levels; escalating wars and violence; global terrorism; social and economic injustices and inequalities, in addition to many other adverse issues.

Prior to founding my own organisation, I worked in the Gender section of the Commonwealth Secretariat, an inter-government development organisation comprising 54 member countries around the world. The Gender section deals with issues of gender equality, women’s empowerment and mainstreaming gender across Commonwealth member countries. I was part of the team that drafted the Commonwealth Gender Plan of Action and its implementation and also facilitated the bi-annual Meeting of Commonwealth Ministers Responsible for Gender and Women’s Affairs.

I was also part of the Commonwealth team that attended the annual United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (CSW), which takes place at the United Nations Headquarters in New York. My own organisation, The Justina Mutale Foundation (for women’s leadership) is now part of the UK Civil Society delegation to the United Nations. We are also part of the Civil Society delegation to the GIMAC (Gender is My Agenda) Consultative Meeting held in the wings of the African Union Heads of Government Summit as well as the Gender Pre-Summit Meeting of African Ministers Responsible for Gender Affairs.

Moreover, I am part of several other initiatives, meetings and conferences held across the globe working to achieve gender equality, women’s empowerment and the rights of women and girls, including the All Ladies Leagues, which is the largest women’s chamber in the world, which hosts the Women Economic Forum in India every year.

What are some of the major challenges we face today when it comes to women economic empowerment and especially focusing women of colour and the African woman?

Women everywhere in the world, including in my own country Zambia, have always had to fight an uphill battle regarding their rightful place in society. Needless to say, we are now in an era where attitudes and behaviour towards women have changed.

In recent years, gender dynamics have evolved with the role and perception of women in society evolving as a result. And I believe the 21st century presents incredible opportunities for women to raise their voices and to take their rightful place at every high level decision making-process.

However, while it is inspiring to see that the women’s fight for equality has made many positive gains over the years, it is evident that these gains are too few and far in between. It is heartbreaking to see that after 200 years or more, since the women’s suffrage movement and despite all the various initiatives and affirmations aimed at gender equality and the rights of women and girls, we are still fighting for women’s equality in the 21st century.

It is no secret that in many parts of the world women still face challenges in politics, business and social life in general. And that in many countries, cultures and social conditioning have prevented women from unleashing their full potential, especially in leadership roles.

Most of us will be familiar with the various initiatives aimed at women’s empowerment and gender equality and the various affirmative actions. To date, however, we still have a huge gap in gender parity in many areas, with only a few women around the globe, who have so far had the privilege to hold very prominent and visible high ranking positions of real power, real influence and real authority in politics, business, society and all other spheres of the global agenda.

Consequently, gender equality and women’s empowerment has once again been highlighted as a priority in the Post-2015 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), as well as in the African Union’s Agenda 2063.

 Do you think enough is being said about the topic of women and race?

 I come from Zambia, a country located in the central-southern part of Africa. As you may be aware, the majority of population in Africa and my country Zambia are Black. So naturally, the issue of race as perceived in other parts of the world does not apply to where I come from. While Zambia has always been a rainbow country, with different ethnicities and religions living in harmony, since attaining our political independence, almost every person in high positions of decision-making in my country, (from the President as Head of State, to the Head of the Central Bank, right down to CEOs, Board Chairpersons, etc.) have always been Black. So the issue of race has never been a factor in my life.

However, living abroad and travelling to Western countries such as the USA and the UK or Europe brings a totally different perspective on the issue of race and women. It is worth noting here that, the highest number of women in political decision-making can be found in Rwanda, an African country with over 64% women in Parliament. According to the statistics, Rwanda also has approximately 45% of its businesses owned and run by women. While the USA and the UK claim to be the most democratic countries in the world, somehow the democratic principle of inclusiveness appears to go amiss as regards race and women’s participation in decision-making.

In contrast, in my country Zambia and some neighbouring countries like South Africa, we have a high number of women in high positions of decision-making in politics, business, society and other areas of life. For example, Zambia currently has a female vice president, a woman head of the judiciary, a woman Head of the Police, a woman head of the National Bank, and many more women in top positions.

It is ironic to see that the USA, which preaches democracy and inclusiveness, is yet to have its first female president or head of state, when a number of African counties and other countries in the rest of the world have already had women Presidents or women Heads of State.

In your opinion, how much does race and gender factor in when it comes to humanitarian crises?

We now live in a globalised world where the world keeps shrinking, territory and distance have become less significant and this has exposed humanity to similar technological, economic, social and cultural pressures. Global integration is proceeding at breakneck speed with an amazing reach.

However, the process of globalisation appears to be uneven and unbalanced. This has resulted in uneven participation of countries and people in the expanding opportunities of globalization from the global economy, to global technology, the global spread of cultures and global governance.

It appears that the rules of globalisation and the players who write them focus on integrating global markets. Against this background, you therefore, find that far from bringing about a more cooperative world, globalisation generates powerful sources of friction, conflict and fragmentations. As expressed by globalisation expert, Susan George, “globalisation has created a three-track society in which there are the exploiters, the exploited and the outcasts”. The outcasts are the people who are considered not even worth exploiting as the focus remains on integrating global markets while neglecting the needs of people that markets cannot reach. It is therefore, disheartening to see how women and other races are treated when it comes to humanitarian crises.

Women and people in poorer countries are left to suffer the consequences of war as can be seen in the Congo, where there has not been any effective intervention to the ongoing war of blood diamonds and blood metals, which has consequently earned the Congo as the title of “Rape Capital of the World. The war in the Congo rages on in full view of the world with no one lifting a finger to help the poor women, girls, children and the general population of the Congo. We also saw this happening during the genocide in Rwanda.

It is evident that in all the wars raging around the world, none of which observe the principles of a “Just War”, which should protect women, children and civilians. You therefore, find that women become casualties or victims of the resulting collateral damage of war.

Most women and girls in war-torn areas or war zones and area of conflict find themselves becoming victims of sexual violence, where rape is used as a weapon of war. It is also clear that the developed parts of the world receive glorified sympathy and accelerated humanitarian help, while those in poorer countries do not receive as much positive reactions when faced with humanitarian crises.

Women and people in poorer countries are left to suffer the consequences of war as can be seen in the Congo, where there has not been any effective intervention to the ongoing war of blood diamonds and blood metals, which has consequently earned the Congo as the title of “Rape Capital of the World. The war in the Congo rages on in full view of the world with no one lifting a finger to help the poor women, girls, children and the general population of the Congo. We also saw this happening during the genocide in Rwanda.

justina-mutale-portrait1What personal success have you achieved when it comes to women empowerment?

As my work advances I have found that I too have become a global brand in my own right, with my name highly sought after to attach to commercial, humanitarian and charitable causes around the world. In 2012, I was awarded the prestigious title of ‘African Woman of the Year’.  I was pleasantly surprised to find myself included among Africa’s most respected names, well-known faces, and influential voices. I have been featured as a Hero in the Capital Finance International Journal, which brings coverage and analysis of the drivers behind change by combining the views of leading multilateral and national organizations with thought leadership from some of the world’s top minds.

I serve as President, Patron, Ambassador, Trustee and Board Member of several humanitarian, community, and charitable organizations in the UK and overseas, including as Advisory Board Member of the World Leaders Forum Dubai (United Arab Emirates) and the British Award for Africa Development (UK). I am the Honorary Ambassador for Gender Equality and Spokesperson for the International Women’s Think Tank headquartered in Atlanta (USA). I also serve on the Advisory Board of the African Achievers Awards (Africa); the Resource Alliance (UK); WEforWE Global Campaign for Women’s Empowerment (India); All Africa-Coordinator, Women Economic Forum and Chapter Chairperson, All Ladies League (India). I am also Honorary President of the Martial Arts Academy based in France, which utilises Martial Arts and he discipline of Zen to secure the human rights of women and children.

As a recipient of numerous international awards, honours and accolades from around the world, I have been conferred with an Honorary Directorate of International Relations. More recently, I have received offers of three further Honorary Doctorate Degrees in three different disciplines, from three different universities in three different countries from three different continents around the world.

I was recently appointed Ambassador at Large for Africa and the United Kingdom under the American Diplomatic Mission for International Relations (ADMIR), which forms part of the United Nations Diplomatic Mission for International Relations (UNMIR). I have also been appointed as a Distinguished Member of the Royal Biographical Institute and the Global Institute for Human Excellency. In addition, I am a member of the “POWER 14″ a consortium of African Diaspora Women Leaders selected for their phenomenal leadership qualities and achievements in community development. As a members of the “POWER 14”, I am part of the top 100 Diaspora ChangeMakers Network, a project initiated by the Royal Society of Arts with support from DfID’s Common Grounds Initiative, Comic Relief and Unbound Philanthropy, that identifies and brings together the UK’s most promising individuals of African origin with phenomenal leadership qualities and a desire to support African communities in the UK and Africa.

I am also featured on the Black Women in Europe Power List and the Black 100+ Hall of Fame, an Exhibition and Legacy of the top 100 Black Achievers in modern Britain. And in recognition of my humanitarian work, I have been honoured as a Global Official of Dignity; Ambassador for Peace; UK Humanitarian Ambassador; and Africa Goodwill Ambassador.  

 How can women thought leaders such as yourself leverage their position to empower women?

 I believe women are natural born leaders and as women, we already have what we need to inspire change in one another. All we have to do is to simply uncover what we already have. As women, we have the natural capacity to harness natural talents and empower ourselves. This ability lives in all of us and we just have to tap into it. We need to change our behaviour and attitudes by unlearning the traditional mindsets and social conditioning that has held women back for centuries.

Apart from unlearning the traditional mindsets and social conditioning, as women leaders we need to empower our fellow women to continuously improve and push the limits that have been placed on women’s full potential in leadership roles in the business, politics, society and all areas of life. We now live in a borderless world where it is easy for each one of us to cross boundaries with both emerging markets and the developed world creating opportunities for women in business, politics, society, the environment, as well as in science and technology, and other areas of life.

Empowering women and girls to change their role in a culture can play a significant role in society’s development and the transformation of culture.  A change of culture and tradition can help break the chains of male domination. I also believe changing the mindset of the society, by educating both men and women to unlearn these traditional mindsets and social conditioning can help provide an enabling environment for women to realize their full potential and to contribute effectively in leadership roles.

We need to seize these opportunities to create global networks of women movers and shakers. Through these networks, it is possible to leverage women’s groups around the world to challenge cultural norms as regards the value of women and girls to humanity. Through these networks, we can bring women’s issues and their abilities to contribute to society to the fore.

Empowering women and girls to change their role in a culture can play a significant role in society’s development and the transformation of culture.  A change of culture and tradition can help break the chains of male domination. I also believe changing the mindset of the society, by educating both men and women to unlearn these traditional mindsets and social conditioning can help provide an enabling environment for women to realize their full potential and to contribute effectively in leadership roles.

Adolescent girls are the untapped potential who are yet to be recognised when it comes to humanitarian crises, education, and health. What groundwork needs to be undertaken to counter such situations?

In 2014, I launched the Report on PATHWAYS TO POWER: Creating Sustainable Change for Adolescent Girls”. The report was launched to mark the 2014 United Nations International Day of the Girl. The Report is an initiative by overseas development organisation, Plan International Ireland and forms part of their annual BECAUSE I AM A GIRL” series, which looks at the state of girls in the world. I was very disappointed to see that the Report revealed that even in the 21st century, women still lag behind men when it comes to education accomplishment, earning power and political influence. The report found that 29% of adolescent girls and young women have experienced violence at the hands of their partners; one in three girls in the developing world are married by their eighteenth birthday; worldwide, women still earn between 10-30% less than men; globally, women make up only 21.9% of parliamentarians, with only nineteen female world leaders; and of the 500 largest corporations in the world, only 25 have a female chief executive officer. It was reported in recent news that an all-female panel of judges convicted a former commander of his country’s armed forces for rape committed by his troops. This is a great example of proof that having women in high levels of the decision-making process can yield progress and positive results towards securing the human rights of women and girls and that of humanity as a whole.

I therefore, believe that we need to get more women positions of power if we are to realise the dream of achieving a sustainable world. I also strongly believe that once the world has enough women in high levels of decision-making, where we can have the perspectives of both genders taken into consideration, everything else will naturally follow in realising a peaceful, progressive and sustainable world.

Adolescent girls need to be equipped with the appropriate skills, tools, knowledge, information, confidence and power networks to help them realise their dreams and to turn their dreams into actionable goals to become effective leaders of the 21st century. This entails mentoring and role modelling, where successful women can reach out and carry another woman or girl along with them to show them how and that it can be done. That is possible for women to lead.

What are some of the initiative you are currently involved in?

 I am the Founder & CEO of The Justina Mutale Foundation for Leadership. The Foundation responds to the 20 year review of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action undertaken at the 59th Session of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (CSW59).

In addition, I am affiliated to other international global organisations and high level global networks that promote the affairs of women and girls around the world, with special focus on Africa. I currently serves as Global Ambassador for Gender Equality and Spokesperson of the International Women’s Think Tank, which is headquartered in Atlanta Georgia (USA). The think Tank promotes research, critical thinking and innovative solutions on issues related to women and girls. The Think Tank also actively advocates for the personal and professional enrichment of women and girls of the global community through mentorship, intercultural exchange, entrepreneurship, business development, leadership training and the sharing of ideas.

I also serve as Director for International Affairs at the WEforWE global campaign for women’s empowerment and as All Africa Co-ordinator of the Women Economic Forum and the All Ladies League, the largest international women’s chamber. In addition, I am a member of the Board of Directors at the World Leaders Forum Dubai, and the Resource Alliance, a global network that brings together the very best thinking, by harnessing the financial, human and intellectual resources most vital to helping individuals and social impact organisations build a better world.

I am part of the European Policy Working Group, which advocates for Gender Equality at the Bond Network, which represents the largest household names in the UK International Development Sector, who influence key decision-makers at national, European and global levels. I am also a founding member of the historical African Union-Diaspora Africa Forum (AU-DAF), which advocates to strengthen African Diaspora contributions and involvement in the African Union for the development of Africa.

As a globally acclaimed influential and inspirational personality an brand I have been approached to feature in a Hollywood documentary titled: “The Travelling Princess” and in a UK Television series on “Eminent African Women” as well as in books on “Women Who are Contributing to Sustainable Development of the World” and “Women Who Changed Africa”.

Anything you wish to add.

I believe that the 21st century presents incredible opportunities for women and girls to reassert their position in the gender dynamics and to hold legitimate positions of authority, power and influence. The next generation of women will need to have unshakeable self-belief to break down the barriers that have held women back for centuries and to acknowledge that the age of the token woman sitting on the Board or in Parliament is over. We do not want women to just make up the numbers – we want a generation of women that have real power to make and influence real decisions in the boardroom, in parliament and in the home.

To do this, the next generation of women will need to lead without seeking permission, they will need to be assertive and to believe that it is actually politically correct for women to compete and contribute to social, economic and political activity on equal footing with their male counterparts, without feeling that they are overstepping their boundaries or compromising men’s masculinity. As women of the 21s Century, we need to think beyond the possible and to upset the status quo!

About Justina Mutale Foundation

The Justina Mutale Foundation aims to contribute to global efforts towards the actualisation of the United Nations Global Goals for Sustainable Development (SDGs) as well as the African Union’s Agenda 2063, together with other continental and national initiatives aimed at achieving gender equality, women’s empowerment and upholding the rights of women and girls in Africa. The Foundation recognises that Africa is at a new transition in its development, needing a new type of leadership in the political, civic and social sectors to consolidate the development gains made and ensure progress especially in the challenging environment.

The objective of the Justina Mutale Foundation is to transform the voice, profile and leadership potential of young women and girls to effect change in the Africa Continent and its Diaspora. The Foundation seeks to add value to existing and innovative work, increase efficiency and effectiveness of the impact of the work on Women and Girls in Africa and its Diaspora by utilising a unique combination of voice, profile and leadership through Leadership Development; Profile and Voice; Capacity Building; Project Management; Stakeholder Engagement; Policy and Scrutiny; Community Engagement; and Outreach. The work programme of the Foundation is based on the belief that women’s rights especially Young Women’s rights are human rights which need to be promoted, protected and recognised as an integral part of development as there can never be progressive development in society without a clear and deliberate effort to uphold the rights of women and girls.

The work of the Foundation is aimed at reducing gender inequality by tackling cultural norms and practices; patriarchy; lack and education, freedom of choice; decision making power; economic underdevelopment, education; health; and gender based violence, in the belief that for women and girls to be empowered we need voices, decision-making and leadership opportunities. This means women having the power to express their preferences, demands, views and interests, to gain access to positions of decision-making that affect public or private power and resource allocation, and to exercise influence in leadership positions. The voice, leadership and decision-making power of women and girls needs to be present at the household, community and national level, and be individual and collective. Therefore, the Foundation aims to achieve impact through raising awareness, assessing contexts and impact, invoking action and advocating on behalf of and with other women and girls. The Foundation’s approach combines convening and collaboration, capacity building and leadership development.

One of our flagship projects at the Justina Mutale Foundation is The Justina Mutale Scholarship Programme, which offers opportunities to academically talented underprivileged women and girls from Africa to undertake university study at overseas institutions of learning around the world in order for them to effectively contribute to the development of Africa from a global perspective. The Foundation has so far partnered with the European School of Economics (ESE) to offer Scholarship to our students to study International Business and Leadership at its campuses based in New York, Madrid, Florence, Milan and London. The Foundation has also partnered with Rai University of India to offer scholarships to study Leadership, Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) at its various campuses in India. We have also partnered with We Care for Humanity to provide scholarships for studies in New Zealand. Our Foundation is constantly looking for Scholarships around the world to benefit our underprivileged and yet academically talented young women from Africa.

 The work of the Foundation is aimed at reducing gender inequality by tackling cultural norms and practices; patriarchy; lack and education, freedom of choice; decision making power; economic underdevelopment, education; health; and gender based violence, in the belief that for women and girls to be empowered we need voices, decision-making and leadership opportunities.

The Justina Mutale Foundation is the official host of the annual Global Forum on Women Leadership and Change. The Forum addresses women’s empowerment, gender equality, female leadership and entrepreneurship, with particular focus on Africa. The Forum brings together African women and girls on the continent, together with those in the African Diaspora, as well as women leaders and girls from western countries to share good practices, ideas, hopes, aspirations, and experiences; and to mentor, educate, empower, inspire and motivate one another to raise the voices of women and girls to become effective leaders in the decision-making processes in Africa and other parts of the world.

In addition, the Justina Mutale Foundation is a member of the UK National Alliance of Women’s Organisations (NAWO), and the UK NGO-CSW Alliance. The Justina Mutale Foundation hosted a Parallel Event at the 60th Session of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (CSW60), which will be held in New York in March 2016.

 

For more information: https://justinamutale.com/

 

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