Why many women are reluctant to take leadership roles – Gender advocate

Vanessa Edhebru, a gender advocate at the Solidarity Centre, has said that many women are reluctant to take leadership roles due to various issues, including the burden of care and cultural and social constraints.

Ms Edhebru stated this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday, on the sidelines of a four-day capacity-building workshop for men and women organised by Solidarity Centre in Abuja.

NAN reports that Solidarity Centre is an affiliate organisation of the American Federation of Labour, Congress of Industrial Organisations

The expert pointed out that cultural constraints often see women as nurturers, which could hinder their leadership aspirations.

She explained that the goal of the workshop was to encourage women to build their capacity and prepare them for leadership roles in- spite of these challenges.

“The current training is part of an ongoing series aimed at equipping more women with the necessary skills,” she added.

Ms Edhebru stressed the importance of women aspiring for leadership positions and building their capacity to succeed.

She also encouraged women to prioritise their lives, manage their time, and build relationships to balance their work and personality.

She called on women to learn more, network more, equip themselves, and aspire to achieve their goals, work harder and build resilience to overcome challenges.

Nwali Chinenye, a participant in the workshop, encouraged women to have self-esteem and carry themselves with confidence.

Ms Chinenye said women should build confidence in tackling challenges, making mistakes and learning from them, noting that small daily efforts could lead to significant achievements.

She further encouraged women to expose themselves to training and development opportunities to rediscover their true selves.

Speaking on gender-based violence, Madukpe Solomon, a participant from the Federation of Informal Workers Organisation of Nigeria (FIWON), emphasised the importance of being an ally to support women in cases of gender-based violence and harassment.

Another participant, Stanley Ominyi, branch secretary of FIWON, said that men should be able to stand in for women when necessary.

Mr Ominyi stressed that there is a need for gender equality in all things.

Earlier, Christopher Johnson, the regional programme director for Africa for the Centre, underscored the prompt need for personal and collective movements towards equity between men and women, saying that there should be fair treatment for all.

According to Mr Johnson, the workshop aimed at addressing gender-based violence, considered crucial to occupational safety and health.

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He emphasised the importance of respect for all human life and the need for men to respect their female colleagues.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that no fewer than 40 persons, both men and women, participated in the workshop.

(NAN)