An opinion piece on the role of successful women in uplifting girls so as to close the gender gap in leadership and STEM.

1. Female role models pivotal in girl
leadership development
Posted on June 23, 2014
Johannesburg | 23-06-2014 | MGLI
It is now time for women not to stand on the sidelines and plead to join the party, but to create
their own party that rocks.
According to The World Economic Forum (WEF) arm running the Women Leaders and Gender
Parity Programme there is strong evidence to show that, at the macro level, countries that invest
in girls and integrate women into the workforce tend to be more competitive. Many governments
are, therefore, considering or are already implementing affirmative policies, including quotas.
There is also mounting research and anecdotal evidence that closing the gender gap is good for
companies. Companies that successfully engage women may reap a rich diversity dividend. With
talent shortages projected to become more severe in much of the developed and developing
world, it is imperative for business to have access to female talent.
The loop holes in the leadership bucket have to closed by empowering girls through targeted
leadership training from a very young age. The proverbial “glass ceiling” that has perennially
impeded women from optimizing their leadership potential ought to be shattered from the
grassroots level. It is now time to rethink the prevailing leadership training model that was crafted
by males for males (BMFM) to thrive in a testosterone-fuelled environment.
It is now time for women not to stand on the sidelines and plead to join the party, but to create
their own party that rocks. The only way this fanfare for women can be implanted in our heavily
skewed world is for women who have achieved to take it upon themselves to nurture young and
upcoming girl leaders. The problem is that there are not enough upcoming girl leaders who can
display and vouch for their abilities as they have continuously been portrayed as weak and
subordinates of their male counterparts. This suppression of girls emanates from the very basic
building block of the family unit and proliferated into every facet of girls’ lives especially
through unemancipated teachers who still preach the gospel of male superiority.
Successful women leaders are generally to blame for the slow pace at which transformation is
taking place mainly as a result of the so-called “Queen-bee effect”. I for one have met many
women who bask in the glory of being the only woman to achieve a certain level of success and
achievement. It is a pity that the majority of these women do not give back anything tangible to
aspiring girls to follow suit. It is with deep regret that the queen bees undo themselves as it is
lonely at the top and very little impact can be made if there exists a handful of successful women
leaders.

2. It is imperative that every woman take up the fight to empower girls through mentoring and other
well documented strategies of churning out more girls into STEM and leadership. As a woman
leader take stock and see what you have done this month to improve a girl’s chance in life. Have
you widened your sphere of influence for the sake of the girl child? Have you raised funds? Have
you encouraged girls to do more and dream bigger? What have you done for your country with
respect to girls? Make it your mission to inspire, motivate and nurture a girl who will one be a
political, business, social, household leader.
It has been well documented in many UN journals that women constitute more than half of the
world’s population thus the only viable targeted mechanism of ensuring that poverty reduction is
a reality is to uplift girls and women who with little room to maneuver have always been
custodians and gate-keepers of societies. Just imagine if all the women toiling in the rural areas
were given an opportunity to rise and shine. Just imagine how women and girls with their
motherly touch can change the fortunes of this world through love and care.
I for one pledge to support the empowerment of girls and women and give them an
unprecedented access to leadership and success. It is our moral duty to allow women to flourish
in this world. As men let us pledge to reduce Gender Based Violence which is a scourge that has
seriously stifled progress in our societies.
I am humbled to note that some women across the globe are making concerted efforts to give the
girl a chance in life. I have witnessed women in action, fighting for the girl child, those that have
personally touched me are GenderLinks in Southern Africa, L’Oreal, GirlChild Network
International, Stemettes in the UK and the global GSMA women initiative.
As part of efforts to connect girls and women who have made their mark in their industries,
MathsGenius Leadership Institute is calling on all women to inspire girls across Africa through
its effort on http://www.mathsgenius.co.za/girlchildcampaign.php
It is paramount that every woman contributes in their own way to make this world sustainable.
Being an achiever is not measured in any currency so women, do not fear go and tell your story
and change someone’s life. For a direct link to the questionnaire which you can fill in and you
will be included in a Quarterly magazine for girls visit
http://www.mathsgenius.co.za/form.php and tell us what keeps you going and how you wish to
inspire girls. Let us stand for the girl child.
Edzai Conilias Zvobwo is the Chief Genius at MathsGenius Leadership Institute in South Africa.