Graça Machel Trust Archive Picture
Women bring unique feminine qualities and valuable perspectives to every industry and every decision-making table. Be vocal and make your voices heard. Challenge the norms that you feel constrain you.
The Covid-19 pandemic has exposed a lot of social and economic crisis around the world. However, one thing that cannot be ignored is that women leaders have proven to do a better job. Emerging research is backing this up. Some studies found that outcomes related to Covid-19, including several cases and deaths, were systematically better in countries led by women.
One study reported that four out of five countries in terms of lives saved and control of the virus’s spread have women leaders, like New Zealand, Finland, Germany and Taiwan’s. These women-led countries have been seen to display high empathy and firm focus on their populations’ well-being.
Mrs Graça Machel and Korean Deputy Speaker Kim Sang-hee speaking at the Asian Leadership Conference
Echoed from the conversation from a high-level talk between Founder of Graça Machel Trust, Mrs Graça Machel and Korean female Deputy Speaker Kim Sang-hee. “In the COVID-19 era, female leadership is a bright spot.” More significantly, women leaders are more cogent and inclusive, qualities perfect for future women leaders in a post-COVID-19 world. Mrs Machel displayed satisfaction at how South Korea itself has managed the pandemic. “Countries led by women!! – Including your own there in South Korea!- have done the best in managing the virus,” she said.
During the panel discussion, which took place virtually on November 11, 2020, the two stalwarts engaged in a conversation centred around Fostering Female Leadership towards a Sustainable Post-COVID-19 World. Mrs Machel, who is well known for her active role in advocating for women and children’s rights, shared her sentiments around how the pandemic has impacted women and the youth in Africa.
“The majority of African countries have responded to COVID-19 well, from quickly closing borders to showing strong political will to combat the virus. For example, Mauritius (the 10th most densely populated nation in the world) began screening airport arrivals and quarantining visitors from high-risk countries. This was two months before its first case was even detected!” – Graça Machel.
Despite this, Mrs Machel highlighted the devastating effects caused by the lockdowns in developing countries. She said that in every nation and every community touched by the virus, inequalities are expanding. Poverty and hunger levels are rising due to job loss and economic downturn the virus is causing”.
“As for Africa’s women and children, they are bearing the brunt of the pandemic. Hard-won progress for women and young people is being reversed”- Mrs Graça Machel.
Watch the full conversation here
Read Graça Machel’s recommendations for post-COVID-19 recovery in Africa that are sensitive to the needs of women and children, highlighted in A Call to Action she penned with other extraordinary women financial experts in Africa.
References
https://hbr.org/2020/12/research-women-are-better-leaders-during-a-crisis
The Trust supports and mobilises civil society networks on issues of ending child marriage, ending violence against children, ending female genital mutilation and promoting children’s rights, to carry out advocacy and action across Africa. Special focus is placed on Malawi, Mozambique, Tanzania and Zambia where child marriage continues to be a problem largely driven by poverty, gender inequality, harmful traditional practices, conflict, low levels of literacy, limited opportunities for girls and weak or non-existent protective and preventive legal frameworks.
Education is a fundamental right for all children, which is also a vehicle for social, economic and political transformation in communities, countries and the African continent at large. Recent studies indicate a lack of progress in some of the critical commitments aimed at improving education quality, access, retention and achievement, particularly for girls. In most African countries, girls may face barriers to learning, especially when they reach post-primary levels of education. By implementing multi-dimensional approaches to education which includes core education, personal development, life skills and economic competencies, the Trust partners with funding partners, governments, civil societies and the private sector to improve education access.
The Nutrition and Reproductive, Maternal, New-born, Child and Adolescent Health and Nutrition, (RMNCAH+N) of the Children’s Rights and Development Programme aims at promoting the Global Strategy for women, children and adolescents’ health within the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) agenda. The strategy emphasises on the importance of effective country leadership as a common factor across countries making progress in improving the health of women, children and adolescents.
Through its Early Childhood Development (ECD) plan, The Trust will seek to put into action the new science and evidence Report that was presented by Lancet Series on Good and early development – the right of every child. This will be achieved by mobilising like-minded partners to contribute in the new science and evidence to reach all young children with ECD. The Trust’s goal is to be a catalyst for doing things differently, in particular, to rid fragmentation and lack of coordination across ECD sectors. In response to evidence showing the importance of political will in turning the tide against the current poor access and quality of ECD. Even before conception, starting with a mother’s health and social economic conditions, the early years of a child’s life form a fundamental foundation that determines whether a child will survive and thrive optimally.