Women Poised to Assume Greater Roles
Friday 2nd November 2007

Oh! At last, women of the world are showing no sign of despair in their bid to break the glass ceiling to join what used to be an exclusive men’s club.

From humble but noble traditional role as tenders of children and servants of men, women across the world are witnessing silent but significant revolution in their roles. 

From Ireland’s Mary McAleese, Finland’s Tharja Halonen, Liberia’s Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, Philippines’ Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, Switzerland’s Micheline Calny-Rey to Argentina’s Isabel Martinez de Peron, women have now entered what used to be men’s offices to take on jobs that were hitherto meant to remain glamour for them.

However it is gratifying to note that in all the aforementioned countries, women have now assumed commanding positions as presidents, indicating to the world that women are not incapable to assume the presidency.

From a gender perspective of things and a vantage point of hindsight, this positive transformation in the history of the women-folk is indicative of one thing- the simple fact that women are now making marks as vice presidents, Secretaries of State, Permanent Secretaries, Lawyers, business ladies, to mention but a few- is not only a great improvement but expressive of the fact that the continuum between men and women is narrowing.     

This socio-political phenomenon represents a great improvement in the lot of the womenfolk. As if the world has ipso facto recognised the effort of women, people have now known that women are capable of handling the positions which were known to be handled by men. On the other hand it is a manifestation that the gender gap between the two sexes was very wide. But if the afore-mentioned facts are of any significance, soon by the grace of God the gap will close because women are willing to compete with their male counterparts in the development and building of good governance.