Women Climbing the Political Leadership Ladder in Africa: Does Policy Guide Practice?

Abstract

This paper is largely based on literature review. Its aim is to explore the hurdles that women face in their quest for political leadership in their communities in Africa. The paper is guided by feminist philosophical thinking that argues for the interests of women. The major aim is to remind the world that they are paying leap services to the feminist course. The paper argues that although the world has passed and ratified progressive conventions and laws to ensure that there is social, political and economic fairness and justice in the treatment of women, there are serious gaps in the implementation of these policy and legal frameworks throughout the world, especially in Africa and other poor countries. The paper, thus, argues for a global audit and policing mechanism that ensures that governments abide by the gender rules and regulations that they claim to be their guiding frameworks. In fact, a complete overhaul of the prevailing mindset is required if anything close to fair and just representation of women in political leadership is to be realized. The challenge is on how to change this mindset as there are vested interests and centuries of social experiences.

Keywords: women, political leadership, policy, practice, feminist philosophical thinking, gender.