Lawyer and Social Sciences Research Consultant
Valerie Nangidi Okumu
Research Coordinator, Pan Africa Association of Judges of Environment Land and Labour | Kenya
Short Bio:
Ms. Valerie Nangidi Okumu-Ojiambo is a lawyer and social sciences research consultant specializing in gender responsiveness in governance, law, politics, healthcare, and climate change. With a focus on women’s issues, she addresses the intersection of feminism and governance, advocating for purposeful leadership to resolve gender disparities. She has served as the lead researcher at Kenya’s Commission for the Implementation of the Constitution and consults on policy reform and devolution. Currently pursuing a PhD at Tangaza University, Ms. Okumu-Ojiambo also leads research at the Pan-African Association of Judges of Environment, Land, and Labour, focusing on labor, land, and environmental justice.
Event: SDGs Conference 2024 | Date: Sept 25, 2024 |
SPEECH
I am very grateful for this opportunity to speak on this very important topic that will help us identify pathways to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). My argument is that we must pursue this through a purposeful approach. I say this because of my background in constitutional reform. Historically, we have dealt with the exclusion of women, despite numerous legal frameworks at both the international and local levels that seek to ensure women’s inclusion in governance. The leadership provided by women must have a voice to help us move forward. However, at this juncture, we still find ourselves discussing the unlocking of women’s leadership, indicating that we have not yet achieved our goals, despite the conventions, such as the MTO Protocol, and national legislation that actively promotes women’s inclusion. From my experience in the constitutional reform sector, I have observed that, despite the merit of legal frameworks seeking to include women, the space for implementing governance reforms remains rigidly grounded in law. Through the enactment, interpretation, and enforcement of these laws, we have made progress, but we have not yet reached our desired destination, especially concerning the achievement of the SDGs.
How do we advance at this critical moment in implementing the SDGs? I contend that implementation could be misaligned if the values, norms, mindsets, and cultures that speak to a positive approach in which governance reforms ought to be actualized, are not given the necessary space.
Unlocking women’s leadership is not just about inclusion; it is about transforming systems to foster justice, peace, and prosperity for all through purposeful, ethically grounded, and skill-driven leadership, which women are known to possess. However, with a patriarchal undertone in the implementation space, there exists a culture where many contributions from women are expected to serve the public good without proper recognition or compensation. Women are often expected to contribute selflessly, which requires significant sacrifice. Even though society thrives through their efforts, they are not recognized or afforded the opportunity to actively engage. In political spaces, there is frequently a stronger push for what is said at the table rather than what occurs outside it. The representation of women in these discussions is a challenge not only in Africa but globally.
At this critical point, we must ask ourselves: What do we need to change to achieve the goals we have set for sustainable development? The urgent need to sustain development requires us to secure the future, necessitating a different approach to governance. This is why I emphasize the importance of purposeful leadership, which must embody ethical values through the inclusion of everyone in the community, particularly women. This discussion must sustain the concept of unlocking women’s leadership to implement pathways for the future. We can achieve this by questioning the patriarchal entrenchment in governance, which has historically privileged some while excluding others. These values do not speak to equality, justice, or fairness. This brings us to the challenges faced in achieving SDG number five on gender equality.
When discussing issues of human dignity, we realize that dignity has no gender, it is not exclusively male or female. We must confront the challenges that have marginalized a section of humanity if we are to move forward. In Africa, we speak of Ubuntu values in governance, where we emphasize human equal treatment and collective values. Ubuntu espouses the belief that “I am because we are,” which means we must include every segment of society.
As we include every segment, we must ask critical questions: Why do we talk about the inclusion of women? Why women? Another important question is: How do we bring women on board so that their inclusion is meaningful rather than tokenistic? What agenda do women bring to the table, especially as we discuss pathways for the future?
As a feminist, I examine both legal and feminist approaches, which can sometimes be at odds. We have seen political participation in Africa where elaborate laws on women’s participation exist, such as the two-thirds gender rule anchored in my country’s constitution. Despite this, we have not provided the much-needed space for women to engage meaningfully, leaving them still excluded from leadership.
This raises the question of how we can foster purposeful engagement that is validated and meaningful and responds to the context on the ground. When we speak about women’s inclusion in governance, what exactly do we mean? This pertains to many aspects we must purposefully consider. For instance, while women may aspire to the highest positions of leadership, such as the presidency, they encounter numerous obstacles. In Tanzania, we witnessed the election of a female president.
The key to her success lay not only in legal frameworks but also in how purposeful the initiative was that propelled her into that position, as she was the deputy president before her election. If we want to employ a purposeful approach, we must make decisions and act in ways that facilitate women’s ascent to leadership positions, allowing them to fulfill their potential. We can see this in the case of Kamala Harris, who, despite challenges, has proved her mettle as she campaigns for the presidency. How can we ensure that similar paths are available for women in Africa, rather than allowing disparate approaches to securing women’s leadership between advanced countries and developing nations?
Thus, I argue that feminist judgments and approaches can serve as redemptive alternatives to the contradictions that hinder women’s leadership and obstruct the path to the future. We need to empower women, but we must critically ask what empowerment truly means. Whose power are we donating to women? When we talk about empowering women, are we implying that they enter spaces empty-handed, needing power bestowed upon them? We must deconstruct these concepts tied to women’s leadership to determine whether they meaningfully support women’s empowerment or merely perpetuate the notion that we are doing women a favor by including them.
I also consider the issue of gender responsiveness and how norms and procedures can address and accommodate the unique needs, vulnerabilities, and capabilities of women. This approach should facilitate collaboration and integrate women’s perspectives into policymaking, ensuring equitable outcomes for women. Gender equality and female empowerment are core development objectives fundamental to realizing women’s rights, which are essential for achieving the effective sustainable development outcomes we aspire to.
I speak from a position of conviction: women are capable, and they are nurturers. If given the chance, women can elevate governance and address many challenges we face today. We are at a crucial moment, where it is imperative to ensure that, within the limited time available to implement the SDGs, we create an environment where every segment of society can contribute their strengths, power, and leadership meaningfully.