Women: Recognizing our Value, We take Back our Power!

¨Women belong to all places
where decisions are made “

Ruth Bader Ginsburg

The role of women in society has changed dramatically in the last 100 years. Nowadays, almost globally, women’s conditions in terms of education and their inclusion in the workforce have drastically improved. However, it is important to remember that gender equity is still a distant goal. There are many countries where women do not have even minimal rights, and in others, where further development has been achieved on this issue, women continue to be underrepresented in high levels of leadership. According to the UNDP, worldwide, women earn 77 cents for every dollar that men earn doing the same work, and only 24% of all parliamentarians globally were women in November 2018.

Progress in terms of gender equity is fragile as demonstrated by the Covid-19 crisis. Many women were almost forced to quit their jobs or reduce their working hours to take care of their family in care work. It is estimated that in the United States and Europe, women increased their home task time on average between 1.5 and 2 hours a day during working hours. This negatively affected their productivity and pay, as well as their credibility with employers.

The world desperately needs female leadership. Women generally hold significantly more compassionate, progressive, peaceful and sustainable values than men[1]. When in position of political and economic leaderships, their votes and investments decisions are much more inclined towards sustainability[2]. Gender equity strategies can significantly contribute to improving our collective happiness[3] and support the cultural evolution we need.

Public policies need to promote greater participation of women in decision-making positions, as Germany did, requiring 30% of women in the management committees of large corporations on a mandatory basis.
For these policies to be effective, it is necessary to understand the historical heritage that many women often carry unconsciously. This burden consists in the fact that the so-called feminine values, such as care, empathy and non-violence among others, have been considered negative or of less value. As well, for centuries and even millennia, being born a woman was seen as “a mistake” and today it remains this way in many cultures. This leads to questioning the intrinsic value of women, generating problems of self-esteem and insecurity. By artificially holding them in a stereotypical identity of submissive and fragile, disconnected from themselves and their inner power, this minimizes their ability to take their rightful place in society.
At the same time, there is a need at the collective and individual level for a double process of femenine values positivization and a redefinition of gender identities, towards more open and authentic models. Thus, allowing the emergence of a new masculinity, giving men the opportunity for a healthy expression of their sensitivity and emotions and a new femininity in which women can affirm their strength and natural aspirations.
For the specific case of women, it is necessary to surpass this historical heritage through empowerment. This is a dynamic process, which begins with the re-connexion to the inner power, updating the self image narrative and a re-apropiation of  her  intrinsic value. This inner power is what we acquire through self-analysis and observation of ourselves, allowing an inner solidity that leads to clarity and assertiveness in our lives. By consolidating this inner power, it is possible to express it consciously in decision-making spaces, whether at work or in private lives. When this personal capacity unfolds, it is possible to see the development of a positive authority, healthy and well-balanced relationships and a clear positive impact in society.
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If you wish to deepen this reflection, I invite you to my free “Master Class” on Saturday, April 3rd and April 10  2021, register by email: emelinacorrales@vastmindcoaching.com

Times April 3rd

17:00 Paris   11:00  New York  8:00 Los Angeles

 

Times for April 10th

9:00h Paris   10:00 Tel-Aviv   19:OO Sydney

 

[1] Common Cause Foundation (2016), Eisenberg and Lennon (1983).
[2] Finucane and Hidalgo (2018).
[3] Yé et al. (2015).