BLOGGING THE VIEW: Women leading the way in 2020

History has shown the incredible power of women when their backs are against the wall.

In 1956, the Federation of South African Women marched to the Union Buildings to hand over a petition against the carrying of pass books.

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Not only did the 20 000-strong crowd march, they also stood outside in silence for 30 minutes in a powerful display of non-violence.

This action is now celebrated every year on 9 August.

More than six decades on, inequality persists; gender-based violence continues to destroy the lives of women countrywide; and we still need an entire month of the year dedicated to uplifting the gender.

But, despite the struggles, great strides are being made globally in recognising the role of women.

One example is the swift and determined response by women in leadership positions to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Across the globe, female leaders are being lauded for saving lives by acting with forethought and empathy in addressing the challenges of the virus.

Here’s a look at some of the women leading the way in 2020.

New Zealand’s Jacinda Ardern
Taking office in October 2017 at the age of 37, Jacinda Ardern has attracted headlines for her bold actions on a number of tragic occasions.
When 51 people were shot and killed in a terrorist attack in Christchurch last year, she pledged to cover all funeral expenses and pushed through changes to the gun laws to prevent such atrocities.
When the threat of Covid-19 arrived, she quickly shut down the borders and prepared the nation for what was coming.
Her decisive technique and empathetic world view, have made her an inspiration to women everywhere.
(All this, and she gave birth while in office.)

Germany’s Angela Merkel
The mother of the nation, Merkel has been the epitome of a powerful female leader for years.
With a PhD in quantum chemistry, there’s no questioning her intellect, and she always shows a sense of humanity in her decision-making.
Through swift action and widespread testing, Merkel has managed to keep the infection and fatality rate much lower than other European counterparts.

Taiwan’s Tsai Ing-wen
Working with her vice president, Chen Chien-Jen – an epidemiologist – Tsai Ing-wen (a PhD holder herself) restricted visitors coming from China’s epicentre, with mandatory health checks implemented. This fast-acting, regulated approach worked, with very low infection and mortality rates.

Iceland’s Katrín Jakobsdóttir
By collaborating with deCODE Genetics – a Reykjavik-based biotechnology company – Prime Minister Katrín Jakobsdóttir was able to offer Icelandic nationals free testing to quickly identify and isolate infected individuals. Alongside this, Iceland has expansive trace testing for containment of the virus.
This allowed for the easing of restrictions in May.

Norway’s Erna Solberg
By following science and not politics, Norway was also able to get on top of the viral infection quickly through early lockdown and extensive testing and monitoring. Solberg was also praised for being relatable in her communication, speaking directly to the citizens, and particularly the youth.

Women in leadership still need to work that much harder to be considered equal to their counterparts – just look at the PhD holders here compared with Donald Trump, who had to pay someone to take his SATs.

But slowly the gap is closing, and the world is acknowledging the importance of placing women in top positions, rather than just ticking politically correct boxes.

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