Women & Power: How Are We Doing?

A Liberian mother doing what she can to contribute to keep her family going

After parading women around the corridors of power, what difference has it really made? Women in our society today have been greatly challenged to transcend the status quo by claiming their rightful place in the public sphere, something they had for decades been denied.

In Liberia, women have been entrusted with handling not only lofty but sensitive positions in the corridors of power. Feminists across the country, as in many parts of Africa and the world, have advocated a change of space for women to be given a chance to have a say and a role to play in the public sphere, stepping beyond the domesticated confines that have kept them regimented for decades. 

Indeed, their tireless and selfless advocacies prove worthy of the cause, with the ascendancy of a woman to the presidency, the first ever of its kind on the African continent in a male-dominated society. With this victory, women from all walks of life have been challenged and encouraged to effect changes in their various communities.

Women’s Power

Notwithstanding, women’s power fits within the three distinguishable phases of power: ‘threat, integrative and equity power’. They more effectively fit in the category of exchange power which is productive and creative, but also destructive depending on how it is employed.

Unlike exchange power, threat power can be either offensive or defensive given the current level of freedom that women enjoy along-side their male counterparts. Threat power could be abused, for example, by women who engage in economic crimes, prostitution, or false accusation of rape. Threat power can also be defensive by virtue of the first law of nature (self preservation) as well as the first law of feminism which is security. An example of defensive threat power could be the ambition to achieve complete independence from their male counterparts.

Integrative power can be destructive as well, but also creative. Integrative power brings women into equal membership with their male counterparts. It gives women an indispensible role in the public sphere, although their roles would hardly be leadership-oriented but more supportive. Because of their natural influential abilities, their integrative power could also be used to corrupt and divide.

Equity power gives women a voice ‘on their own two feet’, denouncing their previously imposed identity as “property” or “chattel assets”.  As we all too well know, in some  traditional systems, a woman’s right to speak is negotiated; she has no right to desire who her husband should be; she is not entitled to education; she is expected to do what her parents or husband say; she only has one right and that is the right to remain silent. In fact, she is a chattel asset and therefore not entitled to inheritance since she, herself, may be passed on to someone else as an inheritance.  The word equity alludes to an interest, stake or sense of ownership in an enterprise, be it a family, or society in general whereby women can engage in interest-based bargaining, decision-making and leadership.

These concepts of power highlight the significance of the groundbreaking feats that women are accomplishing at all levels of our societal growth and development. They are striving for empowerment and have stepped beyond that barrier of private space, into public space, alongside men. Remember, an empowered woman does not feel guilty.

It is worth celebrating the gains of women at all times as they remain resolute in ensuring that the political, socio-economic and cultural spaces are expanded for women’s participation. How are they doing this?  They do so by empowering themselves to deconstruct a history of patriarchy, chauvinism and devaluation of women, and re-establishing equity, thus appreciating certain differences between both genders. 

Women have been able to exert power at the community, national and international levels to let their voices be heard, especially in societies that attempt to discriminate against them, stigmatize their leadership and crush their creativity and influence.

In this vanguard, there are women who have resisted and continue to resist oppressive traditions and religious practices by rising above those customs to effect enlightenment in their societies. For their resilience in pursuing their aspirations, visions---in spite of the personal costs to themselves, these women deserve to be honored by our society.

All across the power spectrum, there are women with varying levels of competence. Indeed, there’s far more to it than only women political heavyweights. There are women paramount and clan chiefs; female elders who sit with the men under the palava hut to brainstorm on issues; market women, housewives or domestic engineers and farmers, to mention just a few. 

So, even at the grassroots or community level, women are effecting significant changes.  There are Liberian women in recent history who have handled the gavel of power with honor and distinction.  They must be acknowledged as trailblazers such as Ambassador.Angie Brooks Randolph, Paramount Chief Madam Suacoco, and Dr. Mary Antoinette Brown Sherman.