By Mataeliga Pio Sioa
Concern by the retiring Secretary General of the Forum Islands, Dame Meg Taylor, at the ‘…extremely low participation and decision making by women in public life’ is understandable.
Dame Taylor would know after 6 years as a ‘regional public servant’ in our Forum region or Blue Pacific.
This was her recent International Women’s Day message on the 8th March 2021.
Discrimination based on gender and sex, human rights, leadership in public life and much more, are at the heart of what she sees as the women’s fight for just recognition.
While this is hardly news to us in Samoa it would be fair to say we are making a lot of promising progress in that direction for our women.
Our Ministry of Women leads the way working with women at the grassroots level in the village communities.
Active non-Governmental community groups like Samoa Victim Support, Women in Business and a mix of church and professional women organisations, collectively contribute to the worthy cause.
The tendency to measure leadership by the number of women in politics is common enough but highly inaccurate and superficial in terms of true representation.
The transition of women into political leadership is still a fair way to go. In the last 50 or so years this has always been a domain for men and won’t change overnight.
As recent as the 2016 general election a quota for women became law in Parliament for 5 confirmed seats.
History was made when the number was met and credit so deserving of the Government for reaching out a helping hand to the women leadership cause.
For the first time ever Parliament had the most number of women in a sitting since Samoa became independent in close to 6 decades.
There are 22 women running as candidates in the upcoming general elections. One is already confirmed as an unopposed elected MP.
An update of progress should become clearer in a few weeks time with the results of the 9th April 2021 general elections.
But the political front for women is not really the beacon of bright light guiding and speeding up the leadership transition in Samoa.
The participation of women in the public service is where the real story of leadership development stands out right now.
Inside the public service workforce, 58% are females (2,411) and 42 per cent (1,474) males, according to the Public Service Commission staff reports.
Top CEO positions are evenly spread with 9 males and 8 females as heads of Ministries.
Women have the upper hand as Assistant CEO’s with 98 females leading the males at 72.
Males, however, dominate as heads of State Owned Enterprises by 50% with 18 compared to 9 females.
A key area in the public service to monitor the emerging changes of leadership in women is the direct link between education and employment.
Women are catching up or overtaking already the men in senior jobs and education is the deciding factor.
Question is how or whether this trend of rising status for women in the workplace will spill over into political leadership.
What about women in the private sector? Where do they come in?
Women who build up their own influence whether in business or other private initiatives are natural leaders.
These are the ladies who take matters into their own hands and ‘man up’ against the challenges before them.
Still whether it is the public or private sector, in terms of leadership in a political or cultural sense, the path is a little more mountainous for our womenfolks.
Lets be honest about it.
At the same time too it is a positive sign to see the women take interest in leadership roles.
Women in leadership advocate, Gatoloai Ms. Tili Afamasaga, readily admits that women tends to let the men take the lead.
As an advocator Gatoloai has to work around established traditions in women that their primary role is to support the men as head of the family.
In terms of culture no eyebrows are raised when a man is bestowed a ‘matai’ or chiefly title especially a prominent one.
Give that same honour to a woman and it is a totally different story. We have all seen and heard how that one pans out.
We see the same in church as well in most of the leading religious denominations. Where are the women pounding the pulpit?
Very simple bottom line to all this women in leadership talk is fair and equal opportunity.
If a woman wants to lead why not? Judge her for her leadership skills and not some ancient cultural or religious hang-ups.
Thankfully for us in Samoa that is how we are trending right now and very probably taking the lead in our Blue Pacific region.
Much of the credit has to go into the setting up of our Ministry of Women to deal specifically with matters pertaining to women.
It is the kind of lead that goes right into the heart of one day achieving the leadership balance that is worthy of our women folks and so deserving for Samoa.
Make that our Sunday prayer Lord.