On African Women's Day, a reflection on women empowerment and remaining challenges in Angola: World Bank Blog By Natália Timóteo Yange
Luanda, Angola (PANA) - On the day we celebrate African Women, Natália Yange guides us in an in-depth reflection on the achievements and challenges faced by women in Angola, a country where culture and tradition are intertwined with modern progress, and where women are increasingly occupying spaces of leadership and influence. This blog highlights both the progress that has been made and the paths that still need to be taken to achieve full gender equality.
Natália Yange discusses the challenges and opportunities from the perspective of women in Angola.
African Women's Day, celebrated on July 31, in reference to the African Women's Conference that took place in 1962 in the city of Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania, is an opportunity to reflect on the challenges and opportunities that women face today.
More than 60 years later, what problems do women still face? I bring an approach to a range of obstacles, from gender inequality and domestic violence to discrimination in the workplace.
Although significant progress has been made in women's rights, there is still much to be done to achieve true gender equality. The lack of economic and social opportunities, academic and professional training, equal opportunities, and access to leadership positions continue to be significant barriers faced every day.
Training has been a crucial factor in women's emancipation, as with the increase in access to education for young and adult women, many have taken the opportunity to go back to school and improve their social conditions.
Continuous training allows these women to adapt to the demands of the market and reach new professional heights, which contributes significantly to their autonomy and self-sufficiency.
Reconciling multiple roles - being a mother, housewife, wife and professional - continues to be a challenge, but having a support structure, organisational capacity and resilience has been essential to balancing these responsibilities.
The creation of solid support networks, both family and professional, and the clear definition of priorities are effective strategies for women to manage these multiple roles. More inclusive labour policies that offer more flexible working hours and hybrid working models would be crucial to enable women to reconcile all these roles.
Motherhood, considered obligatory in many African cultures mainly due to the preservation of continuity and the matrilineal parental lineage, is being re-evaluated by many young women who are choosing to prioritise their professional careers. This reflects a significant cultural shift, where more and more women are choosing to postpone motherhood to focus on their professional and personal careers.
This trend can be seen as a sign of progress, giving women the opportunity to make informed choices about each stage of their lives and balancing professional and personal aspirations.
Female entrepreneurship, which can be seen both as a search for financial independence and as a response to economic barriers, is a practice that has enabled Angolan women, considered among the most enterprising in Africa, to demonstrate an impressive capacity for innovation and adaptation to adverse circumstances.
This entrepreneurial spirit has been a means of transforming the environment and structure of family education and contributing to the development of their communities.
The purpose of life for an African woman can be seen as a mission to contribute to a more just and equitable society, where everyone has the same opportunities for growth and prosperity through education, economic empowerment, and social activism.
Many women are working to create a better future for the next generations, although the responsibility of educating a society, often assigned to women, can be overwhelming. However, it is also a powerful opportunity to promote positive change. It is crucial that this responsibility is shared equally between men and women, and that public policies support the education and empowerment of all, allowing women to play this role unencumbered.
Mental health is a topic that is increasingly on the agenda. The fast-paced dynamics of life, especially in city centres, plus the performance of multiple daily tasks, leads to an excessive load of stress, which should lead women to prioritise self-care and mental, physical, and social well-being.
Practices such as meditation, physical exercise and leisure time are essential for maintaining emotional well-being; establishing clear boundaries between work and personal life and seeking psychological support when necessary are also important for mental health.
The Club Delas, a platform of the blog Mulheres.ao, aims to empower women through writing. Many of the women who join this club are looking for a space to share and support each other, where they can exchange experiences and learn from each other in a safe space and have the freedom to be women without judgment.
It is intended as a welcoming and inspiring community that strengthens the female voice and promotes personal and professional growth.
To help make Club Delas a welcoming space, it's important to encourage the active participation of more women, share knowledge and experiences, and promote an inclusive and respectful environment. Collaboration and mutual support are essential to creating a space where everyone feels valued and heard.
-0- PANA AR/MA 31July2024
