In the face of global challenges such as climate change, growing inequalities, pandemics and backlash against women’s rights, it has become increasingly important for us to reflect on what changes are needed to ensure that the gains made towards gender equality are not lost. Evidence has shown that increasing women in leadership positions is central to advancing equality. However, in this piece, Srilatha Batliwala argues that strategies aimed at gender parity alone are not truly transformative, as we risk reproducing discriminatory power dynamics that perpetuate the very inequalities we are working to overcome. Rather, to be truly transformative, she argues for the need to change the principles and values of leadership and how it is practised, regardless of gender identity.
In this think piece, Srilatha provides:
Srilatha Batliwala is Senior Adviser, Knowledge Building, CREA, Senior Associate, Gender at Work, and Hon. Prof. of Practice, SOAS, University of London.
You can also watch our webinar replay of Transformative Feminist Leadership In Global Health: From Rhetoric to Action.
Podcast Episode 1: The Power of Feminist Leadership: From Rhetoric to Action
This mini-series explores the power of leadership and in particular feminist leadership as a way to advance global commitments towards gender equality and health equity. There is a growing discourse highlighting the importance of women in leadership as central to advancing gender rights which has translated into increased calls for gender parity in leadership positions. However, evidence has shown that to ensure sustainable transformation, we need to move beyond parity as a tick-box exercise to leadership that tackles patriarchal and oppressive power structures. It is not just the gender of the leader that matters — the values and principles that underpin that leadership are essential. Feminist leadership is committed to creating alternatives to hierarchies and transforming oppressive norms internalized by individuals and organisational cultures and structures. As such, feminist leadership can take different forms, adapting to particular contexts, representing an ongoing process of individual and collective learning and unlearning to develop more just and equitable organisations that meaningfully work towards health equity and gender equality.
About our guest speakers:
Srilatha Batliwala, Creating Resources for Empowerment in Action (CREA)
Rudo Chigudu, Zimbabwe Women’s Resource Centre and Network
Lucy Kombe, Zamara Foundation
Gagan Sethi, Janvikas and Oxfam India
Bettina Baldeschi, International Women’s Development Agency (IWDA)
Geetanjali Misra, Creating Resources for Empowerment in Action (CREA)
In this episode we engage with ideas from the think piece authored by Srilatha Batliwala and hear from panellists striving to put transformative feminist values into practice. Join us to learn more and gain a better understanding of what feminist leadership means and looks like in a practical sense to advance global health equity and gender equality goals.
Podcast Episode 2 Part 1: Feminist Leadership Beyond Gender Binaries: Perspectives from Belize
Given the frequent misconception that feminist leadership is synonymous with women’s leadership, the next four episodes dive into deeper conversations on feminist leadership that move beyond the sex and gender binary, hearing from LGBT+ and male leaders. In the first of this two-part episode, M. Simone Hill, founder and current Treasurer of the organisation, Promoting Empowerment Through Awareness For Lesbian and Bisexual Women (PETAL) in Belize, shares her leadership journey and experiences.
About our guest speaker:
M Simone Hill, Founder of the organisation Promoting Empowerment Through Awareness For Lesbian and Bisexual Women (PETAL) in Belize
Links:
Promoting Empowerment Through Awareness For Lesbian and Bisexual Women (PETAL)
– Website: www.petalbelize.org
– Facebook: www.facebook.com/PETALBELIZE/
In this first episode Simone begins by sharing how her incredibly rich leadership journey started, how she was a reluctant leader who founded PETAL because she recognised the high levels of discrimination lesbian and bisexual women were facing in Belize and the lack of organisations supporting their rights. She goes on to explain how the organisation has grown and what her leadership style is like. As the episode ends, Simone describes how easy it is to unconsciously reinforce harmful patriarchal norms and stereotypes and stresses the importance of being self-reflective and empathetic to change oneself for the better.
Podcast Episode 2 Part 2: Feminist Leadership Beyond Gender Binaries: Perspectives from Belize
In the second part of this episode, we continue to hear from M. Simone Hill, founder and current Treasurer of the organisation, Promoting Empowerment Through Awareness For Lesbian and Bisexual Women (PETAL) in Belize. Simone shares more about the challenges PETAL has faced, the work they’ve managed to accomplish and how she has evolved as a leader and individual, assisting PETAL in providing legal literacy support, and now working towards being a trained attorney.
About our guest speaker:
M Simone Hill, Founder of the organisation Promoting Empowerment Through Awareness For Lesbian and Bisexual Women (PETAL) in Belize
Links:
Promoting Empowerment Through Awareness For Lesbian and Bisexual Women (PETAL)
– Website: www.petalbelize.org
– Facebook: www.facebook.com/PETALBELIZE/
In this episode, Simone Hill of Promoting Empowerment Through Awareness For Lesbian and Bisexual Women (PETAL)discusses the challenges and achievements in advocating for lesbian and bisexual women’s rights in Belize. She shares her personal transformation from a community leader to a law student, driven by her dedication to legal justice and inclusivity. Simone highlights PETAL’s key initiatives, including legal support and mental wellness, underscoring the necessity of resilience and empathy in feminist leadership. This episode offers insights into the impactful work of PETAL and Simone’s inspiring leadership journey.
Podcast Episode 3 Part 1: Feminist Leadership Beyond Gender Binaries: Perspectives from Guyana
While improving the representation of women in leadership roles is one important step toward institutionalising change towards gender equality and women’s empowerment, deep seated patriarchal norms mean we need more than gender parity, we need leadership that goes beyond gender binaries and authority, to responsibility grounded in feminist principles and values. In this two-part episode, we hear from Kobe Smith, a young black male feminist leader from Guyana who has held various local, regional and international leadership positions. Kobe is the Co-Founder and Vice President of the Sustainable Youth Network–Guyana, Director at Caribbean Vulnerable Communities Coalition and he is also a member of Fòs Feminista’s Board of Directors since 2017 and co-chairs its Advocacy Committee. In part 1 of this episode, Kobe shares what feminist leadership means to him and the importance of boards and management structures reflecting the people they serve. This episode is dedicated to the memory of Kobe’s mother, who shaped him to become the leader he is today.
About the guest speaker:
Kobe Smith, Co-Founder and Vice President of the Sustainable Youth Network–Guyana, Director at Caribbean Vulnerable Communities Coalition, Board Member Fòs Feminista
In this episode, Kobe Smith, a dynamic young black male feminist leader from Guyana, discusses the impact of feminist leadership beyond gender binaries. Drawing from personal experiences shaped by his late mother, Kobe emphasizes the need for diverse and inclusive leadership in organizations. He shares insights from his roles in various leadership positions, highlighting the importance of leadership that champions responsibility, inclusivity, and representation for achieving gender equality and global health equity. This episode is a tribute to Kobe’s mother and her influence on his leadership journey.
Podcast Episode 3 Part 2: Feminist Leadership Beyond Gender Binaries: Perspectives from Guyana
Kobe Smith, the Co-Founder and Vice President of the Sustainable Youth Network–Guyana and a member of Fòs Feminista’s Board of Directors, continues to share what feminist leadership means for him. Reflecting on the personal being political, in part two of this episode, he talks about how he remains grounded when he’s in positions of power, how he lives feminist principles and values both professionally and personally, and what wellness means for him. As with part 1, this episode is dedicated to the memory of Kobe’s mother, who shaped him to become the leader he is today.
About the guest speaker:
Kobe Smith, Co-Founder and Vice President of the Sustainable Youth Network–Guyana, Director at Caribbean Vulnerable Communities Coalition, Board Member Fòs Feminista
In Part 2 of this engaging series, Kobe Smith, Co-Founder and VP of Sustainable Youth Network–Guyana, continues to explore the depths of feminist leadership as a young black man. Reflecting on his personal journey influenced by his mother’s memory, Kobe discusses how he applies feminist values in positions of power and in his everyday life. He also opens up about how he looks after himself and his well-being, navigating the personal toll work takes as he fights to overcome national and global health inequities. As with part 1, this episode is a tribute to the lasting impact of his mother.
