Breaking glass ceiling at WTO a triumph

DR NGOZI Okonjo-Iweala has become the first woman and the first African to be chosen as the director-general of the World Trade Organization.

The Conversation Africa’s Wale Fatade asks Dr Monica Orisadare, an assistant professor of economics and director of the Centre for Gender and Social Policy Studies at Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria, about Okonjo-Iweala’s achievement and what it means.

What does her career rise represent for Nigerian women?

Actually this is a great achievement. Not only from the Nigerian woman’s perspective but the African woman’s perspective as well as women all over the world. Breaking this glass ceiling is an achievement for all women. It means there is still hope, despite what we have on the ground.

Data shows that the number of women in positions of power, the number of women as captains of industry, compared to that of men is appallingly low. By 2030 the world is expected to have at least achieved some gender equality as set out in the targets of the Sustainable Development Goals. Most times women feel it’s a difficult feat to achieve. There are lots of women struggling to be heard. And despite their efforts they may feel, well, maybe it can’t be, given the patriarchal nature of the world we live in. But what this appointment shows is that governments, organisations and society still believe in women and that they can still be there at the top to manage affairs.

This achievement is not just a day’s work. It’s a kind of investment that she has nurtured for a long time.

Will it have any impact on women in Nigeria?

I believe it will. It’s a kind of impetus, a kind of encouragement for women here in Nigeria. I know a lot of people, a lot of women who are there putting in the effort in every aspect of life here, either in academia, as captains of industry or in politics, but presently the number the country has is very poor and not encouraging. Nigeria ranks among the least countries in terms of women in parliament. At present, Nigeria has just 3.63% female representation in parliament. This is a far cry from what is needed – the 35% through affirmative action. When you begin to talk about projects, programmes, that will affect women, we are not there yet.

Her appointment means we should not relent in our fight against gender inequality. We should still put in more effort in order to win the fight and be able to get what we want.

How do you feel about the appointment – as a female academic, a gender scholar, and development economist?

What does it say to me? I see focus and many years of hard work.

For me as a development economist and as an academic, I see her as a kind of role model – which she is. In fact, she is a mentor to all women struggling to become achievers. She’s strong in her focus …

I think there are some qualities that she possesses that I learnt from and also respect. Coming from that background, I know that she must have struggled. She must have worked in situations in which there were always more men than women. I can tell you categorically that that’s what it is like in many workplaces around the world and in my department here in the university. We have about 30 academic staff out of which only four are female.

It’s like that in most of the departments. So if we are getting few women coming on board, it means putting in more effort and not resting on our oars.