Haramaya University, in collaboration with the Female Staff Association of the University and East Hararghe Zone’s women organizations, conducted a leadership training for women leaders from 28 June to 4 July 2019 and from 9 to 14 July, 2019 in two rounds.
According to Mrs. Mulu Berhanu, Training Coordinator and staff member of College of Social Sciences and Humanities, “The training would enhance the skills and capacity of women in leadership and improve their effectiveness and increase their representations.” Specifically, the training aimed at: developing the women’s capacity to understand and examine contexts which influence their leadership (e.g., History of Oromo People Struggle and Gada System, Ethiopian Constitution, Federal System, and Civil Service Proclamations); developing women’s knowledge and understanding of the different leadership styles including how and where each style can be used; understanding the influence of gender in women’s leadership; deepening women’s awareness of themselves as a leader for change; and promoting women’s network across different sectors, to support and promote women as potential leaders.
Equal engagement of men and women is vital for ensuring the development of any sectors and sustain equal benefits. However, at the sector level, where policy, resourcing, and planning are usually discussed and decided upon, there are very few women decision-makers.
Knowledge of the influence gender has in women leadership is productive in both dispelling myths about the gender gap and shining a light on aspects of gender barriers that are difficult to see. Given that many women have had little experience for leadership, it is of utmost importance that training is made readily available to allow women to develop and fine-tune their leadership skills. Once in the position, women also benefit from leadership training to increase efficiency and ensure sustainability.
Moreover, commitments to women’s empowerment not only means enabling women to advance in all spheres of life but also building their capacity to fully and effectively participate as leaders and decision makers, thereby ensuring their influence in all aspects of development and their elevation in societies.
A total of 200 (two hundred) women leaders from all sectors and twenty districts of Eastern Haraghe participated in the 10-day training.
Dr. Jemal Yousuf, Acting President of the University, in his closing speech said that promoting gender equality through women’s empowerment has become the major policy strategy to achieve human development, poverty eradication and economic growth.
He added that, such training expands women’s opportunities, enhances their capacity to full potential, contributes to more equal gender relations, and enables women contribute to the political and equitably benefit from development endeavors in the country.