Women in boardrooms: Why they are still few

She is currently the corporate affairs, brand & marketing manager, Standard Chartered Bank Uganda Ltd, a bank she has worked for in different managerial positions in Uganda, Kenya and Gambia in the last 15 years.

Ms Mpanga represents some women in Uganda who sit on boards of organisations while holding managerial positions.

Unlike Ms Mpanga and a few others who have managed to spout out in the male dominated space, the gender gap is still wide.
As we celebrate International Women’s Day, this year’s theme ‘Balance for better’ calls for action to drive gender balance across the world.

Much as there are efforts to increase the number of women in boardrooms and laws to support this cause, the gap is still wide.

Currently, only 10 women sit on boards of Uganda’s listed companies. In the financial sector composed of 24 commercial banks, only three women are chief executive officers. There is no female CEO in telecoms, beverages companies and the list goes on.

Employed women dominate in agriculture, services and manufacturing sectoris and are often at the very bottom of the value chain.

Challenges
For so long, women have been ignored. “This occurs when women are forgotten, overlooked or ignored in every sphere of life including in work spaces,” Ms Mpanga explains.

This, according to Ms Mpanga robs women of their identity, reminding them that they are inferior, insignificant and have no influence where it really matters.

Yet, none of these terms are applied instinctively to men’s efforts.

Dr Madina Guloba, a research fellow at the Economic Policy Research Centre (EPRC), asserts that more women are increasingly acquiring higher education, leading to better longer-term careers.

But women are still at a disadvantage compared to men because motherhood prevents them from conforming to the “ideal-worker norm.”

Some employers still discriminate women because women are more likely to drop out of the labour force to have children, or work part-time while raising them. This, in a way, limits their chances for job advancement.

“Women are passed up for promotions because of the possibility that they may leave, and are in some cases placed in positions with little opportunity for upward mobility to begin with, based on these same stereotypes,” Ms Guloba observes.
What we do not know is whether women in power inspire young girls given how they are portrayed in the media.
“Where are the female CEOs of banks, board members, construction engineers, executives directors,” Ms Guloba pondered.

Male supremacy
Some of the women in power whom Prosper Magazine interacted with said young women should learn how to market themselves whenever they are given a chance to speak in public.

Ms Rosemary Ssenabulya, formerly the executive director Federation of Uganda Employers (FUE), retired but still sits on several boards as a member. She confesses that the numbers are still not impressive.

“A number of people don’t know that there is a number of capable women who have not marketed themselves,” Ms Ssenabulya shares.

Ms Ssenabulya who encourages women to stand out and compete, says while at FUE, they trained more than 100 women to become board members and take up top positions.

The other challenge, according to Ms Ssenabulya is most people who decide who goes on what board are still men and have preference for fellow men.

“What I discovered is that usually when the times for head-hunting for those to take up board positions come, men tend to look out amongst themselves,” Ms Ssenabulya shares.

Dr Maggie Kigozi, an investment advisor and board member of several organisations, thinks the reason why the gap is still wide could be related to lack of confidence especially smong the younger generation of women.

“Even where some are head hunted, most times they decline saying they don’t have the time. It is true women don’t have the time since they have to balance work and life,” she said.

She further said the only way for women to be confident is to take up leadership roles and build on that by joining networks.

The other way is in understanding the benefits of those in leadership positions.

Women are also still few on boards because of their sabotaging each other.
“Some women are very protective of their areas, they actually don’t want other women to be recognised,” Kigozi added.

Solutions
But how can we change this?
Prosper Magazine interacted with some women in boardrooms, who suggested some solutions towards bridging the gap.
Ideally marketing is the action or business of promoting and selling products or services, including market research and advertising.

In trying to balance for better, young professional women and those in business are advised to market themselves if they want to close the gender imbalance.

“FUE should come out and intensifed marketing the value women have when they are included on the boards. Those who have acquired management skills should not sit back but market themselves, express their strengths and capabilities before and when appointed,” Ms Ssenabulya advised.

Ms Victoria Sekitoleko, President International Women in Coffee Alliance-Uganda Chapter (IWCF) also formerly working with Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and past minister of Agriculture, says young professional women should speak out especially when they see these injustices.

“Front yourselves in whatever meetings you attend when given the opportunity. Ask why women are few in these meetings,” she advised.

As the President of IWCA-Uganda Chapter, she said in Uganda, 70 per cent of all the labour in the coffee industry –the country’s leading export commodity is done by women.

Dr Gudula Naiga Basaza, the Vice chair of Psfu board, said: “A man who is doing nothing will get up and talk about themselves in meetings but women are still finding challenges in this area.”

Government’s role
Tossing the dice to government, Ms Ssekitoole says in order to close the gender gap in boardrooms which tend to lean towards men: “Government should walk the talk by instituting the rule that in every boardroom, a third of the members should be women.”

Sadly however, even when you look at government boards, there is just an occasional woman.
“Let government follow and implement its own rule. This should be followed up by the Equal Opportunities,” Ssekitoleko said.

Networks: your social capital

Building networks

Women who have the potential to become board members and managers may not be known by the appointing authorities rather through networks, experts think.

Ms Gudula says women should widen their social capital. Many women go straight home after work unlike men who work on their social capital based on who knows them through networking.

“Just watching a football match allows men to network. But women who are limited on their social capital because they have to balance work, motherhood and life miss out on the network,” Ms Gudula noted.

However, Gudula refused to buy into the notion that women fail to serve on boards of organisations because of limitations of work-life balance saying the eight days a board sits is not too much a time for one not to network.

Many times women are forced to sit on boards because it is a requirement but Gudula urges them to disprove their critics because they are equally capable.
“It is good to add women to their boards because they are people who are focused and know about minor details,” she shared.

SOME WOMEN ON BOARDS
Dr Gudula Naiga Basaza. She is the chairperson of dfcu Women in Business Advisory Council, vice chairperson Private Sector Foundation Uganda, chairperson of Kacita Women Provident Fund, chairperson for National Agricultural Research Organisation Council, member of Makerere University Business School –Incubation Centre and a retired chairperson Uganda Women Entrepreneurs Association Limited.

Ms Victoria Ssekitooleko. She is the President of International Women in Coffee Alliance-Uganda Chapter, also formerly working with Food and Agriculture Organization and past minister of Agriculture. She is a member of BRAC International and Biyinzika International among others.

Dr Maggie Kigozi. She is the chairperson of Africa Scouts Foundation, chairperson Global Fund Board –Uganda. She Sits on the board of Crown Beverages –Producers of Pepsi Cola products where she is also a director by shareholding, Trade Mark East Africa, Shell Foundation, plus other boards of several NGOs. Dollar Initiative.