Thoughts on Matriarchy
By Nada Badran
When I first started reading about matriarchy, this June’s theme, and tried to imagine a society where women make all the key decisions that shape the safety, health, education and culture of the community, I came across a few headlines describing the ‘last matriarchy in Europe’, the isolated Estonian island of Kihnu.
Digging deeper, I discovered the stories of women whose roles expanded beyond the traditional norms and are described as the official custodians of life on the small island. The women of Kihnu balance the responsibilities of farming, husbandry, child-rearing and daily life –all powered by their strength and steadfast resilience. These women could (and can) do it all, without making the decision that something had to give. While the headlines suggest the end of such societies, I would argue that such women exist all over the world.
Women who have put in enormous hard work and commitment and are making massive strides in redefining norms as they go along. Addressing their achievements is an occasion to celebrate their progress, but also to critically reflect and strive for greater momentum worldwide.
In politics, we’ve seen how female leadership has helped manage the COVID crisis at a time while walking on a tightrope between balancing the health of people with that of economies. New Zealand’s PM Jacinda Ardern’s politics of kindness and compassion has received world praise. In health, women make up a majority of front-line workers as health care workers and caregivers (Source: UN) and in the home. Without their unwavering support and care, the lives of all of us and our families would be at stake, as the pandemic has highlighted over and over again.
In education, where teaching is an overwhelmingly female profession, faculty are tasked with grooming the minds of future generations to become leaders, a responsibility that many are entrusted with and successfully deliver. Again, the pandemic has highlighted the incredible importance of their contributions particularly when teaching has moved online, on an untested and unprecedented scale. In science and business, women have made substantial contributions to the world economy and knowledge bank we so heavily rely on, yet still, experience a gender gap in their recognition for it and missing rungs on the leadership ladder.
There are many great women leaders across various industries and realms, ones with megaphones and ones working behind the scenes, who will continue to strive to create a better world. I encourage you, the reader, to hear and share their stories and triumphs. Because without them, where would our world be?
