Ladies leading the way

Having said that, on this very day, we celebrate women in all their diversities; we pay respect to those who came before us and to those who are yet to see the world. This year, unlike any other, the celebrations will be a bit different because of the terrible impacts of COVID-19 and its repercussions on the society as whole — the already existent inequalities between the genders have been amplified in many ways. Hence, it has become indispensable that we put a combined effort to elevate the situation by increasing women's access to leadership roles, because 'women in the lead' can voice opinions and show the ways to a better, smarter, smoother recovery plan.

Hence this year's central theme for IWD has been put forward as: Women in Leadership: Achieving an Equal Future in a COVID-19 World#choosetochallenge

Paying homage to the theme, we have partnered with TAAGA, a brand strongly linked with the gender equality movement through its parent organisation BRAC, to identify five inimitable youth female leaders from diverse fields in our society. We caught up with them to speak about what leadership means to them and how it was possible to beat the odds to get to where they are today.

Nazia Hassan – Certified Fitness Trainer

What does leadership mean to you?

A good leader is a part of the team. They work together besides everyone else, to maximise the efforts as a whole. True leadership always inspires, never intimidates.

Do you think it's harder for women to reach the top of the ladder?

I believe both genders have responsibilities. A woman who wants to excel in her career, has to overcome obstacles just as their male counterparts, sometimes a little more especially when they have a family. Women tend to be undermined in some cases; however, it is vastly changing in the recent times. Women are taking charge of their own capabilities and proving themselves to the world and working to achieve success.

Did strength training give you a special kind of inner strength?

Strength training has allowed me to build mental and physical strength that now not only manifests in my training, but also in all aspects of my lifestyle. It has helped me sculpt an indomitable will and has helped me to create a drive to gear myself towards helping others to build the same. That's why I became a coach.

Ashreen Mridha – Founder Deshi Ballers, Brand Manager of a multinational company

How do you define leadership?

The truest form of leadership I have known is to be a captain, to hold my team together through good times and bad, through victories and losses. Whether you are the captain of your basketball team or the captain of an industry, you have got to be the person everyone can always turn to for direction, hope and inspiration.

Do you think it is harder for women to reach the top of the ladder given the circumstances of a widely-existent patriarchal environment? How can they overcome such obstacles?

Bangladeshi female athletes have made outstanding progress, but our sports channels are still dominated by male sports. We need more women on the tables where these decisions are made – it's as simple as that.

Bangladeshi women have come a long way fighting for their basic rights, even though 'taking up sports' is a much higher order need, but access to sports must be free of discrimination and harassment for women. We have too many battles to fight, but I think the first barrier is to alleviate the discrimination at home. I would call out parents and family members to make sports a positive experience for their daughters, because there are some things in life that cannot be learned in textbooks and parents must acknowledge that.

Did playing basketball help you in becoming more confident? Do you think women should take up sports to gain more confidence? Any advice for the 'next gen' leaders?

Skills learned through sports, such as discipline, fair play, teamwork, and sportsmanship can be taken off the field into other spheres of life, so the impact is gender neutral. Sports makes both men and women more confident and eventually great leaders. Basketball has given me an identity. My only advice for next gen leaders would be to 'always' put your community before yourself.

Sabira Mehrin – Founder Wander Woman

Few words on leadership…

To me, leadership means guiding people towards a positive change, taking actions to achieve goals and helping oneself to grow, subsequently.

Do you think it is harder for women to reach the top of the ladder given the circumstances of a widely-existent patriarchal environment? How can they overcome such obstacles?

Patriarchy is a crucial factor to hindering growth. Setting unjustified boundaries and unfair evaluation in case of a woman's progress have always pulled us back and shattered our self-esteem. However, with resilience and grit we have been able to break many glass ceilings. This challenging path gets smoother with the support of family for every person including a woman.

Did solo travelling help you in becoming more confident? Do you think women should travel more on their own to gain increased confidence?

Solo travelling indeed instilled a certain level of confidence in me. Today, I can handle any challenge anywhere in the world. I learnt to seek support when I needed it and manage unexpected crisis without losing patience. Women should definitely travel more to believe that they can take charge of their own actions and explore the world. This would definitely broaden their mindset, keep their mental wellbeing in check and make them more confident.

Umama Zillur – Founder and Director at Kotha

Few words on leadership…

Leadership means being able to 'instil hope' amongst others. We need to be hopeful first before we are able to make any change in the society. In my line of work if I am able to encourage people to 'hope for a better future,' then I am considered to be efficient and on the path of becoming a good leader.

Gender based violence have become a major topic of discussion in the recent times – would you like to elaborate on this. What inspired you to start Kotha?

Gender based violence is a very strong topic. We usually do not find any inspiration in these words. So, when I am asked what inspired me to begin Kotha, I usually say 'rage'! That's exactly how I feel and I expect others to reciprocate in the same way because of the way we have normalised and become desensitised to such a heinous crime.

At Kotha, we work on the primary level, trying to change the mindset of the people. The root cause of gender-based violence is the way that we think. In our society we are encouraged to 'not talk' and hence the name Kotha. So 'speaking' is a way to our protests. We encourage everyone to talk about what's bothering them, what's hindering their progress, what's causing unhappiness in their lives.

Any words for the future leaders?

Always question what you are told. We are usually dictated everything; we need to be able to decide for ourselves what we want and not be navigated by others. And we should also remember that it is easy to rise as a single person and that the real achievement lies elsewhere — where we rise together as a team!

Ambreen Reza – Co-Founder and MD at foodpanda

What does being a leader mean to you?

First and foremost, leadership means 'being willing' to listen. You have to listen to the people around you — that's how you learn and implement new changes and achieve new goals together. Beyond that, being a good leader is about empowering everyone in your vicinity, being there for your team and giving your team the independence so that people never feel like their creativity and ability to innovate is being hampered.

Do you think it is harder for women to reach the top of the ladder due to the dominant ideology of patriarchy?

I think that patriarchal notions often work to constrain women, and prevent them from reaching their full potential. These outdated notions have no place in the workplace, or anywhere else for that matter. So, as we move further into the digital era, I hope that everyone will be extended the same opportunities and allowed to climb to the top with no restrictions.

How did you gather the courage to think out-of-the-box and break all sorts of glass ceilings to reach where you are today?

I have never been the one to settle! All my life I have tried to break the norms and I have worked hard to make sure that I'm always able to get a seat at the table. I was the first girl in my extended family to represent my school in the sports teams, to get a scholarship and pursue studies abroad, to be on the Dean's List at a foreign university, and to become a chartered accountant. Throughout my life my parents have empowered me to never settle and provided me with ample amounts of freedom, and I have used that to propel myself forward, towards new goals.

Any advice for the future leaders?

My advice is to follow dreams and never be dissuaded by failure. Any good idea needs grit and perseverance, to become a reality. Take criticism and feedback, but never let it hold you back. Instead, use it to learn more, forge forward to make impactful changes, and create something that really helps to make a difference in the lives of your target audience.

On Women's Day, as we pay homage to the leaders and recognise their efforts, we also instil a special hope amongst ourselves that everything is possible. Pandemic or not, nothing should be able to hinder our ways to progress. It only gets better from here, for all the genders.

#choosetochallenge #supportequality #supportprogress #supportwomen #womeninleadership

Wardrobe: TAAGA

Styling: Azra Mahmood

Photo: Sazzad Ibne Sayed