(a) Gender Equality Leadership and Women Empowerment : As a LEADER / Future LEADER , I understand/respect through what HARDSHIP women go through in their DAILY LIFE ( same as my Mother Kritya) . I am leader Conscious of Women’s Dual Roles as Workers and Mothers and I EMPOWER women/mothers 17/09/25

Gender Equality Leadership and Women Empowerment  :  As a LEADER / Future LEADER , I understand/respect through what HARDSHIP women go through in their DAILY LIFE ( same as my Mother Kritya) .  I am leader Conscious of Women’s Dual Roles as Workers and Mothers and I EMPOWER women/mothers 17/09/25

I remember my OWN MOTHER Kritya . I read some posts about Gender Equality Platform (GEP)
I wanted to write on this topic also since I respect GENDER EQUALITY and I understand through WHAT HARDSHIP women go through in their WORK and DAILY LIFE
My own mother Kritya has been through all sort of problems 
(a) harassment ( Grand Bois, CHECKS SODNAC, Mr SAM bus owner ) , 
(b) violence, DEBTS, problems at home, 
(c) became WIDOW, 
(d) problems at WORK (Grand Bois / Stratford), 
(e) Raising two children alone, financial problems 
(f) problem with own children my brother Vikash WINE 
(g) losing her child....
(h) and then illness and DEATH at Candos  Hospital in 2023

Introduction

In contemporary educational leadership, the commitment to gender equality represents not only a moral imperative but also a prerequisite for effective and sustainable leadership practice. Gender equality leadership requires leaders to transcend traditional patriarchal frameworks and create environments in which all individuals, regardless of gender, are afforded equal opportunities to thrive (Eagly & Carli, 2007). Women in particular often experience the dual responsibility of professional engagement and domestic caregiving, roles which have historically been undervalued or viewed as incompatible with career advancement (Williams, 2000). For educational leaders, the challenge lies in developing leadership qualities that recognize, respect, and actively support these dual responsibilities while fostering organisational cultures that promote inclusivity and fairness.

This post examines the qualities required of a gender-conscious leader in education. It argues that gender equality leadership requires emotional intelligence, empathy, flexibility, ethical integrity, advocacy skills, and the capacity for transformative change. It explores how leaders can understand and respect women’s dual roles, while creating supportive institutional mechanisms. The discussion draws from feminist theories of leadership, organisational behaviour, and educational policy research, providing a holistic exploration of the issue.

Women Empowerment

Women empowerment refers to the process of increasing women’s access to resources, opportunities, and decision-making power in every aspect of life—social, political, economic, and personal (Kabeer, 1999). It is about dismantling structural inequalities that have historically placed women in subordinate roles and enabling them to participate fully and equally in society.

Empowerment is not only about individual agency but also about systemic change. As Sen (1999) argues, empowering women contributes to broader development goals, since educated and economically active women improve family well-being, child education, and community progress.

Gender Equality in Leadership: Theoretical Underpinnings

Feminist Leadership Theory

Feminist leadership theory highlights power imbalances embedded in patriarchal systems and calls for inclusive, participatory, and empowering leadership models (Batliwala, 2010). Leaders adopting this framework emphasize collaboration over hierarchy, valuing diversity of perspectives, and challenging structural barriers that disadvantage women.

Transformational Leadership and Gender

Transformational leadership theory, which emphasizes vision, inspiration, and personal development of followers (Burns, 1978; Bass, 1999), aligns closely with gender equality leadership. Female leaders, research suggests, often adopt transformational styles, emphasizing empathy, support, and empowerment (Eagly, Johannesen-Schmidt & van Engen, 2003). These qualities provide useful models for male leaders aspiring to be more gender-conscious.

Work–Family Interface Theory

Greenhaus and Beutell (1985) identified three forms of work–family conflict: time-based, strain-based, and behaviour-based. For women, especially in teaching and leadership roles, these conflicts are amplified due to persistent cultural expectations of motherhood. Gender-conscious leadership requires understanding these dynamics and implementing policies and practices that minimize such conflicts.

Qualities of a Gender Equality-Conscious Leader

1. Empathy and Emotional Intelligence

Empathy allows leaders to perceive and understand the lived experiences of women balancing careers and caregiving. Goleman (1998) identifies emotional intelligence (EI) as comprising self-awareness, self-regulation, motivation, empathy, and social skills—all essential for gender equality leadership. For instance, leaders who recognize the exhaustion of a teacher-mother returning from maternity leave can provide flexible schedules or mentoring support rather than penalizing perceived “reduced productivity.”

2. Advocacy for Structural Change

Leaders must advocate for institutional change, not just interpersonal sensitivity. This includes developing family-friendly policies such as maternity and paternity leave, on-site childcare, and remote work opportunities (Kossek, Baltes & Matthews, 2011). Advocacy also extends to challenging unconscious biases in recruitment, promotion, and evaluation processes that disadvantage women.

3. Flexibility and Adaptability

Rigid workplace structures disproportionately disadvantage women with caregiving responsibilities. Leaders conscious of gender equality cultivate flexibility in work design—such as job-sharing, compressed hours, and hybrid teaching models (Hill, Hawkins, Ferris & Weitzman, 2001). Such adaptability allows women to fulfil their dual roles without experiencing guilt or professional stagnation.

4. Ethical Integrity and Fairness

Ethical leadership requires fairness, transparency, and accountability (Brown & Treviño, 2006). Leaders committed to gender equality must ensure that promotion, recognition, and professional development opportunities are not undermined by gender stereotypes. For example, a female educator’s decision to take maternity leave should not influence perceptions of her ambition or competence.

5. Courage to Challenge Cultural Norms

Educational leaders often operate within societies where cultural norms perpetuate gender inequality. Courage is necessary to challenge entrenched biases, resist tokenism, and create genuine spaces for women’s voices (Madsen, 2010). Leaders must be willing to confront resistance, whether it arises from governing boards, staff, or community stakeholders.

6. Communication and Listening Skills

Gender-conscious leaders prioritize inclusive communication, ensuring that women’s perspectives are heard and valued in decision-making processes. Active listening and consultative leadership reduce alienation and foster collaborative cultures (Noddings, 2005).

7. Commitment to Mentorship and Sponsorship

Mentorship supports women’s professional development, but sponsorship—active promotion of women into leadership opportunities—is equally critical (Ibarra, Carter & Silva, 2010). Leaders conscious of gender equality must intentionally sponsor women, particularly those balancing motherhood, who may otherwise hesitate to seek advancement.

8. Transformational and Servant Leadership Attributes

Transformational leaders inspire followers toward shared goals, while servant leaders prioritize the needs of their followers (Greenleaf, 1977). These qualities encourage leaders to view women not as “problems to manage” but as valuable contributors whose needs and aspirations must be respected.

Understanding Women’s Dual Roles: Worker and Mother

The “Double Burden”

Women face what Hochschild (1989) termed the “second shift”—working a full day professionally while still carrying the bulk of household responsibilities. In education, this dual role often creates burnout, with female educators struggling to balance grading, lesson preparation, and family responsibilities.

Leadership Responses

  1. Workload Management: Leaders must adjust workloads, ensuring equitable distribution of tasks. For instance, scheduling flexibility during exam seasons can support teachers who are also mothers.

  2. Family-Friendly Policies: Paid parental leave, flexible schedules, and return-to-work programs signal institutional recognition of women’s dual roles (ILO, 2018).

  3. Support Networks: Creating peer-support systems or women’s leadership networks within schools and universities fosters solidarity and shared coping strategies.

Challenges to Gender Equality Leadership

  1. Unconscious Bias: Leaders may unknowingly reproduce stereotypes, assuming mothers are less ambitious or less capable of handling leadership roles (Heilman & Okimoto, 2008).

  2. Institutional Resistance: Deep-rooted patriarchal cultures can undermine attempts at reform. Leaders may face pushback from staff or community members.

  3. Tokenism: Appointing a small number of women to leadership positions without structural support may mask systemic inequality (Kanter, 1977).

  4. Global Inequalities: In low- and middle-income countries, lack of resources limits implementation of family-friendly policies, challenging leaders to innovate within constraints.

Supporting Women’s Dual Role: Workers and Mothers

One of the most important dimensions of women empowerment is recognizing and supporting women’s double burden—their professional responsibilities and caregiving roles. Many women today are expected to perform effectively in both spheres, yet workplaces often fail to provide adequate support. Leaders, policymakers, and organisations can promote empowerment by:

1. Family-Friendly Workplace Policies

  • Paid maternity leave, paternity leave, and parental leave policies encourage shared caregiving responsibilities (ILO, 2018).

  • Flexible working hours and remote work options allow women to balance childcare and professional duties.

2. Affordable and Accessible Childcare

  • On-site childcare centres or subsidies for childcare reduce the stress of balancing work and family responsibilities (OECD, 2020).

3. Workplace Culture of Inclusion

  • Leaders should challenge stereotypes that mothers are “less ambitious” or “less productive” (Heilman & Okimoto, 2008).

  • Promoting fair performance evaluations ensures that women are not penalised for caregiving roles.

4. Mentorship and Sponsorship

  • Senior leaders can mentor women, helping them navigate career development while balancing motherhood (Ibarra, Carter & Silva, 2010).

  • Sponsorship (actively recommending women for promotions) is especially important for mothers who may hesitate to self-promote.

5. Shared Responsibility at Home

  • Empowerment also requires cultural change—encouraging men to share household and childcare duties, breaking away from the idea that caregiving is solely a woman’s role (Hochschild, 1989).

Conclusion

Women empowerment is inseparable from supporting women’s dual roles as workers and mothers. Without systemic change in workplace policies, childcare support, and cultural expectations, women remain trapped in the “double shift.” True empowerment, therefore, requires leaders and policymakers to actively dismantle barriers and create structures that allow women to flourish in both their professional and family lives.


Implications for Educational Leadership

Leaders in schools, colleges, and universities are uniquely positioned to model gender equality for future generations. By cultivating the outlined qualities, they contribute not only to institutional effectiveness but also to societal change. Gender equality leadership produces ripple effects, encouraging both male and female students to reimagine gender roles in their personal and professional lives.

Conclusion

Gender equality leadership is more than a leadership style; it is an ethical stance and transformative commitment. Leaders conscious of gender equality cultivate empathy, advocacy, flexibility, fairness, courage, communication, and mentoring capacities. They create environments that acknowledge and respect women’s dual roles as workers and mothers, mitigating the double burden through structural support and cultural change.

In educational settings, where leaders influence both institutional culture and the values imparted to students, gender equality leadership has profound significance. It ensures that education does not merely reproduce societal inequalities but actively challenges and transforms them. For leaders to succeed, they must embrace not only personal qualities but also systemic advocacy, working to dismantle barriers and build institutions where equality is not an aspiration but a lived reality.

Women empowerment is inseparable from supporting women’s dual roles as workers and mothers. Without systemic change in workplace policies, childcare support, and cultural expectations, women remain trapped in the “double shift.” True empowerment, therefore, requires leaders and policymakers to actively dismantle barriers and create structures that allow women to flourish in both their professional and family lives.

References

  • Bass, B. M. (1999). Two decades of research and development in transformational leadership. European Journal of Work and Organizational Psychology, 8(1), pp. 9–32.

  • Batliwala, S. (2010). Feminist leadership for social transformation: Clearing the conceptual cloud. CREA.

  • Brown, M. E. & Treviño, L. K. (2006). Ethical leadership: A review and future directions. The Leadership Quarterly, 17(6), pp. 595–616.

  • Burns, J. M. (1978). Leadership. Harper & Row.

  • Eagly, A. H. & Carli, L. L. (2007). Through the labyrinth: The truth about how women become leaders. Harvard Business Press.

  • Eagly, A. H., Johannesen-Schmidt, M. C. & van Engen, M. L. (2003). Transformational, transactional, and laissez-faire leadership styles: A meta-analysis comparing women and men. Psychological Bulletin, 129(4), pp. 569–591.

  • Goleman, D. (1998). Working with emotional intelligence. Bantam Books.

  • Greenhaus, J. H. & Beutell, N. J. (1985). Sources of conflict between work and family roles. Academy of Management Review, 10(1), pp. 76–88.

  • Greenleaf, R. K. (1977). Servant leadership: A journey into the nature of legitimate power and greatness. Paulist Press.

  • Heilman, M. E. & Okimoto, T. G. (2008). Motherhood: A potential source of bias in employment decisions. Journal of Applied Psychology, 93(1), pp. 189–198.

  • Hill, E. J., Hawkins, A. J., Ferris, M. & Weitzman, M. (2001). Finding an extra day a week: The positive influence of perceived job flexibility on work and family life balance. Family Relations, 50(1), pp. 49–58.

  • Hochschild, A. R. (1989). The second shift: Working parents and the revolution at home. Viking.

  • Ibarra, H., Carter, N. M. & Silva, C. (2010). Why men still get more promotions than women. Harvard Business Review, 88(9), pp. 80–85.

  • International Labour Organization (ILO). (2018). Care work and care jobs for the future of decent work. ILO.

  • Kanter, R. M. (1977). Men and women of the corporation. Basic Books.

  • Kossek, E. E., Baltes, B. B. & Matthews, R. A. (2011). How work–family research can finally have an impact in organizations. Industrial and Organizational Psychology, 4(3), pp. 352–369.

  • Madsen, S. R. (2010). Women and leadership in higher education: Learning and advancement in leadership programs. Advances in Developing Human Resources, 12(1), pp. 131–146.

  • Noddings, N. (2005). The challenge to care in schools: An alternative approach to education. Teachers College Press.

  • UN Women. (2020). Progress on the Sustainable Development Goals: The gender snapshot 2020. UN Women.

  • Williams, J. (2000). Unbending gender: Why family and work conflict and what to do about it. Oxford University Press.

  • Heilman, M. E. & Okimoto, T. G. (2008). Motherhood: A potential source of bias in employment decisions. Journal of Applied Psychology, 93(1), pp. 189–198.

  • Hochschild, A. R. (1989). The second shift: Working parents and the revolution at home. Viking.

  • Ibarra, H., Carter, N. M. & Silva, C. (2010). Why men still get more promotions than women. Harvard Business Review, 88(9), pp. 80–85.

  • International Labour Organization (ILO). (2018). Care work and care jobs for the future of decent work. ILO.

  • Kabeer, N. (1999). Resources, agency, achievements: Reflections on the measurement of women’s empowerment. Development and Change, 30(3), pp. 435–464.

  • Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). (2020). Women at the core of the fight against COVID-19 crisis. OECD Policy Responses to Coronavirus.

  • Sen, A. (1999). Development as freedom. Oxford University Press.