In a world where women are struggling for equal opportunities and respect, former US President Barack Obama gave a strong and compelling reason why the world needs women leaders more than ever.
We live in a world where women constantly struggle to get what they deserve. There is a constant battle they have to fight towards equality. In such a world, there are some male leaders also who are helping women get their due.
Speaking at a private event in Singapore on Monday, Obama shared:
“The world would be a better place if more women were in charge”.
He also said that many of the world’s problems stem from “old people, usually old men, not getting out of the way.” The former president said that if women were put in charge of every country for the next two years, the result would be gaining “on just about everything,” according to Singapore’s Today.
Talking about the improvements this world could see if it were led by women, he said:
“There would be less war, kids would be better-taken care of and there would be a general improvement in living standards and outcomes.”
According to BBC, he further added:
“If you look at the world and look at the problems, it’s usually old people, usually old men, not getting out of the way… They cling to power, they are insecure, they have outdated ideas and the energy and fresh vision and new approaches are squashed…Now women, I just want you to know, you are not perfect, but what I can say pretty indisputably is that you’re better than us [men].”
He also shared how the best indicator of whether a country is developed or not is how it treats its women:
“It turns out that one of the best indicators of whether a country is developed or not is how does it educate its girls and how does it treat its women… And typically, those countries that do a bad job on that are backward and behind economically.”
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At IFORHER, we appreciate Obama’s efforts to focus on the issue that is prevalent across the world. But for India, Obama’s words have come in at a time when the country has slipped four places to rank 112th globally in terms of the gender gap. The widening disparity in terms of women’s health and survival and economic participation are two areas where the country is now ranked in the bottom-five.
We feel it is high time that our country focuses on how to fight against increasing crime against women and enhance women’s wellness before its too late.
You can read the full transcript here.
