University of Zululand
Woman Participation in Leadership Positions in Mtubatuba Local Munucipality
Abstract
dc:description.abstractThe study aimed to explore the nature, level and extent of women's participation in administrative and political leadership in the Mtubatuba Local Municipality. It adopted the socialist feminism theory as its framework. The study used qualitative research methods in which data were collected using semi-structured interviews from eight women working in the Mtubatuba Local Municipality's political and administrative structures selected using purposive sampling methods. Thematic analysis was employed to analyse data received from participants. The study found that women's leadership in both the administrative and political realms of the MLM was a struggle that demanded endurance against various harsh forces mainly stemming from culture and patriarchy. The study concluded that the excessive prevalence of gender inequality and male dominance in leadership was worsened by the fact that the few women in management and leadership were not seriously considered in decision making. This was regardless of the existence of many national and local level policies and strategies aimed at elevating women into leadership with the agenda of attaining gender equality. Political organisations in the Municipality failed to mobilise support for the policies that promote of advancement of women. The study recommended strategies to eradicate violence against women in politics and political violence in general, fighting patriarchy and addressing cultural rigidities holding women leaders down and gender equality policy monitoring and evaluation as a way of resolving the identified challenges. Keywords: Gender equality, political leadership, administrative leadership, Mtubatuba Local Municipality
Degree
thesis:*- Grantor dc:publisher.institution
- University of Zululand
- Year dc:date.issued
- 2021
Author and committee
dc:creator, dc:contributor.*- Author dc:creator
-
- Ntuli, Nokuthula