A new edition of the Café amb Les Elegides was held on April 30th, an initiative promoted this year by the Academy of Les Elegides, which seeks to strengthen the political and social leadership of women from the Global South. The session was held online and was attended by around thirty women leaders from the Global South.
This third workshop focused on the different leadership styles—transformational, inspirational, vertical, democratic and bureaucratic—and invited participants to reflect on which of these they apply in their contexts, how they identify with them and what challenges they face. Self-assessment was proposed as a key tool to understand one’s own practices and to continue moving towards more conscious and transformative leadership.
One of the central themes was the discussion around female leadership, understood as the exercise of power from a gender perspective. It was emphasized that leadership is not just about occupying a position of power, but also about making decisions, promoting change and building collectively from the same experience as a woman. It was also emphasized that feminism is a movement that fights for equality, the redistribution of power and the overcoming of all forms of sexism.
During the workshop, it was analyzed how machismo continues to affect the perception and treatment of women in leadership positions, often questioning their capabilities or delegitimizing their authority. This reality was illustrated with specific examples, such as the case of the president of the budget committee of the Peruvian Congress, and it was reflected on how these structural obstacles impact the credibility and professional projection of women.
The session concluded with a space for collective reflection, where participants shared experiences, strategies and learnings. Once again, the importance of perseverance and solidarity between women was emphasized to advance towards transformative and more equitable political participation.
This workshop is part of a training process that is developed with a transversal approach to gender, rights, diversity and interculturality, and reaffirms Les Elegides’ commitment to feminist leadership and social justice.
The workshop was taught by Ana Lydia Fernández, consultant for the organization Opciónate, an expert in gender equality, with more than two decades of international experience.