A Woman's Worth in Africa

In Language Planning & Gender Planning Ali Mazuri writes, that there are three routes for Africa to attain full gender inclusion. He cites the need for either diplomatic, gender or language planning (86). Although Mazuri understands the demand for full gender inclusion, he may have missed the mark on the pathway to achievement. Gender and diplomatic planning have their place, in this pursuit, but they do not belong on the center stage. If the true goal is to allow more women the opportunity to succeed, then the governments must start with language planning. Governments that use well intentioned language planning will empower more women and mobilize their country's development.

Diplomatic and gender planning as explained by Mazuri are actually just subsets of language planning. Planning diplomatically is an effort by African governments to improve their image in international relations, but not a genuine effort to include women (86). Gender planning on the other hand, is a conscience effort to improve the participation of women in government by providing them an equal opportunity to learn a western language. The issue with both of these plans is that when separated from language planning, they are both unobtainable. In order to appear more diplomatic, the governments must have women in international relation positions. But in countries where women aren't learning western languages there is no one to fulfill such positions. To combat this issue and appear to be more diplomatic in the world arena, the African governments must begin diplomatic language planning, where they begin by first preparing women who can fill these diplomatic positions. Gender planning at the root of it all is affirmative action in favor of women, which is jus...

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...at unbalanced governments in Africa need.

Careful language planning will allow African governments to improve diplomacy and opportunities for women all at once. As the common divisor between successful women and unsuccessful women is their ability to speak a European language, giving them that skill is all the empowerment they need. When governments decide to provide an equal opportunity for women to learn the European language they also afford them the opportunity to participate in government and succeed in schools. There is a lot of power in language planning and if carried out effectively, it could do more than place women in government, it could mobilize economies. As Mazuri believes de-marginalizing women, their entrepreneurial potential will be freed (92). On that note, the future of African countries could be riding on providing more opportunities for women.