Micro to Macro: From Practitioners to Advocates

Abstract

This chapter explores the leadership role of Catholic Sisters in Africa and the changing understanding of their role in the larger society. The study draws on field research examining the impact of a leadership training program for women leaders of Catholic Sisters in East Africa. The chapter notes how the Sisters readily identified with how leadership among local women functions in a group-based and situational manner, rather than alone or in terms of clear hierarchical protocols more typical of men.

The program encouraged the women religious to become more active in the public sector to advocate for policies related to their experience of providing services to the people to have a multiplier effect. Some were initially not too open to the idea of their Sisters engaging with politicians.

However, after completing the training program many congregational leaders came to understand the importance of encouraging their more articulate members to become proactive in promoting public policies in the areas of basic education, health, and social development.

Along this line, Major Superiors of women's congregations quickly recognized that the UN-declared Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) not only describe much of the work that their Sisters have been doing for years but also the need to prod their governments to make good on their commitments to realize them. These opened the door both for advocacy and eventual partnerships in the service of the common good of their people.

Citation

Burke, J.F. (2023), "Micro to Macro: From Practitioners to Advocates", Elkington, R., Ngunjiri, F.W., Burgess, G.J., Majola, X., Schwella, E. and de Klerk, N. (Ed.) African Leadership: Powerful Paradigms for the 21st Century, Emerald Publishing Limited, Leeds, pp. 203-217. https://doi.org/10.1108/978-1-80117-045-120231015