Universe may be defined as “the whole body of things and phenomena observed or postulated”. “A systematic whole held to arise by and persist through the direct intervention of divine power” – or better still “That which encompasses all things”
University – The etymology of university is from the Latin universus meaning “whole, entire, all together, all in one. Our universities are communities of higher learning, were our curiosities and selves are explored!
So, considering this – The Universe(ity) of woman is the all-encompassing citadel of learning, that is the institution called woman!
So, if woman is an institution – what are the institutional credits and merits? What does a woman know? What does she teach? What does she believe? How does she act and where does she go? How and when does she build and rebuild with fortitude, strength, and dignity? How does she create legacy?
Universally, a woman’s value is uniquely sheathed with purpose, suffering and delight
Woman economy and leadership – What the numbers show – economics
- Women-owned businesses have less access to capital, fewer intellectual property rights, and much lower revenue.
- The gender pay gap, for full-time year-round workers was @ 20 to 24%
- The share of women on company boards, at 25.6% as of June 30, 2021 up from 22.6% in 2020 and 16% in 2016, this is good progress; but the proportion of women in management has barely budged.
- Women made up only about one-third of the workforce in 1969 and had a 57% pay ratio and today make up almost half of all workers in the developed economies. Globally women earn a 77% pay ratio of their male counterparts – if the trend played out rationally it should be about 87% – ironically this is global target in closing the gap. In developing economies, the wage gap can be 25% larger
- The pay gap is even larger for women of color. On average, African American women make 64 cents for every dollar that white men make. The wage gap widening in developing economies
- Women are over represented in informal and vulnerable work, often lower paying, making up more than 70% of the work force
- Women are 50% of global population and as of September 2021, there are 10 countries have a woman head of state and 13 countries have a woman head of governments. At this rate parity will be reached in 130 years.
Statistics have a way of invoking response, for some it can be disappointment, for others progress, for others it feels static and for others resilience and dynamism. The point here is numbers do one thing in common, they help us know!
Woman is more precious than jewels, nothing you desire can compare
Proverbs 3:15-18 it says: “She is more precious than jewels, and nothing you desire can compare with her. Long life is in her right hand; in her left hand are riches and honor. Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace. She is a tree of life to those who lay hold of her; those who hold her fast are called blessed.”
The juxtapose of the Institution that is woman with the reality of the plight of women lies in the questions that belie the woman as an institution:
What does a woman know? What does she teach? What does she believe? How does she act? Where does she go or lead? How, when and what does she build with fortitude, strength, and dignity?
A woman knows that the math matters, if you know the equation!
What a woman knows is that not everything in life is explainable. Some things are not fair. Somethings do not need to be fair to be explored – A woman knows that it is in life rough edges that the most fervent of questions arise. It is where curiosity peaks and the depths avail themselves. When you reach these points, a woman knows that you can grow, learn, create, reform, arise in leaps and bounds and flow with an unencumbered dynamism. Because she knows this, she thrives, no matter what and no matter where.
So, when there are no golf networks, no coaches, no mentors, little support. She finds a tribe, forms a group of peers, and summons the collective 40, 50, 100+ years of experiences and shares it with such expanse to create a fresh universe! In doing this, she creates a people rich multiplier where the merged access of the network can be represented as n(CnXn) means total coverage, total access, total learning, unbridled success, open doors, more access and so much more. This represents the Peer Network Effect per person
For the equation Peer Network Effect per person= n(CnXn), n is number of people in network, C is the network factor or coefficient, and X is each person. The equation can be read as the such; the Peer Network Effect is equal to the sum of the number of participants multiplied by the network size per participant.
So, for example in a network of three women with 50, 40 and 100 people networks respectively the Peer Network Effect per woman = 50 + 40 + 100 = 190. This means that each of these women have access to 190 people.
In a situation where teams are involved, for example Team 1 has 4 people, Team 2 has 3, and the third joiner is an individual, assuming the same network access, each member’s reach completely explodes!
In the team scenario, the equation would be:
Peer Network Effect per person = 4(50) + 2(40) + 1(100) = 380!
Each person, each woman would have access to 380 people
So done right, each woman has access to a very diverse 380 people network. Imagine what is possible with such a strong network.
Now there is a caveat, the process of creating functional and effective peer networks that universally belong to every member of the engaged group is an art and science and requires tutelage from experts. Full disclosure, this is an area I have commercial experience and materials on but well outside the scope of this paper.
That’s what a woman knows!
To continue exploring the universe(ity) of woman, the other questions can be summed up with the following summaries.
When people are left on the sidelines, she can gain access for them, she can practice inclusivity that heals the past and recasts the future, not just for one community, but for the world. Women have the innate ability to bring those with much to say but no platform to a table of peers and non-peers and allow them speak and listen and hear
That is what a woman does!
When she is in the know and has access, her role is to bring the social and economic decisions that create a forte that can endure! You see those numbers, those statistics, she uses them as input to reform. She leverages positions to power and power for hope and hope for life. She advocates for social benefits that allow working mothers and fathers have healthcare benefits, time off and afford wellness care. She strives for economic enablement of increased wages and wealth for the worker without diminishing the wage creator.
That’s how a woman acts!
In the Universe(ity) of Woman, she unites many as one. In the same vein she encourages the unique that amplifies – knowing within her “the different complements” and that unity exists in diversity
That’s where a woman leads!
It is at these junctures that she changes lives, exchanges motives, resets directions, and reforms attitudes – it is from here that others can evolve through the universe(ity) of woman
Proverbs 3: 13 -18 elaborately says:
“Blessed is the man who finds wisdom, the man who acquires understanding, 14for she is more profitable than silver, and her gain is better than fine gold. She is more precious than jewels, and nothing you desire can compare with her. Long life is in her right hand; in her left hand are riches and honor. Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace. She is a tree of life to those who lay hold of her; those who hold her fast are called blessed.
Wisdom is characterised as a woman – The epitome of useful knowledge and understanding is likened to a woman!
The Universe(ity) of Woman is simply one of Great Wisdom!
Will be updated with audio clip for those that like to listen after reading
About Ngozi Bell
Inspiration, Hard Work, Innovation. These three foundational elements anchor Ngozi’s core belief that manifesting the extraordinary is always within reach. Inspired by her mother A.C.Obikwere, a scientist and author, she learned the privilege of living at the edge of important encounters and dedicating herself to robust and perpetual learning. Ngozi’s background is a combination of Physics, Engineering, Venture Capital/Private Equity, regulations, and business where she has managed over $1B in cumulative revenue. Ngozi is a speaker, storyteller, and writer on a diverse set of topics including AI, iDLT, ML, Signal Processing, iOT, women, entrepreneurship and more. She contributes regularly to VOA, has been a TEDx speaker and is published on tech and non-tech platforms. She is a champion of STEM, women, youth, art and the Africa we must engage. Ngozi is an adjunct professor of Physics and management with work
experience in Asia, Europe, Africa, Middle East, and North America. She is a founder of a number of a number of enterprises and host of the podcast Stem, Stocks and Stews (https://anchor.fm/stemstocksstews-podcast).
