I can recall my first day entering the Jamaican Parliament as a Member of Parliament. At the time, my party was led by the Portia Simpson Miller, who went on to become our first female prime minister.

In Jamaica, we have a tradition in which all the Members of Parliament would gather for the annual ceremonial opening of Parliament. Just as I was about to enter the chamber, she held my arm, turned to me, and said, “My daughter… the men do not really want us here. So never give them a reason to make you leave, and never let them see you cry…”

That moment will be etched with me forever, because she not only created the path for my political journey, but was firm in ensuring her support to see that she built the women she brought in to last, and I have been grateful.

No doubt, like our courageous female prime minister, who gave 40 years of her life to public service, women, for generations, have fought to earn their seats at the tables we now sit. But has our generation done anything differently?

We need to come together more and align on common goals.

Today we live in a world of value, so if our presence doesn’t add value, then our absence won’t make a difference. Legacy is the secret to immortality, and it’s truly what we leave behind which ultimately determines how we have impacted the hearts and minds of individuals long after we are gone.

As a woman, I occasionally pause to consider precisely what my generation would leave behind if it were to end now. The truth is every life begins with us. We are the hand that rocks the cradle that rules the world. So, therefore, we are the power that has been influencing every generation.

But what are we doing to impact the generations to come after us? What exactly is our legacy? What have we been advancing?

We were born into the era of modernity, maternity leave with pay, and we didn’t have to fight for laws of equal rights and pay. As a result, we now have female prime ministers, world leaders, heads of national defence forces, and women holding positions of significant influence globally in almost every sphere.

Yet, there’s no denying that our financial and social progress has been slow — even though in many jurisdictions women outweigh the number of men graduating from tertiary institutions.

Today, women run 4.8 per cent of the companies on the Fortune Global 500 list in 2022. That is 24 of the 500 companies. That’s a 50 per cent improvement compared to six years ago. But, still, we have miles to go.

Furthermore, in governance worldwide, women hold 36 per cent of parliamentary seats in Latin America and the Caribbean, and make up 32 per cent of parliamentarians in Europe and Northern America. In Sub-Saharan Africa, there are 26 per cent of women legislators, followed by Eastern and South-Eastern Asia with 22 per cent, Oceania with 20 per cent, Central and Southern Asia with 19 per cent, and Northern Africa and Western Asia with 18 per cent of women Members of Parliament.

Though these statistics may imply that we are at the table, we still have very little input on ‘what’s on the menu’ and design. The reality is that the most commonly held portfolios by women Cabinet ministers are considered ‘soft’ ministries without critical capital or recurrent expenditure budgets to institute real change. For example, women and gender equality, family and children affairs, social and inclusion development, and social protection and social security are often what women lead globally. And this is very similar in the Caribbean.

Our women are competent and deserve more significant roles with greater power and influence. Why not finance? Why not agriculture? Why not national security? Why not the industries that will yield economic growth and safety, rather than feeding into the stereotype that she is best suited for human resource management or gender equity skill sets? Indeed, stifling a woman’s chances only hinders a country’s future development for its people.

I am not a fan of trumpeting that we need only women to advance women’s issues. Because, unfortunately, I have seen many women who choose only to create opportunities for themselves. However, they don’t believe in sending down the elevator after arriving, nor do they subscribe to elevating other women.

Notwithstanding this, I have also seen some of the best leadership from women because we lead differently with 360-degree focus, considering the essentials needed for an individual’s holistic development and that of a nation.

Portia Simpson Miller, Mia Mottley, Angela Merkel, Jacinda Adern, and Margaret Thatcher come to mind as formidable women who changed the game and prevailed over great adversity for their people. And so we need women interested in advancing all the people’s interests and doing so without prejudice, bad mind, or resentment.

Here in the region, Jamaica leads with having the most female managers in the workplace. Yet we come second in the world for femicide or the killing of women. Therefore, how has our female leadership advanced us socially?

The truth is that it is what we invest in that counts, and where our returns will come from. We don’t need any more conferences on the need for gender equity, nor do we need to listen to more speeches ad nauseam about the role of women. Instead, women need us to implement actions within the remits of our borders and tackle issues to improve their lives and those of their families without public relations and fanfare.

In the animal kingdom it’s not the roar of the lion that brings down the prey, but rather the stratagem of lionesses whose hunting agility uses teamwork. Jamaican women are all still hunting; some of them for a job, some for survival and physical safety, inspiration, or just acknowledgement of our purpose and worth.

But if there’s anything my experiences have taught me, it is that women should never buy into the belief that they are not ready, smart, or strong enough. The worst thing they can do to themselves is to be contrite in deference to the ingrained discrimination and prejudices that have existed.

Therefore, as women, especially in leadership, we must stop apologising for making tough decisions and becoming fearful of being labelled aggressive. On the contrary, we must continue to progress by courageously challenging and fighting the inequitable status quo. We must begin to teach every Jamaican woman, young lady, and the little girl that they are bright enough, strong, beautiful, and unique. As lionesses, we must all work together, knowing that the rewards are more remarkable when we hunt as an entire pride with deliberate speed..

Lisa Hanna is Member of Parliament for St Ann South Eastern, People’s National Party spokesperson on foreign affairs and foreign trade, and a former Cabinet member.