ISSN 3121-8571
The participation of women in leadership remains a critical issue in development discourse, particularly within rural communities in sub-Saharan Africa. While global policy frameworks increasingly emphasise gender-inclusive governance, young women in rural settings continue to encounter structural and cultural barriers that limit their participation in leadership and decision-making. This work examines the barriers to leadership participation among young women in rural communities, using Ijaw communities in Bayelsa State, Nigeria, within the Niger Delta region as contextual illustrations. The research adopts a qualitative desk research approach supported by contextual interview insights from individuals familiar with community governance structures in rural riverine communities. Drawing on gendered power theory and participatory communication theory, the study argues that leadership exclusion is both structural and communicative in nature. Cultural expectations, economic limitations, educational inequalities, and institutional arrangements combine to restrict women’s access to leadership spaces. Communication practices within community institutions further reinforce perceptions that leadership is primarily a male domain. The findings reveal that sociocultural norms, economic marginalisation, limited educational opportunities, and institutional biases interact to constrain leadership participation among young women. The study also highlights contradictions within traditional governance systems, where women exercise informal influence through social networks and community mobilisation but remain under-represented in formal leadership positions. The paper concludes that increasing women's leadership participation requires integrated strategies that combine educational empowerment, economic opportunities, institutional reforms, and communication initiatives aimed at reshaping social perceptions of leadership. Such interventions are essential for promoting inclusive governance and sustainable development in rural communities.
Keywords: Women leadership, rural governance, participatory communication, gender inequality, Niger Delta