UNLOCKING FEMALE LEADERSHIP IN AFRICA
What is the current state of female leadership in the diverse contexts of Africa? As a continent, it is close to the world average in terms of female parliamentary representation, including three countries with the highest percentage of females in senior and middle management. However, performance varies across areas when it comes to political, economic or social participation. For example, the continent leads in terms of quota and parity policies. Yet, these high levels of participation do not necessarily indicate a high level of social gender equality.
In this seminar, we will discuss critically how and why assumptions regarding female participation have not lead to structural changes regarding gender equality. We will examine the structural challenges — such as gender biases, lack of mentorship, and limited access to resources — that women face, while also highlighting inspiring examples of female leaders who have overcome these obstacles.
Furthermore, we will explore what changes have occurred and what has facilitated them. While colonialism and global capitalism is a part of this, we will also explore how contemporary global movements influence African contexts, including the anti-feminist and gender equality backlash.
Our goal is to spark a conversation on how to create an environment where women’s voices are amplified, their leadership potential is recognized, and their contributions are celebrated. This seminar will leave participants with a deeper understanding of the barriers to female leadership in African contexts, and most importantly, with a roadmap for change—whether through policy, education, or community action.
Join us to explore how we can all contribute to building a future where female leaders play a central role in shaping Africa’s success.
If you are in Bergen we are at Jekteviksbakken 31, 0830-0930 (GMT+1). If not, join us digitally via Zoom.
The event will be moderated by Tehetena Woldemariam from Norec. She is joined by Carmeliza Rosario, Irene Kinunda Afriyie and Ragnhild Louise Muriaas.
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About the panel
Tehetena Woldermariam will be moderating this discussion. She works with supporting global partnerships for the exchange of competency in business and public sectors at the Norwegian Center for Exchange Cooperation (Norec). She is also involved in projects focused on promoting democracy through political parties, with an emphasis on increasing youth and women’s participation in political processes across various countries. She has extensive experience working with development and regional issues in East Africa and with the African Union.
Carmeliza Rosario is a Social Anthropologist interested in issues related with decoloniality and female customary leadership. She has carried out several longitudinal studies focusing on poverty, including feminization of poverty, and female manifestation of poverty and coping mechanisms. She also participated in the development of the current Mozambican Gender Policy and Implementation Strategy, to align it with the SADC Protocol on Gender and Development. She is part of the GETSPA network, a pan-African network of researchers developing knowledge outputs for gender-transformative social policies across the African continent.
Irene Kinunda Afriyie works with public affairs at Fargespill. She is also a known speaker and social commentator. In 2023, she published Jeg er fordi du er – fortellinger om mitt Norge (I Am Because You Are – Stories of My Norway). That same year, she received the Sjur Holsen Memorial Award for her insightful and humorous contributions to public discourse.
Ragnhild Louise Muriaas is a Professor of Political Science at the Department of Government, University of Bergen. Her research focus is the interaction between gender and politics, with a particular focus on representation, political careers and political financing. She is currently leading an ERC funded research project that amongst other discuss the consequences of gender gaps in political career length for political influence. Muriaas has extensive experience from field research in African countries.