Today marks the one-year anniversary of the global launch of African Women on Board (AWB) @ UNGA, the flagship gathering of inspiring and visionary thought leaders brought together by a common goal of making African women’s voices part of the global discourse on gender equity.
As the UN General Assembly holds its 75th session this year, its theme, “The Future We Want, the UN We Need: Reaffirming our Collective Commitment to Multilateralism” reinforces AWB’s commitment to actualise the future it wants: one where African women and girls are heard and fast-tracked into leadership roles.
AWB’s theme for 2020/2021, “The Power of Africa’s Female Economy” emphasizes the crucial role women play in economic growth and, while COVID-19 has limited physical activities, AWB is focused on executing three key research projects linked to this theme. They are: Violence, Women and the Workplace, African Women as Entrepreneurs and African Women as Consumers.
In partnership with Ford Foundation, “Violence, Women and the Workplace” examines how violence against African women hinders their growth in the workplace. Its practical findings will help stakeholders (women, workplaces, regulatory bodies, policymakers) understand the reality of this menace as well as its economic impact.
“African Women as Entrepreneurs”, a partnership with the London Stock Exchange Africa Advisory Group (LAAG) is aimed at highlighting the role that unconscious bias and prejudice plays in hindering the growth of women-led businesses in Africa. The report will outline recommendations on how various entities within the global and emerging marketplace can better engage with and support the efforts of African female entrepreneurs.
AWB is also developing the “African Women as Consumers” report aimed at underscoring the centrality of African women as consumers to Africa’s economic development; providing deeper insights on how to cater to this important segment of the African consumer market particularly in light of the new economic and social realities created by the pandemic.
Recently, as part of its project on workplace violence against women, AWB collaborated with The Africa Soft Power Project to host the virtual summit, ‘Pop Culture, Gender Roles and Responsibility to Audience.’
The discussion focused on dissecting gender stereotypes in African film & music, and how they affect behaviour in homes and workplaces across the continent. Our phenomenal speakers included H.E. Abena PA Busia, Ambassador of Ghana to Brazil and South America, Ngoc Nguyen, Head of Entertainment at TIME’S UP, Zoe Ramushu, Filmmaker, Journalist & Activist, Busola Dakolo, Women’s Rights Activist & Photographer, Mildred Okwo, Award-Winning Director & Producer and Giti Chandra, Professor of Gender and the Theories of Violence.
Additionally, in October, our podcast series will take a hard look at violence against women and if you are interested in collaborating with us on the series or other AWB projects, please send us an email to awb@africanwomenonboard.org
As African Women (AWB) looks to the future, it remains committed to advancing narratives to improve realities for African women and girls globally, empowering them with the tools and resources they need to realise their potential.