
Breaking Barriers: Advancing Women’s Leadership in Francophone Africa’s Peace and Governance Ecosystem
Date : February 26th 2025
Time : 3:00pm – 4:00pm (WAT)
Venue : Zoom Online (Register Now)
Context
The issue of women’s potential and leadership efficiency remains particularly sensitive in Francophone Africa, encompassing 26 African countries where French is recognized as an official language. While Francophone Africa boasts cultural, ethnic, and linguistic diversity, it faces significant challenges regarding gender equality in leadership roles. Across these countries, no woman serves as head of state, reflecting a deeply entrenched patriarchal structure that limits women’s representation in senior political and decision-making positions.
From a policy perspective, women make up approximately 24% of parliamentarians in Africa, divided into 25% in lower houses and 20% in upper houses. Rwanda stands out with a remarkable 61.3% female parliamentary representation, followed by Senegal (43%), Cameroon (31%), Burkina Faso (11%), and Côte d’Ivoire (15%). However, the majority of Francophone African nations continue to lag in women’s inclusion in peace, security, and governance processes.
The civic space across these countries also reflects significant gender gaps. Women’s participation in peace negotiations, governance processes, and civic engagements remains limited due to structural, cultural, and systemic barriers. Experts agree that the exclusion of women from decision-making processes hinders communities from achieving sustainable peace. During times of conflict, women’s unique vulnerabilities and needs are often overlooked, rendering peace agreements and humanitarian interventions less effective.
Objectives
This webinar seeks to:
- Examine thebarriers faced by women in the peace, security, and governance ecosystem of Francophone Africa.
- Amplify evidence-basedinsights into the critical roles and contributions of African women in peace and governance processes.
- Showcase Africanwomen who are driving meaningful impact across the peace, security, and governance ecosystem.
- Advocate for inclusive participation of women in peacebuilding and decision-making processes in Francophone Africa.
Expected Outcomes
- Increased Awareness:Reflect on the current challenges women face in governance and civic spaces and identify actionable solutions.
- Inspiration for Young Women: Highlight successful women leaders who are making a positive impact in peace, security, and governance to inspire the next generation.
- PolicyAdvocacy: Encourage policymakers to implement structural reforms to enhance
women’s inclusion and active participation in decision-making processes.
Expected Outputs
- RenewedPerspectives: Generate fresh, inclusive ideas around women’s leadership in
peace and governance.
- Webinar Report: A comprehensive report with actionable, evidence-based recommendations tailored to foster structural reforms and promote women’s
Target Audience
This webinar is designed for:
- Government officials responsible for public policy formulation, implementation, and
- Representatives of the AfricanUnion, Regional Economic Communities (RECs), and Regional Mechanisms (RMs).
- Civilsociety leaders and
- Developmentpractitioners and international organizations focused on policy
- Private sector and media representatives engaged in public-private partnerships and
- Publicpolicy
- Womenand youth
Event Format
The webinar will be held virtually on Zoom and feature an interactive panel discussion with distinguished experts. It will be streamed live on the Nkafu Policy Institute’s media platforms to reach a broader audience. Simultaneous interpretation will be provided in English and French to ensure inclusivity.
Event Date
The one hour event is scheduled to hold on February 26th 2025 from 3:00pm to 4:00pm.
About the Denis & Lenora Foretia Foundation
The Denis & Lenora Foretia Foundation was established to catalyze Africa’s economic transformation by focusing on social entrepreneurship, science and technology innovation, public health, and progressive policies that create economic opportunities for all. The Foundation partners with local governments, policymakers, private enterprises, civil society organizations, and development partners to expand resources available to entrepreneurs, farmers, and small business owners, improving individual livelihoods.
About the Nkafu Policy Institute
The Nkafu Policy Institute is an African think tank with a mission to provide independent, in-depth, and insightful policy recommendations that enable all Africans to prosper in free, fair, democratic, and sustainable economies. The Institute’s team of analysts, experts, and researchers works on governance and democracy, health and education, peace and security, science and technology, and economic policy.
Contact
Questions related to the organization of this event can be sent to:
Mr Anthony Antem, Policy Analyst and Head of Conflict Analysis and Prevention; Division of Peace and Security, Nkafu Policy Institute [email protected]
Nkafu Policy Institute P: (+237) 222 31 15 84 / (+237) 654 86 72 54 – www.nkafu.org
Leave A Comment