Under its “Women in Business” initiative, the AFRICA CEO FORUM takes action every year to make the advancement of female leadership a key priority; the forum engages and unites the entire business community around a clear mission: to significantly advance the feminisation of top decision-making positions in African companies.
Women In Corporate Boards: Shattering the glass ceiling of African companies
On the first day of the 7th edition of the AFRICA CEO FORUM taking place in Kigali, distinguished female speakers discussed ways of breaking barriers that are limiting the number of women counterparts on the corporate boards of African companies.
A conversation with “women on boards” starting with Bella Disu, the Executive Vice Chairman @GloWorld and Director, Julius Berger Nigeria at the Africa CEO Forum 2019 (Twitter/DidiAkin)
This year’s “Women in Business” initiative was organised in partnership with Globacom and to open the discussion was Bella Disu, the organisation’s Executive Vice Chairperson who was the keynote speaker.
She highlighted barriers that currently impede women into making it to corporate boards, citing among the, the absence of laws that promote equal representation of women and men in leadership positions in both in public and private sectors.
ADVERTISEMENT
“For women to have a shot at joining executive boards, it starts with countries implementing policies which promote gender balance in leadership positions at the work place,” she said.
Jumoke Jagun-Dokunmu, Regional Director of the International Finance Corporation for Eastern Africa suggested that a good way of getting women into management board is by scouting and grooming them from an early stage in their careers, preparing them for the future.
“Scouting talented females and mentoring them improves their chances at being appointed on management boards; this sometimes can start as low as doing pro-bono work but gathering experience and skills required at senior level management,” she noted.
Speaking at the same forum, Fatou Aminata Lo, the representative of UN Women Rwanda said companies that involve women at the very top need to be recognised and lauded as a way of encouraging others.
ADVERTISEMENT
As an example, she cited an initiative, last year, in which UN Women Rwanda in collaboration with the government of Rwanda rewarded corporate companies that have more women on their boards.
“This is something that can be replicated in other African countries,” she suggested.
JOIN OUR PULSE COMMUNITY!
ADVERTISEMENT
Eyewitness? Submit your stories now via social or:
Email: eyewitness@pulse.ng
Recommended articles
10 African countries with the highest debts to the IMF
Meet the Sapeurs, Congolese who wear expensive outfits though they live in poor communities
Dangote refinery finally receives its first shipment of crude after years of delay
10 African countries with the largest population lacking electricity
Top 10 African cities with the highest purchasing power
Egypt's richest man joins trending billionaire migration to UAE
10 African countries with the highest fertility rate in 2023
World Bank to provide electricity for 100 million Africans by 2030
5 ways to spot a sex addict or know if you are one
ADVERTISEMENT