Africa, a continent rich in history, cultures, and with over a billion people, is currently undergoing a revolution, led by its remarkable women. Despite traditional norms often downplaying their contributions, Africa’s landscape today tells a different tale. In 2021, women occupied 24% of senior roles in African businesses, a significant rise from 5% in the early 2000s. Countries like Rwanda and South Africa have been trailblazers, boasting over 30% representation of women in senior management positions.

This transformation is evident in sectors such as education (UNESCO reported in 2020 that women constitute around 30% of researchers in Sub-Saharan Africa, surpassing the world average of 28%), business (Uganda (38.2%), Botswana (38.5%), and Ghana (37.9%) rank among the global leaders in women business ownership, according to the Mastercard Index of Women Entrepreneurs 2019), and the corporate world (Africa’s corporate landscape is shifting; Nigeria has 22% women board directors, while Johannesburg Stock Exchange-listed firms in South Africa have 23.5% women on their boards).

In line with its Agenda 2063, the African Union has set a robust goal of achieving 50% women representation in decision-making roles across private and public sectors. With nations like Ethiopia already having a female president and Rwanda demonstrating a majority female parliament, the momentum is undeniably building.

While the statistics are encouraging, it’s crucial to also acknowledge the obstacles. Gender pay disparities, societal norms, cultural biases, skewed policies, limited mentorship opportunities, demanding family responsibilities, restricted access to global networks, lack of funding for women entrepreneurs, and workplace prejudices are daily realities for many African women.

However, there’s a silver lining – the mere acknowledgment, discussion, and debate of these issues indicate their recognition of potential change. Both governmental and non-governmental organizations are diligently working to foster an environment where women can excel in their professional pursuits. In light of this, we at I-Train Africa are taking the lead in addressing some of these challenges through the Global Mentorship Conference.

This conference is tailored to equip African women with clarity, direction, networking opportunities, mentorship, and leadership training. Collectively, these components furnish them with a well-defined pathway for their progression to influential decision-making roles in their chosen careers across four pivotal categories:

• Core Professional (9-5ers): Operating within organizations
• Building Start-ups (entrepreneurs): Establishing and nurturing innovative enterprises
• Tech Gig Economy (Freelancers): Independently working for various clients
• Academia: Engaging as researchers or higher education educators

This conference, along with its post-conference activities, aims to empower African women to reach the pinnacle of their chosen paths by providing:

• Clarity & Direction: Helping them understand where to focus their efforts and how to proceed.
• Mentorship: Enabling early to mid-stage professionals to accelerate by learning from senior experts, minimizing pitfalls, and reducing career setbacks.
• Global Opportunities: Facilitating mid to senior-level professionals to compete effectively on a global scale.
• Global Network Access: Offering career-oriented women the opportunity to build for a successful future.