By Caren Wakoli

Africa’s pursuit for gender equality has experienced notable strides in the past decades thanks to unyielding efforts by passionate changemakers in civil society organizations, UN agencies, governments and the private sector. According to the Mo Ibrahim Foundation, women’s equality on the continent has greatly improved, clocking a 55.0 score in 2021.

This commendable progress notwithstanding, there still remain pressing challenges that stand in the way of full parity today. While women constitute about 50% of Africa’s total population, they contribute a paltry 33% to the continent’s collective GDP. This underscores the enduring economic disparities that cut across different societies.

Celebrated every 8^th day of March since 1913, International Women’s Day which originated from the labor and socialist movements, advocating for women’s rights is a global platform that recognizes women’s achievements and advocates for gender equality. This year’s theme “Accelerate Action,” lays emphasis on the undeniable urgency of advancing gender parity, considering projects that catalyze, and therefore undoing the current reality, that full gender equality may never be achieved until 2158.

This must cause all who harbor even the slightest sense of concern to reflect deeper. It is an invitation to all, to consider more effective and efficient ways and means of accelerating the much-needed action, for our own sakes and the sake of the young women coming after us. Borrowing from our work at Emerging Leaders Foundation-Africa, I believe that there are three critical considerations for all sojourners in this journey to reflect on: sowing the seeds at home, promoting self-awareness and self-care, and leveraging mentorship.

Advancing Women’s Equality Begins at Home

Gender equality and the journey thereof are rooted in society’s smallest unit, the family setting. In many African households, responsibilities and available opportunities to women and girls are largely dictated by traditional gender roles. Promoting equitable practices needs to be normalized at home first.

By indiscriminately sharing domestic duties and equal access to education and other opportunities, families will not only challenge some of these entrenched stereotypes but also lay a solid foundation for greater change across nations. By so doing, agency and voice are not just spurred in women and girls, but more importantly we collectively foster values of fairness, care, mutual respect, and equality from a nascent age.

The Role of Self-Awareness and Self-Care

Self-awareness and self-care are at the core of effective leadership. An effective leader of others must first lead themselves, and this can only be done well when there is a significant sense of self-awareness. Exemplary leaders should also prioritize their health and wellbeing, and intentionally so. Whereas it is all nice and admirable to steer big ships and return decent profit year-on-year, these should never be at the expense of one’s wellness.

In the quest to shutter the glass ceiling, many women sacrifice their very being on the altar of proving a point. Certainly, we have a point to prove, many of them in fact. That we are here, not just to be seen but to be heard, to be understood and duly regarded. That we are qualified, experienced, and adequately equipped to contribute to the transformation of governments, economies, and the world order. That we have a proven track record of producing beautiful and replicable results in different sectors and have hence earned our places on all tables of decision making and resource allocation. Yet, all these we can only do and prove when we are alive and well. Because the journey is long and the battle ever grueling, we must constantly remind each other in the sisterhood to take care of self-first.

Mentorship and Inner Development

Nurturing younger women’s self-esteem, leadership capacity, and resilience for the struggle for parity is a collective effort where those who are ahead have a duty to prepare the rest. Mentorship programs in Africa have been and continue to be a central cog in raising more female politicians, civil society champions, community change agents, corporate titans, and caregivers. In Tanzania’s Bahati District Council, for instance, a study revealed an undeniably strong relationship between mentorship programs and women’s empowerment, with about 76% of the variation attributed to mentorship.

From our experience at Emerging Leaders Foundation-Africa, we have seen mentorship facilitate inner work, change mindsets and narratives, clarify visions and aspirations, and inspire founding and growing transformative initiatives. This internal development has gone ahead to build resilience and confidence, inspiring many women to assert their presence and demonstrate their value in various sectors. It is for such reasons that our organization and others remain at the forefront, offering mentorship and leadership development programs that accompany young women as they embrace leadership roles with undefeated confidence, compelling vision, and selfless purpose.

In line with the 2025 IWD theme of “Accelerate Action.”, I draw from my lived experience and observed realities, calling all to pursue  purposed focus on mentorship, leadership development, and personal growth as necessary tools for younger women to take meaningful action that drives societal transformation and bridges the gender gap.

Let us collectively remind younger women and support them to embrace self-awareness and self-care, ensuring that as they emerge in their droves, these female leaders are confident to tackle present challenges and inspire transformation within their communities.

By breaking barriers and building leaders through mentorship, Africa can harness the full potential of its women, driving the continent towards comprehensive equality and prosperity. By uniting these efforts, we can create an environment where women’s rights, equality, and empowerment are not just aspirations but realities.

Caren Wakoli is the Founder and Executive Director of Emerging Leaders Foundation-Africa.