Women In Corporate Boards: Shattering the glass ceiling of African companies

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.

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.

“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.

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.

Women In Corporate Boards: Shattering the glass ceiling of African companies

Enhance Your Pulse News Experience!

JOIN OUR PULSE COMMUNITY!

Recommended articles

How to save a life by doing CPR during an emergency

3 reasons most airplanes are painted white

How 1 woman became first lady of 2 different countries — she married 2 presidents

Kuami Eugene shares post-accident recovery photos, expresses gratitude to supporters

'Biggest' Fella Makafui treats herself to a GH¢100k+ Santos de Cartier Watch

Here are 5 things you need to know about applying deodorant between your thighs

BoG appoints Dr. Joseph O. France as monitoring advisor for UMB recapitalisation efforts

Government halts implementation of price stabilization and recovery levy on petroleum products

Teaching Music and Dance in schools: How it is becoming a neglected subject