AFRICAN WOMXN HONOURS

AFRICAN WOMXN HONOURS

With one out of every four persons on earth an African in 2050, Africa is very much at the centre of how the world is thinking about markets, consumption, production, and labour.

At the forefront of these considerations are women. The Mastercard Index of Women Entrepreneurs (2018) notes the high proportion of African women in the entrepreneurial field, with countries like Ghana and Uganda having some of the highest proportion of female entrepreneurs per country in the world. The female economy, according to McKinsey, is the world’s largest emerging market with the potential to add US$12 trillion to global GDP by 2025. The London Stock Exchange Group through its FTSE Women on Boards Leadership Index shows that companies with gender diversity on their boards perform better. Yet only 14 percent of board members in African are women, and despite remarkable achievements in various field by African women cultural norms encourage
that women stay in the background.

To acknowledge African women’s myriad achievements and to encourage them to step forward and to press on in their various fields of endeavour is crucial to Africa’s transformative agenda in this 21st century, if we are to make this the “African century.”

We seek to convene women who are leaders in their fields, celebrate their contribution to the arts and sciences, technology and innovation, the creative and performing arts, entrepreneurship, finance, policymaking and politics, under a credible and authentic platform that engages the many complex issues Africa faces. Celebrating accomplished women as role models encourages many more to see leadership roles as natural to aspire to.

We envisage an inclusive platform that will work with the Centre for African Studies at Harvard University and other private sector partners to identify, evaluate and select recipients. Awardees in various fields will be recognized through a prize at a public event. We also intend to provide opportunities for recipients to experience an educational residency programme at Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts, or to be attached to participating Fortune 500 companies to sharpen their business and executive administrative skills. The inaugural event is set to take place in 2023

‘With one out of every four persons on earth an African in 2050, Africa is very much at the centre of how the world is thinking about markets, consumption, production, and labour. At the forefront of these considerations are womxn’

The female economy, according to McKinsey, is the world’s largest emerging market with the potential to add US$12 trillion to global GDP by 2025.

The London Stock Exchange Group through its FTSE Women on Boards Leadership Index shows that companies with gender diversity on their boards perform better. Yet only 14 percent of board members in African are women, and despite remarkable achievements in various field by African women cultural norms encourage that women stay in the background.

THE HONOURS

In October 2023 Harvard, Centre for African Studies and partners will honour 10 exceptional womxn from Africa at African Womxn Honours.

The honourees will have demonstrated an ability to transform the the lives of people on the continent, providing game-changing solutions to complex problems facing the continent and are disruptive leaders in their fields. The focus on how the honouree interacts with those around and their deep commitment to fostering change in the world is paramount. An esteemed panel of experts convened by the Centre for African Studies at Harvard University will assist in identifying these worthy recipients.

With 10 carefully selected categories – the honourees will be given a fellowship or residency at Harvard. In addition to this recipients may also be nominated for prestigious in house programmes with global businesses where they may refine their skills or partner with businesses to further their work.

The event will take place over one day, top and tailed by stunning social events. African Womxn will be an annual event – hosted in a different African country each year.