It is inarguable that women, particularly in patriarchal societies like in many African countries, have difficulty acquiring formal leadership positions. Quota systems, where they exist, have helped to increase the number of women in government leadership positions and in politics, though women are still disproportionately underrepresented. In many sectors, however, women continue to find it difficult to make inroads despite the strides they have made in education. An interplay of societal, cultural, political, economic and familial factors has resulted in life and career paths that are largely determined by male relatives, the bureaucracy and political-legal systems. Despite of and because of these structural barriers to successful careers and livelihoods, women have become creative in creating space for themselves to lead in the corporate workplace, government, civil society, community, Arts spaces, virtual spaces and in other areas where they have traditionally been shut out. Women are redefining old concepts and changing the hegemony and achieving social change in unexpected ways. This panel includes papers on the concept of negotiated leadership identity, the quiet but profound influence of African women on their families and community, and the leveraging of social media tools by women to change preconceived notions of African rural life.
Leadership in Unexpected Places: African women creating their own space to lead and thrive (Closed)
