The Remarkable African Women's Leadership Conference 2025: set for Kenya in May
The Remarkable African Women’s Leadership Conference (RAW) is an event that places female African and diaspora voices at forefront of discussions around industry and growth, bringing fresh ideas and insights from a business demographic that is all too often still overlooked by the global media.
Leading by example
Taking place from 21 to 25 May, the ASP Summit this year leaves its previous home of Kigali, Rwanda, where it has been staged for the last three years. Headed by Africa Soft Power sister organisation, African Women on Board (AWB), the Remarkable African Women’s Leadership event will practice what it preaches in leading the overall proceedings, kicking off the conference section of the summit with a full day’s programme on Thursday 22 May.
The RAW Conference will also include the launch of AWB’s second edition white paper on Advancing Gender Equity in Africa. At a time when gender parity scores are actually moving backwards rather than forwards in numerous regions around the world, RAW will shine a spotlight on the economic benefits that greater gender parity in the workplace can bring.
“It’s no secret that organisations around the world are rowing back on diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives as we head further into 2025,” said Nkiru Balonwu, founder of the Africa Soft Power Group, which includes African Women on Board. “To an extent this is not surprising, because the term ‘diversity, equity, and inclusion’ has become increasingly politicised in recent years, and particularly of course in the past few months. But to shift so readily in an attempt to keep up with the latest socio-political chatter is to ignore the long-term benefits that greater female input into the economy can bring: from the boardroom, to our consumer-bases, and into society more broadly.”
“RAW provides not only a stage for African female leaders, but a spotlight under which to scrutinise and study the vast array of new ideas and approaches that this often still neglected section of the business community can bring.
Our public and private sectors face huge collective challenges – and opportunities – right now. In order to meet them in the right way and maximise our outcomes, we need to hear from the full spectrum of today’s leaders, and potential leaders, and use these learnings to create a more robust economic future for all.”
Previous editions of the conference have covered themes such as funding for women; environmental, social and governance (ESG) principles; the gender data gap; and the role of media and technology in driving gender action – structured to include both private sector leaders and key stakeholders from government.
The RAW Conference has garnered praise from prominent figures. Former Malawian President Joyce Banda emphasised its importance for women’s leadership, while former Kenyan Minister Amina Mohamed lauded it as “a safe space for women.” Dr. Ozonnia Ojielo, UN Resident Coordinator in Rwanda, described the programming as “ground-breaking” and “necessary”.
Focus areas for 2025
In line with the 2025 ASP Summit theme, “Africa’s Growth Engine: Aligning the Flow of Money, Innovation and Global Opportunities”, the 2025 incarnation of the RAW Conference will include consideration of a number of key topics, including
Sustaining momentum: leading transformations when inclusion isn’t “trending”: The RAW Conference itself holds the distinction of being the continent’s first ever gathering focused on African women’s leadership – but how can we push forward on gender equity advancement, particularly at a time when many institutions appear to be rowing back on their DEI initiatives?
Financing innovation: aligning growth with new markets and global concerns: How can we proactively align investment strategies with emerging markets and critical global concerns? How do we fuel the next generation of industries by rethinking traditional financing and leadership models? What’s the path to truly understanding the evolving needs of a world shaped by global shifts and relentless technological advancement?
Beauty, balance and billions – the female economy at the intersection of wealth and modern health: The past two decades have seen an explosion in the beauty, health and well-being and mindfulness industries, led to a large extent by female influencers and entrepreneurs. What does this tell us about shifting economies and how we can better harness such trends for future investment and growth?
The Remarkable African Women’s Leadership Conference will sit alongside other key events at the 2025 Africa Soft Power Summit, including the Creative and Innovative Industries Conference; ASP Gala and Awards; Climate Change Photo Essay Prize Exhibition; and accompanying networking and cultural events.
You can find further details, including ticketing information, at https://bit.ly/ASPSUMMIT25
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