With pounding hearts but eyes firmly on target, record numbers of women are learning to use firearms in crime-riddled South Africa. Training starts with the legalities of owning a firearm, which to most, is probably the most effective tool to disarm attackers, and also an introduction to the sport of shooting.



By Paula Slier – Additional reporting by Khaka Ngcof



– *Surname removed to protect privacy



Sitting on a carpet, I’m overwhelmed with a feeling of foreboding. A Kalashnikov rifle is pointed at me by a masked man smoking a cigarette. Behind him, three armed fighters chatter anxiously, casting looks in my direction. The far-off spurts of gunfire light up the night sky. I’m in a remote village in Afghanistan waiting for an interview that might or might not happen.



I chide myself, not for the first time, for coming here alone. If this tip-off proves false, I’m at the mercy of these men. The thought crosses my mind that I could grab the AK47 and…. then what? I’ve never held one of those guns, let alone shoot with it.



Which is why, a few weeks later, I find myself at a shooting range in South Africa. Despite the tip-off being correct, I am making good on a promise to myself that if I got out of that village alive, I would take control of my safety and no longer leave it to fate – or the goodwill of others. It’s fitting I’ve chosen to sign up in South Africa.



While a long way from Afghanistan, the statistics here are amongst the worst in the world which explains why record numbers of people, women in particular, are learning how to use firearms. Most want to be able to shoot for their own safety and that of their families.



From July to September last year, 13,000 women were victims of assault and [over 10,000] rape cases were opened by the police – “a needle in the haystack,” says Lynette Oxley, founder of Gun Owners SA (GOSA) Girls On Fire.



“Statistics show that only one out of six rapes actually gets reported. The police and the broader society are part of the problem. From interviews I’ve conducted over the past three weeks, 13,701 women were victims of assault, nearly 1,000 were murdered and 1,277 were victims of attempted murder.



There were 558 children killed and 1,895 who were victims of assault.”



However, stresses Oxley, this is not just a South African, but a global, problem.



“We have changed our focus from activism to action as predators will always be predators and standing on street corners [with posters] hoping to change people’s minds around gender-based violence just doesn’t work.”



GOSA focuses on firearm litigation, political and public outreach programs and empowering women. Oxley, who started shooting when she was 18 years old, was the first female South African instructor of the International Defence Pistol Association. She drew up GOSA’s training modules.



“A reporter told me that I would never get involved in the gun lobby because it was only white men,” she laughs. That was the catalyst that led to her establishing the organization.



“I feel very strongly that as a woman I do not need to stand back and sit in the background. Women are warriors; we don’t need to be second-class citizens.”



Girls and women from 11-to-85-years-old have benefited from the organization.



“There are some very sad, sad stories out there,” sighs Oxley.



“If you have to fight back, a firearm is probably your most effective tool, especially with a stronger and bigger attacker. It basically equalizes the playing field. You’re not going to be able to karate-chop a guy who is tough. Firearms are stoppages, you need to know how to at least pick the stoppage without even thinking about it.”



Training starts with the legalities of owning a firearm and progresses to situational awareness that includes tips like: don’t sit on your Facebook page while you’re stuck in traffic, look around, be aware of what’s going on; do not look like a victim because then you’re going to be chosen as one.



Many of the women who’ve completed Oxley’s training are now fully-fledged gun range officers, like Nthabiseng*. She survived being repeatedly raped at gunpoint by both her neighbor and a former friend.



Her initial reaction to learning how to fire a gun was understandably to stay as far away as possible!



“But then I just thought let me give it a try and see if I can finally close this chapter and get over my fear,” she confides. 



“And when I went, I found quite a lot of women who were not only learning how to handle a gun but empowering themselves at the same time. It’s a kind of therapy. The idea is not to go and kill whoever is bothering you. You’re just trying to disarm them. It’s more about learning how to defend yourself!”



That first day was very emotional for Nthabiseng because it brought back the nightmares of what she’d endured.



“As I held the gun I remembered what it was like being on the other side of it and how much was taken from me. I’d seen my life flash by at the hands of men I trusted. I blamed not only the person holding the gun, but the gun as well. You soon realize that in the right hands, this piece of metal can have very different results.”



For many women, learning how to handle a weapon is not just about self-defence; it’s an introduction to the sport of shooting that is growing quickly around the globe.



In 2025, South Africa will, for the first time in over two decades, host the World Championship of the International Practical Shooting Confederation under the auspices of its South African chapter, the South African Practical Shooting Association (SAPSA). Zimbabwe and Kenya boast professional teams, despite the relative high cost of the sport.



A competitive shooter with the SAPSA, Martin Janse van Rensburg, meets me at a gun range outside Johannesburg.



Four years ago, he set up a non-profit, MF Arms, to help men and women feel more confident and comfortable around firearms.



“For many women,” says van Rensburg, “the idea of getting a gun is scary. In a perfect world, every law-abiding citizen would be armed. You’re never going to get rid of illegal guns, but at least in this way, with responsible firearm owners, society would be a lot safer.”



Almost 70% of van Rensburg’s clientele is female and like me, most have never held a gun in their life.



As I pick up a pistol, with a pounding heart and sweaty palm, I’m convinced I can’t do this.



But half an hour later and not only have I become more used to gripping a gun, I’ve also learned how to load it and aim at a target.



The recoil frightens me and takes a while to get used to.



“Women have to take things into their own hands and become their own first responders,” van Rensburg insists. “It’s about becoming aware of your surroundings and then choosing how to best protect yourself. Many women prefer learning hand-to-hand combat to shooting because they’re intimidated by a gun. So I train them how to get out of a grip and neutralize a partner. We repeat it over and over. Repetition is important. Technique overcomes power. A small woman can overcome a big man.”



Using a knife is also an option and is more effective than hand-to-hand combat. There are many ways of concealing a weapon and for a city girl dressed in a corporate suit, a small knife hanging from her necklace underneath her blouse, can be very effective.



“Your first choice is always a firearm, but you must know that the second you pull it, you are prepared to use it. You can’t use it just as a threat. You need to know what you can and cannot do with it.”



Van Rensburg encourages all his clients to practice at least once a month at a shooting range so they don’t forget the skill. He has seen how, for some women, what started off as a way to defend themselves, soon becomes a passion for the sport.



“It’s a safe, controlled environment where one competes against shooters of different levels. You compete on speed, accuracy, and power. You become more proficient in using a gun and that selfconfidence rolls over into your life. It’s also not a very physical sport which is something women like,” he says.



Sharmaine Lombard, a gun range officer in training, admits that when she first picked up a gun she was “deathly afraid, I can speak to the girl who is quivering in her boots because she’s thinking this is a real gun, with real ammo, and she’s having scary thoughts of what she can do with it”.



Lombard’s husband introduced her to shooting, and she quickly became hooked, especially after growing up in an abusive home.



“There’s this whole mental metamorphosis you undergo from the moment you start. The things you learn even before you get to the firearm part is amazing. The biggest lesson is that as women, we don’t have to take crap or be in an abusive situation. We can take care of ourselves – and nothing is more empowering than that!”



As for me, I’m due for my second session with van Rensburg. Firing a gun hasn’t come naturally to me and I sense the journey is going to be a long one. While there is definitely something liberating about taking control of one’s personal safety, don’t take my word for it. Try it yourself.

Women And Guns In South Africa: Fear, Fury And Fire

By Colin Iles



I was recently asked to comment on how the opportunities for women leaders have changed since I started work. And then, I was asked to share some thoughts about what changes we can expect over the next decade.



To the first question, my answer was simple. Not much. According to the World Economic Forum, only 15% of the Fortune 500 are run by women. In South Africa where I’m located, this drops to only 7% for Johannesburg Stock Exchangelisted companies.



And that’s despite billions being spent on diversity training, new hiring models and anti-bias algorithms.



Having lived through and led many cultural change programs, I’m not surprised. It is ridiculously hard to try and change human behavior.



And HR-led diversity initiatives are trying to fix behaviors that have become systemic and entrenched over decades. I don’t know if these behaviors were created by genetics or the persistent pre-teen brainwashing about what our respective roles in society should be.



I do know that unwinding behaviors, that have developed with 20-plus years of application prior to even entering the workforce, is always going to be a tough ask for any HR team, no matter how right, how passionate, and how resourced.



Depressing as this may be, I am still incredibly upbeat about the possibilities opening up for female leaders to do incredible things over the next decade.



But this change will not come because the incumbent male leaders have an epiphany about the benefits of diversity. It will be driven by organizations changing in a way that aligns better to diversified leadership.



And the good news is this transformation has already started.



Over the last decade, we have seen more and more examples of companies that focus on “doing good”, outperforming their profit-at-all-cost competitors. Case study after case study has shown how purpose-led companies have happier customers, more engaged employees and better support from their investors.



Patagonia, as one example, has cemented its place as a premium outdoor brand by focusing on using business to save the planet.



Thousands of other companies are now seeking accreditation from organizations like the US Based B-Corp, to showcase how they are using business to benefit people, communities and the planet.n(If you know Ben &amp; Jerry’s or Lemonade, they are both registered B-Corps.) 



And listed companies are also facing more pressure from institutional investors to apply the United Nations-led Sustainable Development Goals. BlackRock’s CEO Larry Fink has written regularly about how he is more likely to invest in businesses that make “a positive contribution to society”.



So the shift from “for-profit” looks to have momentum. This will obviously challenge those incumbents that have a symbiotic relationship between the CEO’s bonuses and shareholder returns, as purposeful organizations have more complex and ambiguous environments to manage.



This might mean taking the hard decisions not to operate in oppressive jurisdictions, accelerating the switch to renewables or doubling junior pay.



Bad for bonuses. Good for the planet.



Managing these trade-offs will require conviction, courage and curiosity, because there is no playbook for this new model.



And that is precisely why the opportunity for female leaders is better than ever before.



This new-styled leadership model is not male-dominated and females are already trailblazing in these somewhat unchartered waters.



Take Indra Nooyi for example. As PepsiCo’s CEO prior to 2018, she introduced “performance with purpose”, sold off a profitable set of food brands that didn’t align with her vision and made significant inroads in rebalancing the portfolio towards healthier, more sustainable food and drink offerings.



Transformation stories from leaders like Nooyi demonstrate why purpose is a more powerful motivator than profit, and how curious and courageous female leaders can drive transformation programs that benefit society as a whole. So, there is real opportunity for women in this new leadership paradigm. And we, as in society as a whole, really need them now to help transform business into a force for good, that can improve lives and save our planet.



This requires radical change. And diversity will be a critical step in achieving this.



The writer curates thought leadership events that help executive teams transform their organizations; visit coliniles.com

Working Late. Young woman, architect working late in office

Business Models Are Changing. Why It’s Good For Women

Flora Duffy, gold medallist in the women’s triathlon at the last Olympics in Tokyo, is determined to repeat the feat again next year. 



The mountains that surround Stellenbosch are a veritable paradise for sportspeople, offering the perfect challenge for both serious and recreational trainers.



And there is no shortage of takers. Any day, and throughout the daylight hours, the roads around the town heading up either the Drakenstein, Jonkershoek, Simonsberg or Stellenbosch mountains are filled with cyclists and runners.



For part of the year, among their number is Flora Duffy, gold medallist in the women’s triathlon at the last Olympics in Tokyo and determined to repeat the feat again next year.



The name of the 35-year-old might not immediately jump out at followers of South African sport and there is a good reason why.



Duffy hails from Bermuda, as far as you can get from the Cape winelands on the tip of the southern African continent. The tiny island lies some 1,000km off the US into the Atlantic and is a British overseas territory, renowned more for its pink beaches and the semi-formal knee length short pants.



She is royalty on the island; their only ever gold medallist and most famous sports person.



She ran to glory in the rain, having swum churning seas, and cycled in the wet before surging away from the field in Tokyo for a triumph that was decades in the making. Duffy has been an aspiring triathlete from before her 10th birthday and was competing at her fourth Olympics, having first gone to Beijing in 2008 at the age of 21.



She had paid her dues on the international triathlon circuit, winning the first of four world championships in 2016, and meeting fellow triathlete, South African Dan Hugo, who had success also on the world tour. The two married in 2017, and he has since become her coach and manager and hence the Stellenbosch connection.



“Stellenbosch has played a very big role in my preparations every single year. This is my 10th summer here,” Duffy tells FORBES AFRICA at her home in the quiet suburbs, where she starts her pre-season training which this year is very much focused on the defence of her Olympic title in just over 12 months’ time.



“A lot of people locally have really helped me, whether it&#8217;s to train with me or to help with a bit of coaching medically. Yeah, I have a really great team here. So when I come back in December/January, I can slot right back in and I have this community that&#8217;s very supportive.



“And yeah, there were are crucial people that have played important roles on my journey, building up towards Tokyo. So when I came back here, after Tokyo, there was some very meaningful people that I wanted to show the medal to and celebrate with,” says Duffy, engaging, affable and welcoming when FORBES AFRICA comes to visit.



The Olympic medal might have been a dream from early but Duffy admits the reaction to it – particularly on her island – was way more than she anticipated.



“I couldn&#8217;t believe how much. I planned so much about the race in Tokyo and performing my best to win. I never thought about the after and what it would mean to so many people in Bermuda, I just did not think of that all through,” he explains.



“So my world felt like it changed in an instant. And it was incredible to see the response and see how meaningful and how impactful winning Bermuda’s first-ever gold medal was to everyone back home. It was incredibly special and it felt like it was more than just this sport. And I think that&#8217;s a really powerful place to be.



“In some ways, being Olympic champion does change your life. But then I think my daily life is still the same thing. At the beginning of the season, I&#8217;m quite unfit. I turn up to training and I get hammered in the pool. And I&#8217;m like, ‘oh yeah, I am the Olympic champion but I&#8217;m also just a normal human in a way’.”



But Duffy wants to be anything but normal come July next year in Paris when she defends her gold.



“After winning in Tokyo, the start of the 2022 season was pretty tricky for me because I think for the first time I was sort of hit with, ‘well, why am I doing this? What now, I&#8217;ve achieved my biggest goal?’ And here I’m still training. So I really had to rethink it and kind of reframe why I&#8217;m still doing it.



“But then there&#8217;s this other part of me that obviously loves the Olympics, I&#8217;m still doing well, I&#8217;m still enjoying it for the most part. And being in Tokyo, everything went perfectly from a race point of view. But I didn&#8217;t have my friends, my family, my sponsors, that sort of Olympic experience, because of all the COVID protocols that were in place,” Duffy adds.



“So that&#8217;s really a big motivation, to go back to Paris and to have everyone there, almost regardless of the outcome, just to see it as sort of a celebration of my career, getting to race at the Olympics, as a defending champion in front of everybody.”

IMG_5443

From Being Bermuda’s First-Ever Olympic Triathlete Champion To Celebrating Success In A South African Wine Town

75| FORMER JUDGE OF THE HIGH COURT OF KENYA AND PRESIDING JUDGE OF THE INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL COURT (ICC) AT THE HAGUE| KENYA



By Marie Shabaya



A trailblazer in many respects, the esteemed Lady Justice Joyce Aluoch carries her title with grace. After a long judicial career that spanned over four decades, she has now taken on a new set of challenges including a career in high-level mediation running in parallel with an assignment to reform the judiciary of South Sudan; Africa’s youngest nation.



“I remember that I wasn’t terribly convinced [to take on this role]…I had never been to Juba. I had never been to South Sudan. I knew it was going to be challenging. This is a country that has been in conflict for a long time and this is a government in transition,” she explains.



For much of her career, the Lady Justice has been presiding over some of the continent’s most definitive legal decisions, particularly during her nineyear term as a judge on the bench at the International Criminal Court (ICC) at The Hague. In order to serve one of the highest benches in the world, candidates must be nominated by their governments. 



For the Lady Justice, her appointment was a matter of fate.



“As if fate would have it, the candidate who had been nominated [for the role]…his name had been sent to The Hague and also to New York and nominations had been closed. Come September of the same year, nominations were open [again] because Asia Pacific had not sent names. It was during that brief opening that things happened. The original candidate [from Kenya] whose name had been sent was withdrawn and my name was substituted.”



As a presiding judge at the ICC, the Lady Justice was assigned to cases related to war crimes in Darfur, the post-election civil war in the Ivory Coast, and the case of Saif al-Islam Gaddafi; son of the late Muammar al Gaddafi of Libya. Off the bench, the Lady Justice has served on a number of pivotal committees including an appointment as the First Chairperson of the Committee of African Union Experts on the Rights and Welfare of the Child as well as being the Vice-Chairperson of the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child from 2003 to 2009.



Now in her seventh decade, the work continues. A life-long love of learning and curiosity keeps her going, she admits. It has also supported the longevity of her career in the law and allowed to serve on a diversity of cases and assignments.



“By the time I retired from The Hague, I had served as magistrate and judge for a total of 44 years. Some opportunities will knock on your door but not all opportunities. Most opportunities you have to look out for,” she advises

50over50 images2

Lady Justice Joyce Aluoch: “I KNEW IT WAS GOING TO BE CHALLENGING. THIS IS A COUNTRY THAT HAS BEEN IN CONFLICT FOR A LONG TIME…”

Tsitsi Dangarembga’s Nervous Conditions, published in 1988, was the first English novel in print by a black woman from Zimbabwe. She is a playwright, novelist, and filmmaker. Her novel in 2018, This Mournable Body, was shortlisted for the Booker Prize.



“I would like people to know that personal redemption is possible, even under the worst circumstances,” she says about her latest novel to FORBES AFRICA. She says there’s a feeling that poverty dehumanizes in a way that is unrecoverable, but she believes that the “human thing is not given by the world, it is something we bring into the world when we are born”.



Dangarembga was arrested in Harare in 2021 for protesting against corruption – the same year in which she was awarded the PEN International Award for Freedom of Expression. In 2021, she was also the recipient of the Peace Prize – the first black woman to receive it. In 2022, after an arduous legal process, she was convicted in a Zimbabwean court of inciting public violence, as she and one other person displayed a placard asking for reform on a public road.



Dangerembga has done more than write: she has made a successful, if difficult, foray into filmmaking. After completing her degree, she found a job as a researcher at a video unity in the mid-1980s. She enjoyed the process, and after the unit closed, applied to film school.



She eventually founded Nyerai Films in 1992, the International Images Film Festival for Women (IIFF) in the Director of the Women Filmmakers in Zimbabwe, set up and became the Director of the Institute of Creative Arts for Progress in Africa (ICAPA) Trust in 2009. Dangarembga noticed that funding was given for films that problematize Africans rather than seeing Africans as agents with aspirations. She says this is self-defeating, and something she is concerned about.



The ICAPA Trust does content, training, exhibition and networking events. Dangarembga says they’ve had their ups and downs with funding. She is still looking, and still hoping Zimbabwe’s film industry will grow. She has made 21 short films, shown them internationally and locally, and received awards.



In 2020, she was announced as the University of East Anglia’s inaugural International Chair of Creative Writing, received an honorary fellowship of Sidney Sussex College in Cambridge, and in 2022, was selected to receive a Windham-Campbell literary prize for fiction.



Her advice to young filmmakers and writers? “Persevere, you simply have to find a way to persevere.”

Screenshot 2023-02-18 at 11.13.51

Tsitsi Dangarembga: ‘I Would Like People To Know That Personal Redemption Is Possible’

<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-topline">TOPLINE</h2>



The number of top-grossing movies starring women and women of color increased slightly last year, according to <a href="https://assets.uscannenberg.org/docs/aii-inequality-1600-films-20230216.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">an annual study</a> released Thursday from the Annenberg Inclusion Initiative at USC, but the number of films starring people of color decreased.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">KEY FACTS</h2>



Of the 100 top-earning domestic movies released in 2022, 44% featured female-identified actors in leading or co-leading roles, compared to 41% that did in 2021—under the 50% of the U.S. population women make up.



This is an improvement from 2007, when just 20% of the top 100 movies had women in leading or co-leading roles.



Of those same 100 films, 29% featured an actor from an underrepresented racial or ethnic group in a leading or co-leading role, down from 32% in 2021 but up from 13% in 2007, and notably below the 40.7% that these groups make up in the U.S. population.



The largest increase was for women of color: 16 of the top 100 movies in 2022 featured a woman of color in a leading role, up from the 11 that did in 2021; two movies also featured nonbinary actors in leading or co-leading roles.



Women over the age of 45 starred in 10 of the top films last year, compared to 35 movies that featured men in this age group in leading roles.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">BIG NUMBER</h2>



31%. That’s how many of the top 100 films per year since 2007—1,600 in total—starred a woman or girl.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">KEY BACKGROUND</h2>



Women and people of color have historically been excluded from leading roles in films, as well as in the director’s chair. In 2015, the hashtag #OscarsSoWhite went viral, when the Academy—whose&nbsp;<a href="https://www.vox.com/22332389/oscars-academy-diversity-membership-2021" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">voting members</a>&nbsp;were overwhelmingly white—nominated 20 white actors for its honors. The creator of the movement, April Reign, wrote for&nbsp;<a href="https://variety.com/2020/film/news/oscarssowhite-nominations-diversity-april-reign-1203467389/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Variety</a>in 2020 that she has often received pushback along the lines of: “Well, there just weren’t enough diverse films to nominate.” And while people of color are still underrepresented, there has been progress, making their exclusion from awards shows a noticeable problem. “When we have this wealth of talent in front of and behind the camera, and they are still not recognized by what is considered the pinnacle in the industry, then we need to take a closer examination” of the Academy and the industry, Reign wrote. In 2018, Natalie Portman made headlines when she called out the “all-male nominees” when presenting the Golden Globe for Best Director. The Oscars did not nominate any women in its Best Directing category this year.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">CRUCIAL QUOTE</h2>



“The pace of industry change is certainly not a breakneck one,” the Annenberg study said. “The advocacy and activism that may have fueled change in the mid- to late-2010s may have had a short-term impact, but more is needed to achieve lasting improvement.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">TANGENT</h2>



Some of the 2022 films led by women of color included&nbsp;Black Panther: Wakanda Forever,&nbsp;Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness,&nbsp;Nope,&nbsp;Scream,&nbsp;Everything Everywhere All At Once&nbsp;and&nbsp;The Woman King. These performances were awarded at last month’s Golden Globes, where winners included Michelle Yeoh (Best Actress in a Motion Picture, Musical or Comedy) and Angela Bassett (Best Actress in a Supporting Role in Any Motion Picture), who were both also nominated for Oscars.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">FURTHER READING</h2>



<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/marisadellatto/2023/01/10/golden-globes-2023-abbott-elementary-the-banshees-of-inisherin-win-big/?sh=bd44b0d59c58">Golden Globes 2023: ‘Abbott Elementary,’ ‘The Banshees Of Inisherin’ Win Big</a>&nbsp;(Forbes)



<a href="http://forbes.com/sites/marisadellatto/2023/01/24/oscar-nominations-2023everything-everywhere-all-at-once-leads-pack/?sh=282621a435e2">Oscar Nominations 2023: ‘Everything Everywhere All At Once’ Leads Pack</a> (Forbes)



By Marisa Dellatto, Forbes Africa

European Premiere of Marvel Studios’ “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever”

More Top Films Starred Women Of Color In 2022, Study Shows

67| CHAIR, INTERNATIONAL OLYMPIC COMMITTEE (IOC) ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON HUMAN RIGHTS| SOUTH AFRICA



In 2022, Dr Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka took home the FORBES WOMAN AFRICA Lifetime Achievement Award at the 7th annual Leading Women Summit. The former UN Women Executive Director’s recent appointment as the Chairperson of The International Olympic Committee (IOC) Advisory Committee on Human Rights is just one example of how success has no age limit.



“Dr Mlambo-Ngcuka has devoted her career to issues of human rights, equality, and social justice, and her experience will help the IOC enhance respect for human rights across our three spheres of responsibility,” said IOC President Thomas Bach in a December statement after her appointment.



Mlambo-Ngcuka was born in Clermont, a township of Durban in KwaZulu-Natal, which housed multiple notable residents like Nonkululeko Nyembezi-Heita (chairperson of the Standard Bank Group), actor Muzi Mthabela and former anti-apartheid activist Eric Mtshali.



Having attended schools in KwaZulu-Natal, Lesotho, and England, the start of Mlambo-Ngcuka&#8217;s illustrious career began in the 1980s when she started at some of the world&#8217;s largest organizations in Geneva, to take up the position as the coordinator at World YWCA, where she established a global program for young women.



“I owe most of my breakthroughs to supportive and tough leadership of both men and women who assigned me to take up roles I learned a lot from,” Mlambo-Ngcuka says to FORBES AFRICA.



She was in Geneva from 1984 to 1989 and then returned to South Africa where she spearheaded TEAM in Cape Town, an ecumenical organization that focused on upskilling women, and where she was held to a high standard as a leader in the women&#8217;s movement, especially in the fight against apartheid.



“These were leaders who were both inspiring and they set the bar high and gave support when I faced challenges.”



Mlambo-Ngcuka has dedicated her career to “issues of human rights, equality and social justice, with a specific emphasis on gender and youth development”. In a 2022 interview with Global Citizen, she reflected about being part of the apartheid regime as a young South African activist which is why she has so much respect for young people fighting for equal opportunities today.



“[Young people] will take whatever steps necessary to achieve their objectives,” Mlambo-Ngcuka told Global Citizen. “&#8230;This is where you can see that it is really necessary to open up and allow young people to play the role they want to play in providing leadership and solutions in society.”



Her political career in South Africa also consisted of her working “tirelessly” to build and create policies and programs to diminish inequality, which began in 1994 when she became a member of the first democratically-elected South African Parliament. In 2005, she became the first woman to hold the position of Deputy President, the highest-ranking female political leader in the history of South Africa.



According to the University of the Witwatersrand, located in one of South Africa’s biggest economic hubs; Johannesburg, her 2005 appointment as the country’s first female Deputy President was not “only a win for women but it paved the way for sharper policies to unlock bottlenecks that suppressed economic growth”.



Mlambo-Ngcuka was happy to see change.



“Men are still dominating in most fields,” Mlambo-Ngcuka says. “Change is slow and it will not be permanent if we don&#8217;t focus on making it permanent.”



In data released by the World Bank showing the proportion of seats held by women in national parliaments for South Africa was only 33% in 2008. In 2021, that number rose to 47%, making South Africa the second-highest in having female members in parliament, Rwanda being the first with 61%.



“As women get into decision-making in parliaments, private sector boards, civil society,” Mlambo-Ngcuka further tells FORBES AFRICA, “they must ensure policies and special measures that promote women and sustain those roles. Ensure women gain irreversible momentum.



“Younger women have to keep rising and taking up space. The older good men and women must provide a support system, offer them opportunities and continuous push. Education in this context is critical but education alone is not enough; own drive and support are necessary. Young women must never forget the importance of sisterhood and organizing.”



In 2021, after completing her term as United Nations’ (UN) Under Secretary-General and Executive Director of UN Women, her colleagues and friends bid her farewell describing her as a visionary inter-generational champion.



But this not mean slowing down in any way for Mlambo-Ngcuka as she continues to be engaged and affiliated with organizations committed to education, women empowerment, and gender equality.



“In 50 years, we should not be talking about female leaders, we should just be talking about leaders.” Mlambo-Ngcuka concludes. There should be a representation of women at higher echelons as a norm.



Both men and women should play an equal role in leadership with no spotlight on women. This is what we are working towards.”


<div class="wp-block-image">
<figure class="aligncenter size-full is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Screenshot-2023-02-14-at-14.24.57.png" alt="" class="wp-image-57536" width="274" height="351" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Screenshot-2023-02-14-at-14.24.57.png 378w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Screenshot-2023-02-14-at-14.24.57-234x300.png 234w" sizes="(max-width: 274px) 100vw, 274px" /></figure></div>


<a href="https://www.forbesafrica.com/lists/2023/02/14/50-over-50-success-at-every-age/">For the full 50 Over 50 List </a>

Untitled

Dr Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka: ‘I Owe Most Of My Breakthroughs To The Supportive And Tough Leadership of Both Men and Women’

INTRODUCING FORBES AFRICA’S 50 OVER 50 LIST – OUR FIRST- EVER COMPILATION OF 50 WOMEN OVER THE AGE OF 50 SCALING NEWER HEIGHTS AND INSPIRING THE NEXT CADRE OF LEADERSHIP ON THE AFRICAN CONTINENT. AGE IS JUST A NUMBER FOR THEM AND RETIREMENT NOT AN OPTION OR THE END OF THE ROAD, AS THEY CONTINUE TO POWER THEIR WAY INTO HISTORY BOOKS AND THE HEARTS OF AFRICANS. FROM BUSINESS TYCOONS TO TECHNOCRATS, FOUNDERS TO C-SUITE EXECUTIVES, AND ACTIVISTS TO ENTERTAINERS, THEY HAVE BROKEN BARRIERS THROUGHOUT THEIR IMPACTFUL CAREERS, AND TAKEN UP SPACES TO ENSURE OTHERS HAVE A VOICE IN THOSE VERY SPACES AND BEYOND. READ ON: THE SENIOR-MOST CHANGE-MAKER ON THIS LIST IS 98 AND STILL UNSTOPPABLE!



By Chanel Retief, Lillian Roberts and Marie Shabaya – With inputs from West Africa by Peace Hyde



We are in 2023 talking about mainstreaming electric cars, virtual reality, drone deliveries and space travel.



Sure, NASA is talking about landing a woman on the moon by 2024, but back on earth, gender disparity is still a norm, a discussion point, an unfinished business. As it has been for a long time And sadly, as reports suggest, as it will remain.



The World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap Report 2022 states that the gender gap globally has been closed by 68.1%, but at the current rate of progress, it will take another 132 years to reach full parity.



The statistics speak. But so do generations of women wanting the needle to move, faster.



Although no country has yet achieved full gender parity, the top 10 economies have closed at least 80% of their gender gaps, with Iceland (90.8%) leading the global ranking. The only sub-Saharan African countries to make the top 10 in narrowing the gender gap are Rwanda (81.1%, 6th) and Namibia (80.7%, 8th).



In an analysis by the African Centre for the Constructive Resolution of Disputes (ACCORD), their gender parity index (GPI) report showed that 30 (66.67%) countries have increased gender parity while 15 (33.33%) have decreased gender parity. For ACCORD, this is an average increase for the continent when comparing the gender gap between 2013 and 2021.



But even with these figures, the reality is that women in Africa make a sizeable contribution to the continent’s informal and formal economies. The African Development Bank (AfDB) in its Empowering African Women report states that women on the continent are “more economically active as farmers and entrepreneurs than women in any other region of the world. It is the women who grow most of Africa’s food, and who own one-third of all businesses”.



But yet, the well-entrenched stereotypes and conditioning have been hard to break.



Says Nonkululeko Gobodo, Chief Executive Officer at AWAKENED Global and better known as South Africa’s first black female chartered accountant, in an interview with FORBES AFRICA: “Because these topics [racial and gender inequalities] are so embedded in history, we are so confused by this history that has defined who black people are and who women are that we’ve been unable to break free from [them]. I call them myths, because whatever people believe about women or black people are just really myths that were created.”



Milestones were hard won, particularly for this generation that had to also look past historical hardships, as they powered on.



“My parents lost everything, including all their life savings because they were on the Biafran side,” Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, the first woman and first African to lead the World Trade Organization as Director-General, said in FORBES AFRICA’s December 2020-January 2021 issue when she won African of the Year. “I was eating one meal a day and children were dying. So, I learned to live very frugally. I often say I can sleep on a mud floor as well as a feathered bed and be very comfortable. It has made me someone who can do without things in life because of what we went through.”



The AfDB report shows that while African women work 50% longer hours than men, the pay gap between men and women is still very wide.



But this has not swayed the fairer sex to give up on their goals.



“I am in full of admiration for women all over the African continent,” Okonjo-Iweala said at the 2021 FORBES WOMAN AFRICA Leading Women Summit for the closing keynote address. “Our priorities for African governments make sure girls are in school getting an education.”



Winnie Byanyima, the Executive Director of UNAIDS and Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations, wrote in her column for FORBES AFRICA’s 10th anniversary issue in 2021: “Woman leaders, particularly young women, when given space to share their creativity, will show how to build societies able to overcome any crisis and to unleash the potential of all.”



“I’ve always viewed myself not as a woman but as a human being,” Professor Quarraisha Abdool Karim, renowned South African AIDS researcher, tells us. “And what is it that I want to contribute to leaving the world as a better place. And what is it that I can do to enhance our lives and ensure a sustainable future.”



This is what spells success for these 50 powerhouses on our 50 Over 50 list.



Each of them has taken the time to ensure a foundation has already been built for their successors to further build on.



In 2020, at the helm of a new decade, FORBES WOMAN AFRICA ran a list of Africa’s 50 Most Powerful Women; those challenging the status quo and paving the way where there was none.



There are many formidable personalities from that list you will find on these pages too; from Wendy Luhabe to Wendy Appelbaum to Wendy Ackerman and Angélique Kidjo to Arunma Oteh to Amina J Mohammed, you will find them here, amongst several new names too from across the African continent.



“There is no force equal to a woman determined to rise,” says Louisa Mojela, the CEO of WIPHOLD in South Africa, aptly.



No matter their work in entrepreneurship, entertainment, investment, activism or philanthropy, this 2023 edition is a befitting list of respected change-makers to honor International Woman’s Day on March 8 (which is also when the eighth instalment of the FORBES WOMAN AFRICA Leading Women Summit will be held in Pretoria, South Africa).



“I think everyday should be a day celebrating women and what women achieve,” says Wendy Ackerman, Founder and Honorary Life President of Pick n Pay Stores.



“Because everyday is a miracle what we do achieve. I watch my daughters and I watch the other women around me. In the company, I’ve watched how women have risen through the ranks, and educated themselves while working. I really believe that we should all celebrate women, and protect them.”



Here’s presenting Africa’s inter-generational female champions.



 Editor’s Note: The list follows no particular order



<figure class="wp-block-table"><table><tbody><tr><td>Name </td><td>Age</td><td>Country </td><td>Title</td></tr><tr><td>Dr Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka</td><td>67</td><td>South Africa</td><td>Chair, International Olympic Committee (IOC) Advisory Committee on Human Rights</td></tr><tr><td>Nolitha Fakude</td><td>55</td><td>South Africa</td><td>President, Minerals Council South Africa and Group Director, Anglo-American plc</td></tr><tr><td>Dr Helena Ndume</td><td>62</td><td>Namibia </td><td>Head, Ophthalmology Department at Windhoek Central Hospital</td></tr><tr><td>Tsitsi Dangarembga</td><td>63</td><td>Zimbabwe</td><td>Author, Playwright and Filmmaker</td></tr><tr><td>Juliet Ehimuan</td><td>50+</td><td>Nigeria</td><td>Country Director, GoogleChief Justice Martha Koome</td></tr><tr><td>Chief Justice Martha Koome</td><td>63</td><td>Kenya</td><td>15th Chief Justice of the Republic of Kenya, President of the Supreme Court of Kenya</td></tr><tr><td>Dr Victoria Kisyombe</td><td>50+</td><td>Tanzania</td><td>Founder and CEO, Selfina</td></tr><tr><td>Dr Agnes Kalibata</td><td>50+</td><td>Rwanda</td><td>President, Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA), Policymaker and Agricultural Scientist</td></tr><tr><td>Folorunso Alakija</td><td>71</td><td>Nigeria</td><td>Managing Director, Rose of Sharon Group</td></tr><tr><td>Louise Mushikiwabo</td><td>62</td><td>Rwanda</td><td>Secretary General, Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie</td></tr><tr><td>Dr Matshidiso Moeti</td><td>69</td><td>Botswana</td><td>Regional Director, World Health Organization Africa|</td></tr><tr><td>Wendy Luhabe</td><td>65</td><td>South Africa</td><td>Social Entrepreneur</td></tr><tr><td>Arunma Oteh</td><td>50+</td><td>Nigeria</td><td>Chair, Royal African Society, Former Treasurer and Vice President of the World Bank</td></tr><tr><td>Nomhle Maggie Mliswa</td><td>58</td><td>Zimbabwe</td><td>CEO, Summerhill Farms</td></tr><tr><td>Graça Machel</td><td>77</td><td>Mozambique-South Africa</td><td>Founder and Chair of the Board for the Graça Machel Trust, Co-founder and Deputy Chair, The Elders</td></tr><tr><td>Irene Charnley</td><td>62</td><td>South Africa</td><td>Chair, Gibela Rail Transport Consortium</td></tr><tr><td>Nonkululeko Nyembezi-Heita</td><td>62</td><td>South Africa</td><td>Chair, Standard Bank Group and Standard Bank of South Africa</td></tr><tr><td>Alda Salomão</td><td>50+</td><td>Mozambique</td><td>Environmental Lawyer, Human Rights Activist, Land Specialist</td></tr><tr><td>Olajumoke Adenowo</td><td>54</td><td>Nigeria</td><td>Founder, AD Consulting</td></tr><tr><td>Zipporah Kittony</td><td>80</td><td>Kenya</td><td>Former Chairperson, Maendeleo ya Wanawake and Veteran Politician</td></tr><tr><td>Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala</td><td>68</td><td>Nigeria</td><td>Director-General, World Trade Organization</td></tr><tr><td>Grace Onyango</td><td>98</td><td>Kenya</td><td>Veteran Female Politician</td></tr><tr><td>Dr Frannie Léautier</td><td>50+</td><td>Tanzania</td><td>CEO, SouthBridge Investments</td></tr><tr><td>Phuthi Mahanyele-Dabengwa</td><td>52</td><td>South Africa</td><td>CEO, Naspers South Africa</td></tr><tr><td>Amina J Mohammed</td><td>61</td><td>Nigeria</td><td>Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations</td></tr><tr><td>Dr Precious Moloi-Motsepe</td><td>58</td><td>South Africa</td><td>Co-Founder and CEO, Motsepe Foundation and Founder and Executive Chair, African Fashion International</td></tr><tr><td>Connie Ferguson</td><td>52</td><td>South Africa</td><td>Actress, Filmmaker and Co-Founder, Ferguson Films</td></tr><tr><td>Wendy Ackerman</td><td>60+</td><td>South Africa</td><td>Founder and Honorary Life President, Pick n Pay Stores</td></tr><tr><td>Professor Quarraisha Abdool Karim</td><td>63</td><td>South Africa</td><td>President, UNESCO-TWAS, Professor in Clinical Epidemiology, Columbia University and Vice-Chancellor for African Health, University of KwaZulu-Natal</td></tr><tr><td>Jennifer Karina</td><td>64</td><td>Kenya </td><td>Board and Governance Expert, Founder and CEO, Anchor Relationship Network</td></tr><tr><td>Ellen Johnson Sirleaf</td><td>84</td><td>Liberia</td><td>First Female President of Liberia, Nobel Peace Prize Laureate</td></tr><tr><td>Flora Mutahi</td><td>50+</td><td>Kenya</td><td>Founder and CEO, Melvin Marsh International</td></tr><tr><td>Ibukun Awosika</td><td>61</td><td>Nigeria</td><td>Founder and Chief Executive Officer, The Chair Centre Group</td></tr><tr><td>Lydia Nsekera</td><td>55</td><td>Burundi</td><td>Chair, International Olympic Committee for Gender Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion</td></tr><tr><td>Magda Wierzycka</td><td>54 </td><td>South Africa</td><td>Founder and Executive Chairperson, Sygnia</td></tr><tr><td>Judy Dlamini</td><td>63</td><td>South Africa</td><td>Founder and Chairperson, Mbekani Group</td></tr><tr><td>Dr Jennifer Riria</td><td>50+</td><td>Kenya</td><td>Veteran Women’s Rights Campaigner, Founder and CEO, Echo Network Africa</td></tr><tr><td>Catherine Wijnberg</td><td>64</td><td>South Africa</td><td>Founder, Fetola</td></tr><tr><td>Nonkululeko Gobodo</td><td>62</td><td>South Africa</td><td>Co-Founder, SNG Grant Thornton</td></tr><tr><td>Louisa Mojela</td><td>60+</td><td>South Africa</td><td>Co-Founder, WIPHOLD</td></tr><tr><td>Thuli Madonsela</td><td>60</td><td>South Africa</td><td>Advocate and Professor of Law</td></tr><tr><td>Lady Justice Joyce Aluoch</td><td>75</td><td>Kenya</td><td>Former Judge of the High Court of Kenya and Presiding Judge of the International Criminal Court (ICC) at The Hague</td></tr><tr><td>Wendy Appelbaum</td><td>62</td><td>South Africa</td><td>Entrepreneur, Founder, DeMorgenzon Wine Estate</td></tr><tr><td>Nokugcina Elsie Mhlophe</td><td>64</td><td>South Africa</td><td>Storyteller, Writer, Playwright, Director</td></tr><tr><td>Chileshe Kapwepwe</td><td>64</td><td>Zambia</td><td>Secretary General, Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA)</td></tr><tr><td>Professor Glenda Gray</td><td>60</td><td>South Africa </td><td>President, South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC)</td></tr><tr><td>Connie Chiume</td><td>70</td><td>South Africa</td><td>Actress and Filmmaker|</td></tr><tr><td>Angélique Kidjo</td><td>62</td><td>Benin</td><td>Five-Time Grammy Winner, Singer-Songwriter, Actress and Activist</td></tr><tr><td>Rebecca Enonchong</td><td>55</td><td>Cameroon </td><td>Founder and CEO, AppsTech|</td></tr><tr><td>Yvonne Chaka Chaka</td><td>57</td><td>South Africa</td><td>Singer, Songwriter, Actress, Entrepreneur and Humanitarian</td></tr></tbody></table></figure>



To read the full feature,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbesafrica.com/product/forbes-africa/">subscribe to Forbes Africa</a>&nbsp;or download the issue&nbsp;<a href="https://shop.forbesafrica.com/product/single-digital-issue-feb-mar-2023/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">here.</a>

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The 50 Over 50 List Of Africa’s Female Powerhouses: Success At Every Age

Africa shone in Washington this past week, as the US wooed African heads of state at the US-Africa Leaders Summit underlining the continent’s significance and committing to invest in its future with renewed vigor. What’s next? More in this exclusive FORBES AFRICA interview.



The United States demonstrated the big Africa push with commitments to support Africa’s inclusive growth at the US-Africa Leaders Summit held last week in Washington DC.



At the US-Africa Business Forum, President Joe Biden said the US is “all in on Africa’s future” and called it “another historic summit”. As many as 49 African heads of state attended and business deals worth a reported $15 billion were signed during the forum.



The last time this summit was held was eight years ago under the Obama-Biden administration.



The Biden-Harris administration now plans to invest at least $55 billion in Africa over the next three years, and is recasting traditional US policy priorities.



After signing a Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation for Trade and Investment between the US and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) with the Secretary General of the AfCFTA Secretariat, Wamkele Mene, during the US-Africa Business Forum, US Trade Representative, Ambassador Katherine Tai, said: “The future is Africa – for the United States and global economy. Africa’s significance is undeniable… The Biden-Harris administration recognizes that it is impossible to meet today’s challenges on trade without African contributions and leadership, and our support of the AfCFTA is part and parcel of this…



“But our work together will be an inclusive undertaking, requiring active participation from African Union member states, Regional Economic Communities, diaspora, SMEs, women-owned businesses, young entrepreneurs, workers and civil society groups.”



More from an interview during the December 13-15 summit with Constance Hamilton, the Assistant US Trade Representative for Africa, Office of the United States Trade Representative, who also oversees the administration’s implementation of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA):


<div class="wp-block-image">
<figure class="alignleft size-full is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/Constance-Hamilton-image-credit-Office-of-the-United-States-Trade-Representative-Executive-Office-of-the-President.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-57172" width="375" height="375" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/Constance-Hamilton-image-credit-Office-of-the-United-States-Trade-Representative-Executive-Office-of-the-President.jpg 240w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/Constance-Hamilton-image-credit-Office-of-the-United-States-Trade-Representative-Executive-Office-of-the-President-150x150.jpg 150w" sizes="(max-width: 375px) 100vw, 375px" /><figcaption>Constance Hamilton, image credit US Department of State</figcaption></figure></div>


Q. It’s Africa in the United States, with heads of state visiting from the continent. What is the sentiment you&#8217;re seeing right now about Africa?



A. There&#8217;s just a lot of optimism about the relationship, that we all have an interest in finding common ground so we can work better together [on] all the major issues facing not just Africa and the United States, but the world; everything from climate change to the war with Ukraine to all issues. I think that what this [summit] does is it brings together like-minded people to try to find solutions to some of the major problems in the world today. And so it&#8217;s a very good vibe right now. We had a big meeting to talk about the African Growth and Opportunity Act, they had an opportunity to engage with congressional members&#8230; both sides offered their views on what should happen, what&#8217;s worked, what didn&#8217;t work well in the program, and changes that they may want to think about going forward… it’s a lot of goodwill. I hope one of the things this meeting does is reinforce the importance of Africa to America. I think that&#8217;s a very good thing.



Q. It’s good to see the narrative shifting, because we always hear about Africa needing aid, but people not really talking about working together with Africa. Do you see big collaborations coming together?



A. Absolutely. I mean, even countries that are facing challenges, as Ambassador Tai has articulated many, many times is that we do believe in growth from the bottom up, so that [for] those who are marginalized, those who are not seeing any benefits and trade, that we come up with policies and plans to make sure that they do, that they are part of the success story. There are a lot of conversations about how we work together both as a group, and individually in each of the countries we talk to; how do we work together to do better.



Q. There are smaller countries that don&#8217;t receive the kind of attention from the world that the bigger economies perhaps receive, and they have their peace and security issues and are conflict-ridden. How you engaging specifically with some of the smaller emerging markets on the continent?



A. One thing I would say about that is the way my office is structured, every country, whether they&#8217;re big or small, is important to what we&#8217;re doing. So whether you&#8217;re a tiny island nation, whether you&#8217;re Nigeria or South Africa, we pay attention to you… we pay attention to all the criteria, we look at each country to make sure that they are meeting the criteria. And we get very specific. So when there are challenges, we reach out to find out where we can find the assistance to help them address some of their problems. We use USAID and some of the other agencies within the US government to make sure that we can identify resources that we can point in their direction. So it&#8217;s not just about providing aid, it&#8217;s also providing assistance for them to do what they want to do.



Q. With the AfCFTA aiming for a single market, how are you capitalizing on that opportunity?



A. One of the things that happened at this meeting, was Ambassador Tai and Secretary-General Mene from the AfCFTA Secretariat find a memorandum of understanding, laying out a plan for us to work with the African Union Secretariat, to help them implement and negotiate new protocols on the AfCFTA. We definitely want to be a partner in that, we see the importance of it; we&#8217;ve been supporting regional integration on the continent for decades. So we know the importance of this. We also understand the challenge. I mean, you think about 55 nations, we know that the borders are thick, you know that it&#8217;s difficult for goods to move, we know that there&#8217;s some transportation and trade facilitation issues. This is an opportunity to work with the Secretariat and with the members to figure out a path forward.



Q. Moving to Africa’s greater integration into the global economy, what does the world think of Africa&#8217;s investment climate at the moment? How are you mobilizing the power of the business community there to invest into Africa?



A. I think that where Africa and African nations can really benefit from this whole move towards globalization is by getting into value and supply chains, where they have strength to do that. I think that&#8217;s one of the things when we talk about the AfCFTA, when we talk about AGOA, when we talk to countries about improving their investment climate so that investors aren&#8217;t just interested and taking out raw materials, they&#8217;re interested in joint ventures or putting up manufacturing facilities&#8230; I do think that there is, especially with AGOA, that allows countries from other partners to produce manufactured goods. I think that there&#8217;s a way forward on that. One of the issues we&#8217;ll be looking at is how to bring African countries more into value and supply chain.



Q. What about catalyzing private sector partnerships?



A. It’s always a part of what we&#8217;re trying to do, part of the AGOA forum that we&#8217;ll have in South Africa in 2023. We hope to bring a large US private sector contingent so they can see what Africa offers. And they can also talk about joint ventures and other investment opportunities. That&#8217;s always part of our idea. The governments can’t do it, trade happens from private sectors. And so getting our companies, our SMEs, our women or youth-oriented enterprises to come to Africa, and see what they can do. That&#8217;s part of what we hope to encourage.



Q. This is a continent with countries that lack basic services such as power, health equity, food security, rule of law or democratic reforms. How are you going to accelerate progress in all of those areas?



A. It&#8217;s a big continent with a lot of countries, and each one has different issues. They don&#8217;t all have the same challenges. I think the key is to find out what are the challenges in a particular country and identify what we can do to assist. If they&#8217;re part of the AGOA family, that gives them a leg up, because there are things that we&#8217;re already doing to help them trade. If they&#8217;re not part of the AGOA family, we still care about their development, even when we take a country out of AGOA, part of the work is how do we get them back in? There are a lot of challenges on the continent, there are a lot of challenges in America, but these are all things I think that can be solved by working together.



Q. With the growing youth population on the continent, how are you engaging with these young minds, innovators and entrepreneurs in the startups ecosystem?



A. We know that a lot of the innovation in digital trade is coming from young people. But it&#8217;s not just the youth, it&#8217;s also women. When we had the African Women Entrepreneurship Program, which was a big part of AGOA, and I thought that this was one of the most exciting elements of what AGOA brought to the table because it allows these women to form their own chapters in the countries, and they help each other find employment opportunities or help their companies grow. And I think that the Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI) that started under President Barack Obama is also a way of identifying really bright, enterprising young people, and helping them get to where they want to go in terms of business. So I think there&#8217;s a lot that we&#8217;re doing already that supports not just women, but also youth. It&#8217;s hard for me to articulate all of the different initiatives that are out there, but I do think that there&#8217;s a lot that we&#8217;re doing to try to bring them into businesses so that they can follow their dreams.



It&#8217;s really important to have this kind of dialogue and meet face-to-face [at the summit]; it’s very important for relationships. I think that it&#8217;s a fantastic vibe. Next year, we hope to be in South Africa for an AGOA forum after [South Africa’s Minister of Trade and Industry] Ebrahim Patel said he&#8217;s looking forward to hosting everyone, and I&#8217;m looking forward to being there.

US-Africa Leaders Summit 2022, image credit Office of the United States Trade Representative, Executive Office of the President

$55 Billion And The Importance Of Africa To America

On December 6, Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung (FES), a non-profit German organization with operations in South Africa, launched the Lindiwe Mabuza Space, a new conference facility, in the country.



The launch commemorated a year since the passing of Lindiwe Mabuza, the distinguished South African diplomat who died at the age of 83. An anti-apartheid activist, Mabuza went on to become a member of the first democratically-elected parliament of South Africa. She was also an academic, journalist and poet.



In attendance at the launch was Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, South Africa’s Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, also a former anti-apartheid activist.



As part of the program, group exercises were held where people posed answers to important problems of the day.



“We must be the change we want to see,” added Dlamini-Zuma to the discussion. When the group spoke of greater youth participation, she emphasized that women should be included.



Sebastian Sperling, resident director of the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung in Johannesburg, spoke to FORBES AFRICA about how the new facility would be used.



“It’s a space for progressives to meet, develop ideas, engage on ideas, experiment, and talk to each other again – as we have felt today. And lastly, build alliances, overcome our divisions, especially in the progressive camps,” says Sperling.



The organization is a global network, and while they are working with South African partners, a big element of their work is creating links internationally, “because we need to organize across borders,” he says.



FES is advancing socio-political and economic development in the spirit of social democracy, through civic education, research, and international cooperation.

SAMSUNG CSC

Commemorating A South African Struggle Icon

<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-topline">TOPLINE</h2>



French soccer referee Stéphanie Frappart will make history Thursday when she leads the first all-female refereeing trio in a men’s World Cup match—the latest in a series of records and tournament firsts happening in Qatar.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">KEY FACTS</h2>



Frappart will be joined by assistants Neuza Back from Brazil and Karen Diaz from Mexico to officiate the match between Costa Rica and Germany on Thursday,&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/FIFAcom/status/1597670007735218176?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1597670007735218176%7Ctwgr%5E4299cada349615949e65f39d6a25e1e07141ad5d%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&amp;ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fsports.yahoo.com%2Fworld-cup-2022-germany-vs-costa-rica-to-feature-historic-all-female-refereeing-crew-175316042.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">FIFA</a>&nbsp;announced this week.



During a match against Qatar last week, England’s 19-year-old&nbsp;<a href="https://news.sky.com/story/england-make-winning-start-to-world-cup-campaign-in-qatar-thrashing-iran-12752494" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Jude Bellingham</a>&nbsp;became the first player born in the 21st century to score a goal in a World Cup match.



The Qatar tournament also features the first set of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fifa.com/fifaplus/en/articles/fifa-world-cup-2022-qatar-inaki-williams-nico-williams-spain-ghana" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">full siblings</a>&nbsp;to compete for different teams, with Iñaki Williams representing Ghana and his younger brother, Nico Williams, making his World Cup debut for Spain. (The Williams brothers were born in Spain to a Ghanaian father and Liberian mother, and Iñaki previously played for Spain.)



Canadian coach John Herdman is the first manager in World Cup history to have led both a men&#8217;s and a women&#8217;s team at the tournaments, having previously coached the New Zealand women’s team in the 2007 and 2011 women’s World Cups.



When Qatar lost to Ecuador last week, it was the first time in World Cup history that a host team lost their opening match.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">KEY BACKGROUND</h2>



The Qatar World Cup is the first ever held in the Middle East, and the most expensive in the tournament’s history, with Qatar spending an estimated&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/mattcraig/2022/11/19/the-money-behind-the-most-expensive-world-cup-in-history-qatar-2022-by-the-numbers/?sh=7f2bbfddbff5">$220 billion</a>&nbsp;over the past decade to prepare, including constructing seven new stadiums in which to hold matches. Because of the hot Qatari climate, the tournament is also the first to be held in winter instead of the usual summer schedule, which has&nbsp;<a href="https://www.sportingnews.com/uk/soccer/news/leagues-world-cup-2022-schedule-premier-league-la-liga-serie-a-ligue-1/dryqyalwdjryz31jhpx7n494" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">disrupted club lineups</a>&nbsp;in other countries. FIFA’s decision to hold the World Cup in Qatar has drawn controversy due to the country’s human rights record, and after&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnn.com/2022/11/29/football/qatar-world-cup-migrant-worker-deaths-spt-intl/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">scores of migrant workers</a>&nbsp;died while working on World Cup-related construction projects. Qatar and FIFA officials have also been accused of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.npr.org/2022/11/18/1137204271/qatar-world-cup-controversies" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">bribery and corruption</a>&nbsp;in voting to hold the tournament in the country.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">FURTHER READING</h2>



<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/mattcraig/2022/11/19/the-money-behind-the-most-expensive-world-cup-in-history-qatar-2022-by-the-numbers/?sh=7f2bbfddbff5">The Money Behind The Most Expensive World Cup In History: Qatar 2022 By The Numbers</a>&nbsp;(Forbes)



<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/dereksaul/2022/11/30/heres-how-much-us-soccer-players-will-make-from-the-world-cup-based-on-stage-of-elimination/?sh=41ebbe0157b1">Here’s How Much U.S. Soccer Players Will Make From The World Cup Based On How Far They Go</a>&nbsp;(Forbes)



<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/nicholasreimann/2022/11/29/us-beats-iran-advances-to-world-cup-round-of-16/?sh=740f18cd7e54">U.S. Beats Iran—Advances To World Cup Round Of 16</a>&nbsp;(Forbes)



By Carlie Porterfield, Forbes Staff

Mexico v Poland: Group C – FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022

First All-Female Referee Team Planned For World Cup—Here Are The Other Records Set In Qatar

It is often said that women’s football will not develop and grow until teams are given more international fixtures to play, and Zambia’s Copper Queens are the shining example of this. One of their current stars is goal-scoring midfielder Ireen Lungu.



ZAMBIAN WOMEN’S FOOTBALL HAS SEEN A meteoric rise in the last 12 months, culminating in the country’s first-ever qualification for the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup that will be staged in Australia and New Zealand.



The side is reaping the reward of their own hard work, but also the exposure they gained to the international stage when they managed to qualify for the Olympic Games held in Tokyo last year. It is often said that women’s football will not develop and grow until teams are given more international fixtures to play, and Zambia’s Copper Queens are the shining example of this. One of their current stars is goal-scoring midfielder Ireen



Lungu, who played every minute at the Olympics and followed that up by playing all six games as Zambia took the bronze medal at the 2022 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) and in doing so qualified for the World Cup.



She paints a picture of a side who were fearful to play on the international stage, but have gained confidence with every outing they have had.



“The Olympics was where it started, that experience we had, and we carried that into the WAFCON and gained even more from that tournament,” Lungu tells FORBES AFRICA.



“We came up against some great players and that took our confidence to another level again.



“But the Olympics’ experience was tough. Many of us had never played against white people before, but after the first game, where we lost 10-3 to Netherlands, that actually boosted our confidence. It sounds strange, but it did.



“We could see the level and felt that we could go higher ourselves. In every game after that we improved and that 



removed the fear we had from every player. It turned into a great tournament in terms of helping us to grow and improve.



“If I look at how we have progressed from before then, we sometimes struggled to display our best football but now we have a lot of players who have competed at the highest level.



“Everyone [back home] now wants to compete and be part of the national team, which makes for greater competition among players.”



That was not the only highlight for Zambian football. Lungu’s club Green Buffaloes recently qualified for the CAF Women’s Champions League in Morocco later this year, and in doing so beat current African champions Mamelodi Sundowns, who had a star-studded line-up.



It is yet more continental exposure for Zambian football.



“We were so happy to beat Mamelodi Sundowns, they are a good team with quality players compared to what our clubs have back in Zambia,” Lungu says. “That’s because in South Africa there are many sponsors [for women’s football] compared to what we have at home.



“That is starting to change, there is sponsorship coming in and now it is up to everyone to show that improvement and why corporates should invest in women’s football.”



Lungu says the changing face of the game in Zambia is pleasing, as is the multitude of opportunities offered to young girls compared to when she started out and was forced to play in boys’ teams.



Though she credits that for her rapid development.



“I started playing in 2007 when I was still in Primary School. I used to play with the boys there. There was no girls’ teams where I was staying back then so I was very used to playing with and against boys. That was my only choice,” she says.



“When there was the chance to play with girls, I actually found it very hard to do so because all I had known to that point was playing with boys. It was a big adjustment. I tried to find a better team with girls who knew how to play football. I found the standard too low.”



She also admits to the fact that, certainly 15 years ago, attitudes towards women playing the sport were not as they are today.



“It was quite tough because where we come from the parents don’t want to allow you to go and play [if you are a girl], so it was very hard for me. But I had to stand up for myself and say, ‘this is what I want and nothing will stop me from playing’.



“I am where I am today because of determination and discipline. I am also a very hard-working player.”



She will hope a positive showing at the World Cup puts her in line for a contract abroad, and with it the chance to go fully professional as a footballer.



“That’s the thing now I am pushing for now. I don’t want to be in my country anymore, I want to go and play in new leagues. That is a big ambition of mine and something I have to work extra hard towards,” she says.



“I would like to go to any country as long as there is competition, but Spain looks like a good option. I want to compete with great players so that I can improve my own level.”

Zambia v Netherlands – Tokyo 2020 Olympic Football Tournament

Now Time For Zambian Football And Its Top Female Players 

<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Topline</h2>



World-leading AIDS researcher, South African Quarraisha Abdool Karim, has been elected to serve as the seventh President of The World Academy of Sciences for the advancement of science in developing countries (UNESCO-TWAS).



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-facts">Key Facts</h2>



A Professor in Clinical Epidemiology at Columbia University, USA, and pro-Vice Chancellor for African Health at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, Abdool Karim will serve as president from 2023 until 2026. The South African professor succeeds Sudanese mathematician Professor Mohamed Hassan.



“It is a real honor and privilege to be elected as President of TWAS,” said Abdool Karim in a statement released by TWAS. “And to have the opportunity to build on the strong foundations established over four decades by my predecessors in realizing the aspirational vision of the founder, Nobel laureate Abdus Salam, on the use of science to improve the lives of the most vulnerable in the developing world.”



Abdool Karim was included in the Women In Science list released by FORBES AFRICA in 2021.



According to TWAS, this is the first time that the 16-member council will comprise of exactly eight men and eight women. Abdool Karim will also be the first woman to serve in the role of TWAS President. Furthermore, this is the first time the council will include a Vice-President and council member from the Global North.



The TWAS Council, elected by members every four years, is responsible for supervising all academy affairs. TWAS treasurer Korean physicist Young Hee Lee, Director of the Center for Integrated Nanostructure Physics of the Institute for Basic Science and Professor at Sungkyunkwan University in the Republic of Korea, said that Abdool Karim is an accomplished scholar, scientist and health policy leader.



“&#8230;With deep knowledge of what it takes to training developing world scientists and make a powerful real-world impact with her research&#8230; I am confident that under their guidance the Academy will not only continue to build scientific capacity through research, education, policy and diplomacy — but also expand its activities and programmes, taking TWAS to new heights,” he added.



In her statement Abdool Karim emphasized that while much progress has been made in collaboration with the global network of science academies and strategic partnerships, much more remains to be done during these socially, politically and economically challenging times.



“This is also an opportunity for scientific excellence in developing countries to flourish as we continue to find solutions to the ongoing and new challenges that face the most vulnerable in our communities,” she added. “And ensure that we can all realize our full potential as one people in a safe planet that ensures a sustainable future for all who inhabit it.”

fwis2016_quarraisha_abdool_karim_0

South African To Be First Woman To Head The World Academy Of Sciences

The 2023 Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand next year will see Zambia and South Africa participate with big hopes hinged on their performance.



BY NICK SAID



If there is one thing the coaches of South Africa and Zambia are in agreement on, it is that the hard work starts now as they prepare for the 2023 Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand next year.



The draw for the 32-team finals competition was held a few weeks ago, and has not been particularly kind to the two southern African nations.



Debutants Zambia have been paired with Spain, Japan and Costa Rica in Group C, no easy task, but coach Bruce Mwape knows that however they do, the symbolism of seeing the Copper Queens on the global stage is perhaps the important thing.



“There are no easy teams in women’s football at the moment,” Mwape says. “For us, it’s just important to be there, especially as this is our first time.



“The whole country is behind us, supporting the team, and our achievements recently show that there has been a lot of improvement in Zambian football.”



He is correct. The Zambian national side won their first COSAFA senior title in 2022, while the country’s top club Green Buffaloes won the COSAFA Women’s Champions League as well.



These are all big steps forward for the game in Zambia and a major reason why they find themselves at the World Cup too.



Mwape has certainly improved their performance drastically, as has forward Barbra Banda, who was a star of the Olympic Games in Tokyo last year and could have a huge impact at the World Cup.



For South Africa, this competition will be second time round after they had their maiden World Cup qualification in France in 2019.



The core of that group remains in place and as recently-crowned African champions, there will be much expectation that they get out of their pool.



But the draw has not been kind, they face top sides Sweden, Italy and Argentina, with certainly the first two formidable foes. Coach Des Ellis is putting on a brave face.



“I think it’s a reasonable draw,” she said. “We’ve played Sweden before but we haven’t met Italy and Argentina. My feeling is that it could have been tougher.



“Now the planning and preparation starts, making sure the players have as much information as they can.”



The World Cup will be staged from July 20 to August 20, with South Africa canvassing hard to be the hosts of the 2027 tournament. The women’s competition has never been held on the African continent before.

FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup Qualifier: South Africa v Ethiopia

Big Steps Forward For Women’s Football In These Southern African Nations

The lure of judo is odd as it is an incredibly painful sport but South African Judoka Michaela Whitebooi has found gold medal success, and is looking forward to the Paris Olympic Games in 2024.



By Nick Said



MICHAELA WHITEBOOI’S GOLD MEDAL AT the 2022 Commonwealth Games was a reward for years of pain and toil on the judo mat, but she is already thinking of her next goal at the Paris Olympic Games in 2024.



Whitebooi won gold in the 48-kilogram category, but despite



her diminutive size, is a born fighter who had to make up for the disappointment of a first round exit at the Tokyo Olympics last year.



Raised in Booysen Park in Gqeberha, South Africa, she started judo at the age of 10 after a friend invited her to training, and won a place at the TuksSport High School in Pretoria, the country’s capital.



“I was 14 years old and my mom traveled with me, but then had to leave a few days before the school opened,” Whitebooi tells FORBES AFRICA from her training base in Budapest.



“That was devastating for me, I was crying the whole time. I honestly can’t tell you how I survived, though the next year two or three of my friends came, including one boy from my judo club [in Gqeberha].



“So that made it easier, I had people that were familiar to me and I could hang around them. The first year I was so alone.”



Whitebooi says the lure of judo is odd as it is an incredibly painful sport.



“I don’t know what it really is. It is really painful falling and you know when you go to training you are going to feel that pain. But the judo mat also makes you feel you are in a happy place.”



She is trained by Bulgarian Nikola Filipov, who has helped to shape her career, even if first impressions were not promising.



“He was my coach at the TuksSport High School, so I have been with him since 2010,” she explains. “I met him the first day there. It was quite scary, he is a rough guy with a hard face. And he was looking at me like, ‘are you really a judo player, you are so tiny?’



“When he was told that I was there at the school for judo, he started laughing at me! But from that time we grew a strong relationship. It’s a powerful team.”



Whitebooi found gold medal success at the All-Africa Games, but had a stroke of bad luck when she was drawn against the reigning Olympic champion Paula Pareto in the first round in Tokyo and lost.



“I had Covid-19 in March 2021 and didn’t think I would go to the Olympics because I missed out on qualifying competitions. I was not scared to fight her and I learned a lot in those few minutes I was on the mat.”



Whitebooi took that experience into the Commonwealth Games and beat Shushila Likmabam in the final.



“I was very confident about the Commonwealth Games and thought Ihadagoodchancetobeonthe podium. I pushed myself as much as I could, there was a big shift in my mind and I really believed in myself.”



She says Paris 2024 will likely be her last major competition and, having thought about quitting after Tokyo, is putting all her efforts into going out on a high.



“I’ve put a lot of years into judo and after Tokyo I had to really think about whether I wanted to come back for another four years, rather than a life I could have outside [the sport] and make more money and build a family,” she says.



“Paris 2024 will probably be where I end my competitive judo. I will always want to give back to the sport and help the younger generation. But there is also a point where your body tells you that you must give up because I’m crying every single day!”



As for life after the sport, she is well set and says she is “very much looking forward” to building a career.



“Since a young age I was very invested in my schoolwork. I made sure my grades were good. My first degree was financial science and then I did my honours in internal auditing. I then did a post- graduate [degree] in entrepreneurship. I can’t wait to see what is possible for me out there.”

Category: Woman

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