Education paving the way for gender justice

Women must have more leadership opportunities and roles. Whilst this is not unique to education, academia can set the bar.

Universities and colleges are places where women can access leadership skills, best practice for gender policies can be demonstrated, and new research on gender issues can be pioneered.

Women in leadership roles within universities and colleges can encourage more women to pursue leadership and counteract unconscious gender biases: transforming society so that it works better for everyone.

What we have done so far

We worked with a consortium of partners, including the African Association of Universities (AAU) and the National Council of Tertiary Education (NCTE), to lead a study on higher education faculty in Ghana. We found that only 8% professors at public universities were women across the whole of the country.

This, coupled with the country’s requirement of 5 x the current number of professors to meet its booming student population, shows the need for more female leaders is urgent.

In Nigeria, the situation is similar, with only 17% of principle officers at universities being female. 

We are researching this topic alongside female leaders from across Africa, including holding focus groups and interviews.

Our recently launched African Evidence Research Database profiles African-led research, including female academics so they can gain funding and exposure.

We are also building a database that will match young people in sub-Saharan Africa with scholarships and funding.

Next Steps

We will use this evidence to support female academics seeking leadership roles in universities and colleges, and female students for whom leadership skills will be critical as they transition into employment.

We’re also on the lookout for a corporate partner to bring together the business and academic worlds.