The Girls’ Lounge Heads To Kigali, Rwanda
At the beginning of this year, we had the honor of attending the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. It was a game-changing moment for The Girls’ Lounge: we have always been a haven and resource for women, but in Davos, we became a destination beyond the physical sense. This prolific conference that discussed world economics had only 18% female attendees, and they (and men who agreed that it’s time the imbalance be addressed) gathered in the Lounge to talk about the business of gender parity.
We accomplished so much that we were thrilled to be invited to the WEF in Africa, and today, Shelley and our team are engaging in incredible, inspiring, and (dare we say it) world-changing conversations with the global leaders gathered in Kigali, Rwanda. We’re humbled and grateful to be a part of such a gathering in such an impressive country — Rwanda is the #6 country in terms of gender equality to the USA’s #28. 88% of women in Rwanda have jobs, compared with 66% in States, and the 41% of the country’s businesses are run by women.
We have so much to learn and to share with each other, and we couldn’t be more excited to collaborate at WEF Africa! In a series of discussions and panels, we’ll be engaging in a conversation about how African women can have meaningful, relevant and sustainable participation in the continent’s growth sectors. Here’s a peek behind the scenes:
Progress, For Everyone: “Improving gender equality reduces poverty in households, and research states that men benefit even more in the advancement than women do,” said Hon Louise Mushikiwabo, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation of the Republic of Rwanda and The Girls’ Lounge @ WEF Keynote speaker. The Minister is joining the event to speak about the economics of equality. “Putting resources into poor women’s hands while promoting gender equality in the household and in society results in large development payoffs”
It’s Time To Tell Her Story: Official property reports in Rwanda reveal that 26% of land is owned by women and 18% is owned by men, while 54% is shared by both spouses. Rwanda also has recorded the highest female representation in political decision making, (the constitution requires that women hold at least 30% of top political roles, and currently Rwanda is the first country in the world to have more than 50% female members in Parliament!) making it the prime location for an event surrounding equality. Ipeleng Selele, founder and Group CEO of Khumo Group and TGL @ WEF panelist says of this country and region, “There are so many great African women but their stories are untold.”
Sustainable Change Is The Goal: “We talk a lot and we’ve got a lot of very clever people that can describe the problem beautifully and theorize about potential solutions, but actually taking action and another step forward is quite hard to come by,” shares Gail Klintworth, Responsible Business Lead of Old Mutual Group. Gail is experienced in sustainable development, and will be joining the panel to discuss not just the past and present, but the future and the next steps that must happen.
Coming Together For Progress: Francis Gatare, Chief Executive Officer of the Rwanda Development Board and panelist recently Tweeted, “People of Rwanda have Agaciro (self worth), collectively we become a community of self worth that comes together for progress #WhatWorks2016.” He will be joining the speakers and addressing solutions to far-reaching challenges, as well as how the community of The Girls’ Lounge can impact the lives of women in Africa.
What’s Next? In The Girls’ Lounge @ WEF, we’ll host “Pairing & Sharing” experiential mentorship, where we will pair female leaders and executives with rising female leaders around their industries. This in-the-moment mentorship will allow both seasoned leaders and rising stars to learn from each other — as well as become an invaluable learning experience for the rising stars.
Tune in to our Twitter to follow the action from Rwanda!
Written with ❤ by the Girls at The Girls Lounge.
