Carmeliza Rosário
Guest Lecturer, UiBSocial Anthropologist with over 20 years of experience conducting multifaceted social research, including poverty, inequality and the gendered effects of development programs.
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A joint initiative between the University of Bergen
and CMI – Chr. Michelsen Institute
Unlocking female leadership in Africa
11.03.2025
08:30 - 09:30English
What is the state of female leadership in the diverse contexts of Africa?
As a continent, Africa is close to the world average in terms of female parliamentary representation, including three countries with the highest percentage of females in senior and middle management. However, performance varies across areas when it comes to political, economic or social participation. For example, the continent leads in terms of quota and parity policies. Yet, these high levels of participation do not necessarily indicate a high level of social gender equality.
In this seminar, we will discuss how and why assumptions regarding female participation have not lead to structural changes. We will examine challenges — such as gender biases, lack of mentorship, and limited access to resources — that women face, while also highlighting inspiring examples of female leaders who have overcome these obstacles.
Furthermore, we will explore what changes have occurred and what has facilitated them. While colonialism and global capitalism is a part of this, we will also explore how contemporary global movements influence African contexts, including the anti-feminist and gender equality backlash.
Our goal is to spark a conversation on how to create an environment where women’s voices are amplified, their leadership potential is recognized, and their contributions are celebrated. This seminar will leave participants with a deeper understanding of the barriers to female leadership in African contexts, and most importantly, with a roadmap for change—whether through policy, education, or community action.
The event will be moderated by Tehetena Woldemariam from Norec. She is joined by Carmeliza Rosario, Irene Kinunda Afriyie and Ragnhild Louise Muriaas.
Facebook eventEvent info.
Bergen GlobalJekteviksbakken 31, Bergen
11.03.2025
08:30 - 09:30
English
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Irene Kinunda Afriyie
Author, speaker and social commentator, FargespillIrene Kinunda Afriyie works with public affairs at Fargespill. She is also a known speaker and social commentator.
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Ragnhild Louise Muriaas
Professor, UiBRagnhild Louise Muriaas is a Professor of Political Science. Her research focus is the interaction between gender and politics, with a particular focus on representation, political careers and political financing.
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Tehetena Woldermariam
Head of Section, NorecTehetena Woldermariam works with supporting global partnerships for the exchange of competency in business and public sectors at the Norwegian Center for Exchange Cooperation (Norec).
Read moreCarmeliza Rosário
Guest Lecturer, UiB
Social Anthropologist with over 20 years of experience conducting multifaceted social research, including poverty, inequality and the gendered effects of development programs.
Rosário is particularly interested in unearthing and evincing the fascinating ways women live their lives. She has done research on key social and economic development areas like governance, health, education, water and sanitation, energy and agriculture. From several longitudinal studies focusing on poverty, including on the feminization of poverty, I have seen how crises consistently affect women disproportionately. Yet the responses to these crises seldom target them concretely or do so inadequately.
Irene Kinunda Afriyie
Author, speaker and social commentator, Fargespill
Irene Kinunda Afriyie works with public affairs at Fargespill. She is also a known speaker and social commentator.
In 2023, she published Jeg er fordi du er – fortellinger om mitt Norge (I Am Because You Are – Stories of My Norway). That same year, she received the Sjur Holsen Memorial Award for her insightful and humorous contributions to public discourse.
Ragnhild Louise Muriaas
Professor, UiB
Ragnhild Louise Muriaas is a Professor of Political Science. Her research focus is the interaction between gender and politics, with a particular focus on representation, political careers and political financing.
She is currently the project leader of a ERC project (consolidator) titled SUCCESS Gender-Gap in Political Endurance: a novel political inclusion theory (2021-2026). The project builds a dataset on gender gaps in political seniority and conducts field studies in Algeria, Italy, France, and Norway.
Tehetena Woldermariam
Head of Section, Norec
Tehetena Woldermariam works with supporting global partnerships for the exchange of competency in business and public sectors at the Norwegian Center for Exchange Cooperation (Norec).
She is also involved in projects focused on promoting democracy through political parties, with an emphasis on increasing youth and women’s participation in political processes across various countries. She has extensive experience working with development and regional issues in East Africa and with the African Union.
Bergen Global is a joint initiative between the University of Bergen and Chr. Michelsen Institute that addresses global challenges.
