WLA 2018 Report - Draft 1-2

Conclusion
Africa will not reach its full potential if women, who make up approximately 50% of the population
and workforce, are not empowered with equal opportunities and decision-making power. Currently,
women are heavily underrepresented in leadership positions with only 5% of CEOs and 22% of
cabinet members in Africa being female. This underrepresentation means that policies, legislations
and business decisions are designed from a predominantly male perspective; further hindering
gender equality.
This report focused on highlighting how ALU, an institution dedicated to developing Africa’s leaders -
both male and female, can better enable their female students to excel in the workplace and as
leaders. McKinsey’s Women Matter Africa (2016) report found that gender issues are not taken
seriously enough in Africa with only one in three CEOs placing gender diversity on their agenda. This
further emphasises the urgent need for progressive institutions such as ALU to prioritise gender
equality.
The key gender disparities highlighted in the WLA report were: representation in varying majors,
confidence, comfort networking, team work roles and equal opportunities. All of which female
students were worse-off than male students.
WLA recommends ALU priorities the following 3 disparities:
1
Representation in Majors
The underrepresentation of females in Computer Science and Engineering majors at ALU
echos and further contributes to the larger workforce challenge of a lack of women in
STEM. Furthermore, the disparity negatively affects the minority groups learning
experience and contributes to gender biases.
2
Lower Confidence in Female Students
A lack of confidence in women, or the Confidence Gap as it is referred to, has been
found to result in women being less likely to put themselves up for promotions and new
opportunities. This disparity, in addition to biases against women, results in women not
progressing as quickly or as far as men in the workplace.
25