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Unisa equips African women to lead as equals
Unisa, with other progressive institutions on the continent, contributed to the design of the curriculum of the Africa Leadership Academy for Women in Political Leadership, a United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) initiative.
The six-day executive training programme is designed for emerging, aspiring and established women political leaders in Africa. The UNDP organises the workshop in partnership with the African Union to equip women with the necessary knowledge, tools and strategies needed to occupy spaces and places of political leadership. The lead hosting institution is the Africa School of Governance in Kigali, Rwanda, and instructors are drawn from all over the continent.
The workshop attracted women leaders and experts from various sectors, including academia, the media, the judiciary, private institutions, political parties and the political sphere. In attendance was also the first woman to run for presidential office in Senegal, Anta Babacar Ngom. Representing Unisa were Prof Edith Phaswana, Acting Executive Dean of the Thabo Mbeki African School of Public and International Affairs, and Dr Lebohang Bidla, a Senior Lecturer in the university’s Department of Politics.
African women in political leadership have long played vital roles in shaping the continent’s past, present and future. Yet, their journey continues to be fraught with systemic barriers and societal stereotypes. Historically, Africa has been home to powerful women leaders, such as Queen Nzinga of Ndongo and Matamba, Mkabayi ka Jama, Queen Mantatisi and Yaa Asantewa, among many others who confronted colonialists and stood as symbols of resilience, intelligence and strategic diplomacy. Queendoms like Kush, under the Kandakes (queen mothers), demonstrate that leadership by women is deeply rooted in African heritage, rather than being a foreign or modern concept.
Despite this rich legacy, many African societies today continue to grapple with patriarchal structures that associate leadership with masculinity, often perceiving women in politics as unfit, emotional or incapable of making tough decisions. These stereotypes create invisible barriers that discourage women’s political participation and undermine their legitimacy when they do rise to power.
Beyond social prejudice, the cost of campaigning for elections poses another significant challenge to women’s political inclusion. Electoral processes across much of Africa are costly, with campaign financing, media visibility and party loyalty often favouring men who traditionally control more financial and social resources. Women candidates often lack access to the same networks of donors, mentorship or political patronage systems, which limits their ability to compete on an equal footing. This financial inequality reflects a broader economic disparity that constrains women’s access to political power and decision-making spaces. Consequently, even when women do enter politics, they must overcome enormous financial and psychological hurdles to maintain influence and visibility within male-dominated environments.
To truly transform political spaces, it is crucial that African theorists and practitioners co-create learning materials that reflect the realities, concerns and aspirations of African women leaders, as well as the complex environments in which they seek to lead. Such educational tools can help dismantle stereotypes by showcasing real-life examples of women’s achievements in governance, community leadership and resistance movements. They can also empower young women with the knowledge, confidence and strategic skills needed to navigate political systems effectively.
Educational reform that centres African women’s experiences ensures that leadership is not viewed through a Western or patriarchal lens but through a culturally grounded and inclusive perspective. In this way, the future of African political leadership can be one where women lead not as exceptions, but as equals guided by the powerful legacy of the queens and leaders who came before them.
* By Dr Lebohang Bidla, Senior Lecturer, Department of Political Sciences, and Prof Edith Phaswana, Acting Executive Dean, Thabo Mbeki African School of Public and International Affairs
Publish date: 2025-11-10 00:00:00.0
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