An edtech social enterprise, I-Train Africa, has initiated a programme to combat the challenges of underrepresentation and limited career advancement opportunities faced by African women across diverse sectors like the academia, industry, entrepreneurship and the tech/gig economy.

Speaking during the Global Mentorship Conference (GMC) — The Leading Women Edition, convener of the social enterprise, Mrs. Aderinsola Adio-Adepoju, stated that the society needs a change of mindset for women to advance in their chosen careers and be appropriately represented in the affairs of the nation.
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“Mindset is a very hard thing to change and that is our major challenge. Culturally, a woman is supposed to take care of the home; it is a mindset, not because it has to do with physiology. The only difference between a man and a woman physiologically is child bearing, which a man cannot. So, it is not about our biological characteristics, it is just about mindset,” she stated.

The conference, which was organised in partnership with Potentialife Foundation, was aimed at addressing the problem of under-representation of women in leadership positions with a view to providing a robust platform to propel African women into positions of influence, leadership and global decision-making.

The hybrid conference with the theme, ‘Nurturing Half of The Global Population to Lead’, had about 25,000 registered participants from over 40 countries and 70 volunteers. Two thousand women at the conference were selected to participate in a three-week free leadership programme.

Adio-Adepoju urged women not to relent in pursuing their goals and careers, giving instances of women like the late Dora Akunyili who was exceptional and focused in attaining the height she reached before her demise.
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Speaking on the appointment of women into political offices by the current administration, Adio-Adepoju said more women who would speak and act intellectually should be appointed fill the 25 per cent quota of women involvement.

“We want women who will have a strong voice, the strength of the voice of the women that are appointed, rather than us always clamouring for the number. If there are 100 women and they don’t have a voice, there is nothing it’s going to do for us,” she added.

Keynote speaker, Toyin Sanni, encouraged the women to choose a career path that suits them, adding that they should value it as it could expose them to many opportunities.

She further advised them to overcome the challenges of gender disparity, security and other obstacles that would hinder them from achieving their goals.
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