Nairobi, 9th Mar 2026, Kenya. LeaderHERship Africa hosted a powerful high-level women’s dialogue and dinner on March 8, 2026, coinciding with the United Nations International Women’s Day celebrations. The event, themed “Rights. Justice. Action.,” brought together influential women from government, business, academia, media, arts, and science and technology to address persistent barriers to women’s advancement.
Kenya, hosting the only United Nations (UN) Head Office in Africa, is proud to have hosted this significant event. The audience reflected on the keynote message from Anaclaudia Rossbach, Executive Director of UN-Habitat, who highlighted that women have only 64% of the legal rights that men hold worldwide, and that they continue to be subjected to legal inequality in all areas of life.
LeaderHERship Africa’s journey started when the G20 Summit was hosted in South Africa in November 2025, for the first time on African soil. It aims to bridge global priorities with local realities, advancing African women’s participation and impact in decision-making and enterprise. The dialogue focuses on accelerating women’s leadership, building collaborative ecosystems, access to capital, and marketplace opportunities.
“This meeting provided a platform for women to connect, initiate collaborations, share ideas and opportunities, and look at what we can do to improve the plight of women and open up opportunities for women in the marketplace. Beyond today’s conversation, LeaderHERship Africa envisions seeing women going on trade missions together, forming business linkages, and engaging in cross-border transactions because they have common interests.” Said Her Excellency Ambassador Prudence Mocumi, Executive Director, LeaderHERship Africa
The event also brought together Kenya’s women leaders, entrepreneurs, policymakers, and changemakers for strategic dialogue and action planning.
“For a long time, women have been lied to that there are no opportunities for them in construction. But I can assure you that I am a witness that there are opportunities for women in this industry. So, I encourage women to rise, take the opportunity, and excel at it.” Noted, Ms. Everlyn Mutuko, who is the Founder & CEO, Lyne Aero Properties Limited
Dr. Amy Kyalo, the founder of Single Parents Initiatives and Global Reach Advisory, noted that their area of focus this year will be accelerating women’s leadership across sectors, building a collaborative ecosystem for women’s advancement, unlocking cross-sector partnerships and access to capital, and strengthening leadership pipelines and mentorship for emerging women leaders and youth.
“International Women’s Day means women are called to spheres of influence. Let’s go out there and create a lasting impact.”
As the world celebrates International Women’s Day, LeadHERship Africa’s event serves as a beacon of hope, galvanizing efforts to achieve gender equality and empower women and girls.
On her part, Dr. Florence Wambugu, CEO of Africa Harvest, reminded the women of the power of networking, since most agricultural businesses are women-owned. Adding that there is a big need for food and agricultural products.
”Many African countries are importing food, and networking could help us reduce the import bill. These women are movers and shakers, and they are the ones we need to tap into”, said Dr. Florence Wambungu.
Her sentiments were echoed by Ms. Jecinter Kiruthi, Founder of In-Trade Africa, who said, “Women should be deliberate about who they meet. Connectivity can unlock many opportunities. The right connections will open a whole world for you and change the trajectory of your fate.”
Ambassador Prudence urged the women present to take the next step in activating and scaling up their businesses by joining the LeaderHERship Africa community.
She noted that membership offers several benefits, including access to masterclasses, leadership development programs, influencer tables, executive coaching, and opportunities to participate in international trade missions that open up new markets and create business linkages with strategic partners across African countries. Contact LeaderHERship via events@leadhership.africa.
