Women in Management: Breaking the invisible barriers

For the third year in a row, Danida Fellowship Centre’s learning programme Empowering Women in Management, took place in MS TCDC’s beautiful compound. This time, 25 accomplished women in senior leadership roles in diverse sectors across Africa took part.

By Catherine Mossi and Trine Blichfeldt Pedersen

Over the years, structural and cultural barriers, such as gender bias, lack of mentorship and unequal  opportunities in the workforce, have prevented women from breaking the glass ceiling.

Danida Fellowship Centre’s “Empowerment of Women in Management” learning programme is designed to address these challenges by equipping female participants with the skills needed to understand and analyse barriers to equal rights and opportunities.

The programme also highlights how gender influences leadership and management and builds the participants’ confidence in their abilities as managers and leaders in order to advance their careers and effectively lead others.

Alice Bamusiime, a gender equality and social inclusion expert and one of the learning programme’s trainers, shares valuable insights into the societal and organisational barriers that women face. She also offers strategies for navigating these challenges and excelling in leadership roles.

Throughout the two-week seminar, participants engage in a variety of topics, including feminist leadership, which emphasises promoting gender equality and inclusivity in decision-making processes, conducting gender audits, building personal branding and mastering impactful communication.

However, the seminar is not just about gaining knowledge, it is also about taking action.

Makena Mwobobia, a leadership and mentorship consultant and a champion of women’s rights, reminded participants that they were the leaders they had been waiting for. She highlighted the importance of using their influence to empower other women and dismantle invisible barriers.

“Women must be in the decision making spaces. What affects us must be discussed by us”, she said.

The Empowerment of Women in Management learning programme goes beyond empowerment:  It is about igniting a spark for change. It focuses on strengthening the capacities of Danida-supported organisations to achieve gender equality, particularly at the management level. Through shared knowledge and mutual support, the participating women are empowered to break through barriers and drive transformative change within their organisations.

“The training has deepened my understanding of women’s unique challenges and opportunities in leadership roles. It provided me with practical tools and strategies to navigate these challenges,” said one of the participants, Marwa Hussein, Communications and Social Responsibility Manager, Environmental Compliance Office and Sustainable Development Federation of Egyptian Industries, Egypt

“Promoting women in management is not only about fairness and equality but also about tangible benefits in terms of diversity in the workplace, talent development, performance, and transformative leadership,” said Doris Likwelile, Head of Learning and Training at MS TCDC.

To learn more about overcoming barriers, personal branding and tools to help you excel in your leadership role, check out this play list of informative videos compiled by our trainers at MS TCDC and course participants from previous cohorts HERE

This year’s Empowering Women in Management  learning programme brought together 25 accomplished women in senior leadership roles in diverse sectors across Africa – in Burkina Faso, Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Mali, Nigeria, Somalia, Tanzania and Uganda.

Catherine Mossi is a communications officer at MS TCDC, and Trine Blichfeldt Pedersen is a communications advisor at Estuary Agency.

 

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