6th International Women Meet UP: Innovating in Women’s Leadership to Accelerate Post-COVID Recovery

Women’s leadership was in the spotlight at the 6th edition of the International Women Meet UP held from May 30 to June 3 to 6 in Kigali. Female MPs, business leaders and civil society actors from all over the continent came together to take a united stand to better respond to the challenges faced by the continent.

By Dounia Ben Mohamed, in Kigali 

The Rwandan capital hosted from May 30 to June 6 a unique event: the 6th edition of the International Women Meet UP. The meeting brought together women’s organizations from across the continent to promote women’s leadership in Africa. After Tunis, Abidjan and other African capitals, it is without surprise that this 6th edition was held in Kigali, the world champion in gender parity.

Interview Marthe Rabbiosi, coordinator of the Women Meet Up forum
Secretary General of the Coalition of United Organizations

That event was not missed by their Rwandan hosts. Quite the contrary, the pan-African delegation was given a warm welcome. But if humor and joviality were indeed there, time was above all for networking in order to move forward together on common causes. These include namely promoting innovation in women’s leadership to accelerate the post-COVID recovery. This was the theme of this edition: Innovating in Women’s Leadership to Accelerate the Post-COVID Recovery. 

Interview Jeanne-Françoise Mubiligi, President of the Chamber of Women Entrepreneurs of Rwanda, Vice President of the Private Sector Federation of Rwanda 

The event features panels on 10 targeted topics (sustainable development, access to finance, entrepreneurship and agriculture …) But also meetings with local personalities, including the mayor of Kigali, not to mention visits to the city whose legendary cleanliness and greenery were not a secret for the delegations.

Interview Charlotte Libog Founder of Afrique Grenier du Monde 

Finally, at the end of an evening organized by the Ivorian delegation, punctuated by a presentation of awards to successful female role models, a pledge was made to meet again each year in January for a « pilgrimage » to Rwanda. It is a country where politicians have chosen to promote women’s leadership, producing the results that we know: a source of inspiration for the entire continent.