On the Occasion of African Women's Day – A Word from the Rector - Recognizing the Value of African Women
As Africa commemorates African Women’s Day this July 31st, the Pan African University reaffirms its deep commitment to the advancement of women across the continent. This day is not only a celebration of progress—it is an invitation to reflect on the resilience and contribution of African women throughout history and into the future. In line with the 2025 theme, “Advancing Social and Economic Justice for African Women through Reparations,” the Rector offers an inspiring and sobering message that calls our community to action, solidarity, and continued advocacy for gender equality. His words remind us that shaping a just and inclusive Africa requires the recognition, empowerment, and full participation of its daughters.
Dear Students,
Dear Community of the Pan African University,
On July 31st, 2025, Africa joins the rest of the global
community to mark the African Women’s Day. This
gives us an opportunity to reflect on the condition
of women across the continent, in line with the
theme “Advancing Social and Economic Justice for
African Women through Reparations.”
What do we actually celebrate? This question
dramatically takes us back to the life journeys of our
ancestors, our mothers, our wives, our sisters, and
our friends, which has been marked by suffering,
violence, sacrifices, and struggles.
51 years after this day was formally established,
great strides have been made, gradually erasing
the traumatic narrative often associated with African
women.
With governments, partners and civil society
organisations working collaboratively, the female
literacy rate in Africa has risen to 57%.
Economically, our mothers are a pillar of wealth
production and added value: they represent
approximately 50% of the agricultural workforce and
produce up to 70% of the food for household
consumption and local sale. In 2018, the WIA
Philanthropy Foundation revealed that 24% of
working-age women are entrepreneurs, the highest
rate in the world.
However outstanding these figures may be, they
hardly conceal the persistent inequalities that limit
women’s potential and impede their participation in
our continent’s growth. In higher education, the
enrollment rate of African women is below 10%.
According to UNESCO, they represent only 30% in
the fields of science, technology, engineering, and
mathematics (STEM); while only 20% of the
approximately 30% of graduates from higher
education engineering programs in sub-Saharan
Africa are female engineers.
This situation is largely attributable to cultural
norms, financial barriers, security conflicts, violence
against women and girls... just to name these few.
It clearly demonstrates that the social and economic
condition of women is yet to be achieved. It is
therefore critical to undertake actions at all levels,
to do justice to these unknown heroines whose
intrinsic value is hardly recognized.
Since 2012, the Pan African University is definitely
engaged on this track. Our leaders understood that
our continent must strengthen the quality of its
human resources and facilitate women’s
contribution to the implementation of Agenda 2063.
This is why in awarding scholarships, we put an
emphasis on gender equality. Thanks to this policy,
the proportion of female students at the Pan African
University has doubled, rising from 21% to 41%
between 2012 and now. To date, we have awarded
scholarships to more than 1,000 girls and women,
while approximately 900 students have graduated.
Of course, we will continue our efforts to improve
African women’s access to higher education, with
the support of the African Union Member States.
I therefore urge all our female graduates and
students to be role models and ambassadors for the
empowerment of African women within their
communities. Men, too, must be part in this
collective endeavour, because positive masculinity
will gradually help us elevate the status of women.
Together, let’s commit to opening new pathways for
African women, so that, as concentric circles, their
influence extends beyond the domestic sphere and
impact millions of young girls.