Women Are Emerging as Leaders and Educators Shaping the Future

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In a recent African Business article, Nobel Prize winner and former President of Liberia, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, reminded readers that “young leaders, and particularly women leaders, will be the engine of future growth, sustainable development, and prosperity on the condition that we give them the tools, opportunities, and space to do so.” Sirleaf was referring specifically to young African women, but her instance that women be given the support and resources they need to meet their full potential as teachers and leaders is universal.

“Women and girls must be offered equal access to quality education, employment, and training opportunities that put them on an even footing with their male counterparts,” she wrote. “Through quality education and training, leadership roles in all spheres of life can be attainable goals for … women and girls.” Indeed. There is no argument that — to ensure full parity between women and men — women around the world should be permitted to access the same resources, educational opportunities, and earnings that their male counterparts enjoy. By doing so, it can help ensure that women can assume their rightful place as leaders and educators around the globe.

[How are women reshaping the world? Read “Data Reveals VC Firms That Include Women Decision-Makers See Higher Levels of Success.”]

In one area — education — women appear to be well on their way, at least in the U.S. According to data from The Pew Research Center and the World Economic Forum, women now represent a majority of the college-educated workforce in the United States. Yet, even though women have increased their numbers in the college-educated labor force since 2019, data confirms there has not been much change in the gender composition of the U.S. workforce. The good news is, that, despite this disparity, there are many success stories worldwide where women are already emerging as leaders and educators.

Take the relatively nascent industry around blockchain and blockchain-adjacent projects. While for many, the blockchain, crypto, and non-fungible token (NFT) industries bring to mind a male-dominated, “bro-culture,” in fact, many women are coming into their own as influencers in the space. Blockchain Magazine recently profiled 10 women who are “making significant contributions, fostering innovation, and driving positive change.”

Among the women Blockchain Magazine identities as leading the charge are Layah Heilpern, Sheila Warren, Oluchi Enebeli, and Lisa Francoeur. According to the publication, they and others “are playing a crucial role in educating the public about blockchain technology and its applications, helping to demystify complex concepts and drive mainstream adoption.”

Similarly, last year, Time profiled six women who are “shaping the future of artificial intelligence (AI).  Among them is Fei-Fei Li, a Stanford University professor who, among other things, recently urged President Biden to adopt a “moonshot mentality” with regards to spearheading a national policy around AI.

Time also profiled Sneha Revanur, founder of Encode Justice, a youth-led nonprofit dedicated to developing safe, equitable AI. “My peers and I are determined to do more than just inherit that world,” Revanur told Time. “We’re actively co-creating it.”

But it’s not just women in budding industries that are helping to usher in the next generation of technology. The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) —  whose mission is to provide nutrition, clean drinking water, shelter, and other forms of relief to blight-stricken areas around the globe — recently spotlighted five female refugees who are shaping the future of STEM. According to the UNHCR, despite their status as refugees, all five women “are passionately pursuing their dreams in STEM and inspiring others to do the same.”

One woman that UNHCR profiles is Deline Ramiro Yihumutima, a 23-year-old Rwandan refugee who serves as the Operations and Partnerships Lead at Solidarity Initiative for Refugees (SIR), a community-based organization in Kenya. In her role, she introduces other refugees to digital education and online STEM opportunities so that they can carve out a dignified living. “I believe in the power of perseverance and the importance of working towards a better future,” Yihumutima tells the UNHCR. “No matter the obstacles that may stand in our way."

Her resilience and dedication echo a recent social post from Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, which read  “To advance gender equality in public leadership, we must understand the current state of play, celebrate the women who are succeeding despite the odds & assess how we are all contributing to driving change.”

Want to know more about how women are reshaping the world? Read “Data Reveals VC Firms That Include Women Decision-Makers See Higher Levels of Success.”