By Atlantic Reports

Stakeholders at the inaugural African Girls Assembly in Abuja have called for early investment in girls’ leadership skills, confidence and support networks to help address women’s underrepresentation in leadership.

Girls participating in the gathering also called for their voices to be heard, their rights respected and their ambitions supported, particularly in environments where gender limits expectations of what they can achieve.

Convened by the Educate a Woman Initiative, the assembly took place on Saturday ahead of the International Day of the Girl Child, observed annually on 11 October.

Themed “Empowered Girls, Transformational Leaders”, it brought together participants, including attendees from Zambia and The Gambia, to discuss leadership, education, rights and advocacy.

Building confidence early

The convener, Mrs Joy Aderele, who is also Country Director of Self Help Africa, said preparing women for leadership must begin with opportunities for girls to develop confidence, exercise agency and build networks.

“We are not just asking for a seat at the table; we are asking for a competent seat,” she said.

“To achieve this, we must begin investing in girls while they are young by building their confidence, agency and networks.”

Aderele said encouraging girls to express their opinions, speak up for themselves and advocate for others would help prepare them to lead within their communities.

She expressed hope that subsequent editions would attract participation from more African countries.

Mrs Love Idoko-Uloko, Founder of Activate Success International Foundation, encouraged participants to pursue their ambitions despite fear and difficult circumstances.

She said leadership involved solving problems and making a difference, rather than being the loudest person in a room.

“Your voice is not something you find; it is something you practise into existence,” she said.

Drawing on her experience, Idoko-Uloko said she wrote her first book at 17 and began publishing Motivation Magazine before turning 20. She attributed the growth of her publishing business, which she said worked with the National Assembly and corporate organisations, to persistence.

“Confidence is not the absence of fear; it is the decision to move forward despite your fears,” she told the girls.

Courage, integrity and opportunity

Dr Adedayo Benjamins-Laniyi, Director-General and Chief Executive Officer of the Maryam Babangida National Centre for Women Development, urged participants to recognise their leadership potential at home, in school and within their communities.

She said academic achievement should be accompanied by courage, integrity and a commitment to truth.

“We all want you to excel academically, but the ultimate expression of who you are lies in the courage of your convictions and in your commitment to truth in everything you do,” she said.

Benjamins-Laniyi encouraged the girls to communicate confidently and remain authentic. She said their potential should not be restricted by ethnicity, religion, family background, school or financial circumstances.

Ellen Hahne, Head of Political and Trade Affairs at the Swedish Embassy in Abuja, said the participants were already showing leadership through their activities.

“The girls here today are already leaders. They are doing so many great things in their schools and communities,” she said.

Hahne encouraged them to influence positive change and create opportunities for others, while reaffirming Sweden’s commitment to gender equality.

Girls call for the right to learn and lead

Participant Eleora Aderemi said girls should not allow gender to determine their ambitions or the activities they pursued.

“Every girl should learn to speak up, believe in herself and be confident in her abilities,” she said.

Another participant, Perfecta Silas, called on girls to defend their rights, including access to education.

“As a community, as females, as girls and as children, we need to make our voices heard. We must not remain silent,” she said.

Silas said every girl deserved respect, a hearing and the opportunity to learn and lead.

The assembly also featured spoken-word performances and panel discussions on “Rights and Advocacy: My Rights, My Voice, My Future”.

The participants’ contributions placed education, respect and opportunities to participate alongside confidence as essential foundations for girls’ leadership.

Atlantic Reports: Voices. People. Facts.