IAWL held the second Women Experts in Law for Equality and Development (WE LEAD) event in Accra, Ghana on Friday, June 17. WE LEAD is a global network of African women in law with expertise in all areas of the law. In collaboration with AB & David, Africa, Bentsi-Enchill, Letsa & Ankomah, and ENSafrica, we convened women experts in law at Labadi Beach Hotel to socialize, sensitize, and strategize on how we can work collectively to support women in law.

IAWL brings a roundtable discussion exploring the role of men as allies in the quest for gender equality. The event brought together leaders within the legal and judicial sectors to explore a series of questions and examine the social, cultural, and institutional norms and practices that create gender inequality within the legal profession.

As legal practice evolves to meet the regulatory needs in new and emerging sectors, women lawyers are increasingly venturing into new and exciting fields of law practice. This requires upskilling beyond the traditional legal education in order to successfully navigate the new frontiers in law practice. This panel consists of African women lawyers who work in three niche areas of law practice: aviation, fintech, and sports, to share their experiences in breaking into their respective fields.

The Institute for African Women in Law is proud to have held the first of two Women Experts in Law for Equality and Development (WE LEAD) events for the month of June in The Hague on Friday, June 3. In collaboration with the International Criminal Court, ATLAS Women, and the African Foundation for International Law, we convened women experts in law and allies alike at the ICC premises to meet, connect, and strategize on how we can work collectively to support women in law.

Recent developments such as COVID-19 make the impact of technology all the more evident: working remotely, e-learning, e-transactions, artificial intelligence in legal practice–yet, women continue to be underrepresented in technology, and more so in the nexus between technology and law. The panel will address contemporary legal issues that are related to technology, the intersections of law and tech, and their experiences as professionals in this field.

Effective leadership is essential for good governance. Across Africa, historical and current evidence have shown that women leaders have proven they have the skills, abilities, and knowledge to lead and excel in various leadership roles.