J. Jarpa Dawuni (Ph.D.), the founder and Executive Director of the Institute for African women in law (IAWL), was part of a high-level panel to discuss gender equality and women in law and leadership at the 77th Session of the United Nations General Assembly held on Thursday, 22nd September 2022.
The gathering of advocates for gender equality and women in law and leadership was organized by Co-Impact and the Clooney Foundation for Justice, alongside Melinda French Gates and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The gathering was necessary to re-ignite the advocacy for inclusive societies that leave no woman or child behind and benefit everyone.
Presenting at the gathering, J. Jarpa Dawuni (Ph.D.) pointed out that girls will be encouraged to advance their education and careers once they see or hear about women in leadership positions. She mentioned that women leaders are role models for girls and other young women, and they personify what gender equality looks like. Drawing on the work done by IAWL, Dawuni is convinced that supporting women to rise to leadership positions is as important as oxygen masks are in an airplane. As such, there is a need for increased investments to support the work of women-led organizations.
''Philanthropic investment in women’s organizations is the oxygen mask needed to drive gender equality and promote at-scale systems change. When women have their oxygen masks (resources) on, they can in turn support other vulnerable women and girls in society”, Dawuni revealed.
Through Co-Impact’s support, IAWL strategic focus and priority areas will include training, research and advocacy on women’s Excellence in Law and Leadership (WELL) in the coming months. an initiative that will focus on the capacity strengthening of women in law in three priority countries. The WELL Initiative is aimed at enhancing the capacity of women in law so that they can thrive in positions of leadership across academia, the bar, the bench and government agencies.
To read the full report from Co-Impact, click HERE.
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