Women in Africa: Advocates, Survivors, Activists

On November 13th, 2025, the Onero Institute Africa Program hosted Devon Knudsen, a Senior Fellow at the Alliance for Peacebuilding and a former member of the US Department of State, and Rachel Grand, a current JD student and former Atrocity Prevention and Women, Peace and Security Policy Advisor at the US Department of State, for a panel on the status and experiences of women in Africa at the George Washington University. Knudsen and Grand drew themes from the stories of female leaders in the region to counteract claims that women are overshadowed in African societies. Specifically, they drew from Faith Odhiambo, the president of the LSK in Kenya, Martha Koome, Kenya's Chief Justice, and Joice Mujuru, the only woman to be trained in Zambia in the armed movement. The two also discussed that many African women who are not governmental leaders also contribute to social and political change through participation in protests like those in South Africa and Liberia. Moreover, they discussed how quota systems are present and while they increase female representation in governments, also have their drawbacks. The two also spoke of which programs they see make the most benefit for African women, emphasizing that its often the small, local, and low cost programs that make a difference. Further, in an interactive Q&A session, Knudsen and Grand discussed recent changes to research and the importance of continuing and advocating for it.