{"id":123029,"date":"2026-06-21T15:08:30","date_gmt":"2026-06-21T15:08:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/uganda\/all-news\/igad-urges-increased-investment-in-women-leaders"},"modified":"2026-06-21T16:01:36","modified_gmt":"2026-06-21T16:01:36","slug":"igad-urges-increased-investment-in-women-leaders","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/uganda\/all-news\/igad-urges-increased-investment-in-women-leaders","title":{"rendered":"IGAD Urges Increased Investment in Women Leaders"},"content":{"rendered":"

Africa-Press – Uganda. <\/strong><\/span>The Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) has called for increased investment in women\u2019s leadership, mentorship, and participation in decision-making processes, arguing that sustainable peace, development, and regional integration cannot be achieved without the meaningful inclusion of women.<\/b><\/p>\n

The call was made during a high-level dialogue on \u201cWomen in Diplomacy: Advancing Inclusive Leadership and Global Cooperation\u201d held in Kampala ahead of the International Day for Women in Diplomacy, commemorated annually on June 24.<\/p>\n

Speaking at the event, Jocelyn Bichirwa, the Head of the IGAD Mission in Uganda, said women and young people remain at the heart of the regional bloc\u2019s development agenda, despite continuing barriers that limit their participation in leadership and governance.<\/p>\n

\u201cWomen and youth make up the majority of our population across the IGAD region, yet decision-making spaces remain largely dominated by men. We must intentionally create opportunities for women and girls to participate in leadership and decision-making processes,\u201d Bichirwa said.<\/p>\n

IGAD, a regional economic community under the African Union comprising Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, and Uganda, is currently implementing a five-year strategy aligned with its Vision 2050, with peace and security, regional integration, and inclusive development among its key priorities.<\/p>\n

According to Bichirwa, gender inclusion and youth empowerment are cross-cutting priorities across all IGAD programmes, including peacebuilding, agriculture, climate resilience, health, and economic development.<\/p>\n

She noted that the Kampala dialogue was designed as a mentorship platform to connect aspiring female leaders with experienced diplomats and policymakers, helping young women understand pathways into leadership and international affairs.<\/p>\n

\u201cMany young women do not have access to mentorship opportunities. Through engagements like this, they can learn from those who have successfully navigated leadership spaces and gain the confidence to pursue similar paths,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

Bichirwa argued that one of the biggest obstacles facing women is not a lack of competence, but limited access to opportunities.<\/p>\n

\u201cWomen have the skills, knowledge, and qualifications. The challenge is often whether institutions and leaders are willing to open doors and create space for them to participate,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

She also highlighted the importance of supportive family and workplace environments, noting that many women continue to face challenges balancing professional responsibilities with family obligations.<\/p>\n

\u201cWomen can thrive in leadership while fulfilling family responsibilities, but they need support systems. Society must move away from the perception that motherhood and leadership are mutually exclusive,\u201d she added.<\/p>\n

Bichirwa further urged governments, development partners, and private sector institutions to invest in leadership training, mentorship programmes, and family-friendly workplace policies that enable women to excel.<\/p>\n

She also underscored the role of the media in shaping public attitudes toward women\u2019s leadership and promoting positive narratives around female participation in governance and diplomacy.<\/p>\n

Participants emphasized that while many African countries have adopted policies promoting gender equality, greater effort is needed to translate these commitments into practical opportunities that empower more women to take up leadership roles.<\/p>\n

Robel Admasu, the Charge\u0301 d\u2019Affaires at the Ethiopian Embassy in Uganda, highlighted Ethiopia\u2019s historical and contemporary contributions to promoting women in diplomacy and leadership.<\/p>\n

Admasu said women have played a central role in Ethiopia\u2019s diplomatic history, peacebuilding efforts and national development.<\/p>\n

He cited the Queen of Sheba as one of the earliest examples of female leadership in Ethiopian history, describing her as a symbol of wisdom and diplomacy.<\/p>\n

He also praised Empress Taytu Betul for her role as a negotiator and military leader who helped defend Ethiopia against colonial invasion, as well as Ambassador Konjit Sinegiorgis, whose diplomatic career spanned the transition from the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) to the African Union (AU).<\/p>\n

Admasu further highlighted the achievements of Ethiopia\u2019s former President, Sahle-Work Zewde, who served as a distinguished diplomat before becoming the country\u2019s first female president.<\/p>\n

\u201cShe remains an inspiring example of women\u2019s leadership in diplomacy and public service,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

The diplomat also commended Ethiopia\u2019s Ambassador to Uganda for her role in strengthening bilateral relations with Uganda and other countries accredited to the mission, including Burundi, Seychelles, Comoros and the Central African Republic.<\/p>\n

According to Admasu, Ethiopia\u2019s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has adopted policies aimed at recruiting, mentoring and training young women diplomats from grassroots communities to strengthen female representation within the country\u2019s foreign service.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe ministry has deliberately created opportunities for women through recruitment, training and leadership development programmes to ensure they can effectively contribute to diplomacy and international relations,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

He added that broader government reforms under Ethiopia\u2019s leadership have also increased women\u2019s representation in senior government positions and decision-making structures.<\/p>\n

For More News And Analysis About Uganda<\/span> Follow Africa-Press<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Africa-Press – Uganda. The Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) has called for increased investment in women\u2019s leadership, mentorship, and participation in decision-making processes, arguing that sustainable peace, development, and regional integration cannot be achieved without the meaningful inclusion of women. The call was made during a high-level dialogue on \u201cWomen in Diplomacy: Advancing Inclusive Leadership […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":84,"featured_media":123028,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2,7,12],"tags":[234],"class_list":["post-123029","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-all-news","category-head-lines","category-policy","tag-uganda"],"yoast_head":"\nIGAD Urges Increased Investment in Women Leaders - Uganda<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"The Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) has called for increased investment in women\u2019s leadership, ment ...\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/uganda\/all-news\/igad-urges-increased-investment-in-women-leaders\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"IGAD Urges Increased Investment in Women Leaders\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"The Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) has called for increased investment in women\u2019s leadership, ment ...\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/uganda\/all-news\/igad-urges-increased-investment-in-women-leaders\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Uganda\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/AfricaPressTunisiaa\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-06-21T15:08:30+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-06-21T16:01:36+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/static.africa-press.net\/uganda\/sites\/34\/2026\/06\/sm_1782045058.696533.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"900\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"600\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"cfeditoren\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"cfeditoren\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"4 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/uganda\/all-news\/igad-urges-increased-investment-in-women-leaders#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/uganda\/all-news\/igad-urges-increased-investment-in-women-leaders\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"cfeditoren\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/uganda\/#\/schema\/person\/068c7ab4e9634ae78ec5d54ec46598bb\"},\"headline\":\"IGAD Urges Increased Investment in Women Leaders\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-06-21T15:08:30+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-06-21T16:01:36+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/uganda\/all-news\/igad-urges-increased-investment-in-women-leaders\"},\"wordCount\":774,\"commentCount\":0,\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/uganda\/all-news\/igad-urges-increased-investment-in-women-leaders#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/static.africa-press.net\/uganda\/sites\/34\/2026\/06\/sm_1782045058.696533.jpg\",\"keywords\":[\"uganda\"],\"articleSection\":[\"all news\",\"head lines\",\"policy\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/uganda\/all-news\/igad-urges-increased-investment-in-women-leaders#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/uganda\/all-news\/igad-urges-increased-investment-in-women-leaders\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/uganda\/all-news\/igad-urges-increased-investment-in-women-leaders\",\"name\":\"IGAD Urges Increased Investment in Women Leaders - 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