Amujae Initiative: JB, Joyce Chitsulo represent Malawi, Sirleaf says women must have better representation in the halls of power
Several powerful women leaders across Africa under the Amujae Initiative have converged in Nairobi, Kenya to discuss several challenges that limit African women from taking key positions of power and influence in the society including government agencies and private sector.
The Amujae Initiative is brain child of former President of Liberia Ellen Johnson Sirleaf which was launched on International Women’s Day on March 8, 2020.
The initiative is well known as Presidential Center for Women and Development (EJS Center).
From Malawi, former President Dr Joyce Banda and Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Member of Parliament who is Chairperson of Public Appointments Committee of Parliament Joyce Chitsulo and other eleven members who have just join the third cohort are also attending the pan- African prestigious women leadership platform.
The third cohort is made up of 12 women leaders from 10 countries across the African continent.
They include current government ministers, Members of Parliaments, advisors and human rights advocates engaged with issues ranging from economic transformation to gender equality and youth empowerment.
Speaking during the opening ceremony founder of the Amujae Initiative, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf said,
“I am incredibly proud to be welcoming the EJS Center’s third cohort of Amujae Leaders. These 12 women have already demonstrated staggering success over the course of their careers and have the ambition and commitment to enact real change as public leaders. They follow in the footsteps of our first and second cohorts who continued to go from strength to strength and will undoubtedly serve as sisters and supporters as our new leaders embark on their Amujae journey.”
Speaking from Kenya’s Capital City, Nairobi, Joyce Chitsulo said she feels overwhelmed to join the league of global icons who continue to contribute enormously to the socioeconomic development of the African continent by among other things empowering women and youths to excel in the powerful echelons of public and private leadership.
In Malawi, Joyce Chitsulo heads one of the most powerful oversight institution, the parliamentary committee on Public Appointments which vets all appointments made by the President and that the Committee has powers to subpoena any public official to any allegation levelled against them and recommend suspensions and dismissals.
Some of the well known leaders who attended the meeting are Malawi’s first woman president Dr Joyce Mtila Banda, Ms Chipokota Mwanawasa of Zambia, the Interim EJS Center Executive Director, Oley Dibba-Wabba, UN Under Secretary General Zainabu Bangura, former President of Central African Republic, Samba Panza among others
Amujae is a Liberian Kru language which means “we are going up”
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