A gender-based group, African Leading Women Organization, is set to host Women Power Conference 2021 edition to celebrate African women of influence and humanitarian impacts in the continent.

The programme is organised by Goodwill Ambassador Events Agency in collaboration with African Union ECOSOCC Nigeria and WEWENETWORK AFRIQUE as part of their agenda of promoting gender-inclusiveness.

Addressing journalists recently in Lagos, the convener, Amb. Chris Odey, said that the Women Power Conference is aimed at recognising and celebrating the exploits of the leading women folks in Africa who have broken through the glass ceilings and taken their seats at the tables of authority in different sectors.

He said that women have made tremendous progress and considerable marks thereby occupying enviable positions of leadership and authority in various sectors in Africa, a thing that was near impossible a few decades ago.

Odey further said: “Today, we have about six female Group Managing Directors of major banks in Nigeria as well as having an African woman as head of the world bank, World Trade Organization, and Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations.

“We have celebrated having a woman as the President of a country in Africa, Speakers of Parliament, etc. As much as we celebrate these feats, we’d hope to see more of these exploits while acknowledging that these are far from the goal considering the struggles, lack of women empowerment as well as gender imbalance that permeates almost every professional sector.”

Odey, who hinted that the conference with the theme, “Breaking Barriers”, will take place on Saturday, October 30, at the Ladi Kwali Conference Hall of Sheraton Hotels and Towers Abuja, will have in attendance over 500 special guests across Africa; with Amb. Adaora Onyechere (Head Women Affairs and Gender Cluster Committee Africa Union Ecosoccc Nigeria) as chief host, and Honorable Nkeiruka Chidubem Onyejeocha, Deputy Chief Wipe of the Federal House of Representatives as keynote speaker.

Odey stressed that the conference takes on a dialogue mood, paper presentations from notable speakers from the United Kingdom, the United States of America, South Africa, the Gambia, Zambia, Malawi, Senegal, and Nigeria addressing critical issues bordering on Gender Parity, financial inclusion for women in business, more slots for women in politics and governance.

Other deliverables of the conference include the launch of The African Girl Child Empowerment Trust (TAGCET) Fund worth strategic areas of funding which includes mental health, skill acquisition, education, sports development and special needs/disability empowerment, and the unveiling of Africa lading women magazine.

The last segment of the event would be the Gala and Award night where 100 distinguished African women will be recognised, awarded, and celebrated.

Odey said: “We look forward to having women in the business community, academia, politics, religious and women opinion Leaders, entertainment industry, sports, and Art, etc, as the platform will enable robust participation and broad-based networking amongst our proposed audience which includes First Ladies of countries and States, Commissioners of Women Affairs, Heads of MDAs, captains of industry, etc.