Women creatives from Africa fight to end gender inequalities in sector
Women researchers and creatives from several African countries at the Behind the Scenes meeting at Radisson Blu Arboretum Hotel in Nairobi'. They met to develop modalities for their work in promoting gender equality in Africa's creative sector.
What you need to know:
- The three-day meeting brought together more than 30 researchers and stakeholders as part of the 'Behind the Scenes’ project for Young Women in Africa's creative sector.
- Participants included representatives from International Centre for Research on Women, African partner institutions, and key stakeholders.
Limited prospects for participation and advancement in Africa's creative sector is one of several socioeconomic challenges facing women creatives as they strive to grow the industry.
This emerged at a meeting of researchers and female creatives seeking ways to promote gender equality in Africa's creative sector.
The three-day meeting at Nairobi's Radisson Blu Arboretum Hotel brought together more than 30 researchers and stakeholders as part of the 'Behind the Scenes’ project for Young Women in Africa's creative sector.
Participants included representatives from International Centre for Research on Women (ICRW), African partner institutions, and key stakeholders. They came together to discuss the progress and future direction of the project.
Supported by the Mastercard Foundation and led by the ICRW in partnership with five African institutions, the initiative seeks to end the marginalisation of young female creatives in Kenya, Ethiopia, Ghana, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal and Uganda.
ICRW Africa regional director Evelyne Opondo said the project will address the lack of robust knowledge of gender inequities in Africa’s creative sector.
“It aims to provide relevant evidence showing how gender norms intersect with socioeconomic issues to shape the pathways of young women in the industry,” Ms Opondo said.
She added that it will also support policymakers, investors, creatives and other key stakeholders to formulate interventions to address the gendered inequities that make it difficult for female creatives to fully benefit from the sector.
Women researchers and creatives from several African countries at the Behind the Scenes meeting at the Radisson Blu Arboretum Hotel in Nairobi. They met to develop modalities for their work in promoting gender equality in Africa's creative sector.
Daniella Abane, a lecturer in performing arts at the University of Rwanda, said that although Rwanda recognises women's talents, women in the creative industry continue to struggle because society often sees them primarily as housewives.
“Their talents are often dismissed, leading to feelings of under-representation and fear of asserting their rights. Some women even feel pressured to engage in exploitative relationships to further their careers. In Rwanda, a young woman pursuing a creative career can be seen as a source of shame and a burden on her family,” Ms Abane said on the sidelines of the meeting.
Teddy Nabariza, a young creative from Uganda, said the project had introduced her to the creative work of other participants and to understanding the challenges they face in the sector as women.
“As someone who is interested in new media, edutainment and video games, the workshop has given me new insights and will now allow me to delve deeper into the field as I seek to make a career out of it," Ms Nabariza said.
Oluwatomi Akentibu, a student of Creative Arts at the University of Lagos, said social stigmas and stereotypes against women trying to make a living in the creative sector were unfair.
“Empowerment and education are critical to addressing these challenges, especially when it comes to gathering accurate data for research,” she said, adding that proper data collection is essential to understanding the full scope of issues facing women in the creative industry and to developing effective strategies to support and empower women.
Ms Akentibu said, “I hope to contribute to creating a more equitable environment where women can thrive and be recognised for their talents and contributions.”
Speaking at the meeting, Eunice Muthengi, acting senior director of Research and Learning at the Mastercard Foundation, urged participants to work together to refine research tools and develop training guidelines for young researchers.
“This session is important to ensure data collection and fieldwork is done effectively and consistently in all participating countries.”
The Behind-the-Scenes project is being implemented with partners in five countries, with ICRW covering Kenya and Uganda. Other implementing partners include the University of Rwanda, the Organisation for Social Science Research in Eastern and Southern and Africa in Ethiopia, Ghana’s University of Cape Coast, the University of Lagos and the Laboratoire de Recherches Economiques et Monetaires in Senegal.
The project aims to respond to the growing demand for deeper insights and rigorous evidence to enable effective strategies to address gender inequalities and barriers in Africa's creative sector.
“Going forward, we expect the project to continue to refine its strategies and tools to ensure that young female creatives across Africa have the support they need to thrive," Ms Muthengi said.
