The EJS Center has launched the first data tool dedicated to tracking women’s public leadership in Africa—the Data Hub for Women’s Leadership in Public Governance. The goal of this innovative initiative is to harness the power of data to inform advocacy and policymaking and advance women’s representation in public governance.
Born out of the belief that women’s full participation in the highest levels of decision-making and governance is critical to advancing gender equality across all areas of society, the tool aims to provide an accurate picture of the status of women’s representation in Africa.
Through a user-friendly dedicated website, policymakers, lawmakers, researchers, media professionals, activists, and the public can access the latest data on women’s representation in the legislative, executive, and judicial branches of government, in addition to insights on gender quotas and gender-sensitive legislation. The data, much of which is not readily available on any other public databases, include specific statistics on women presidents, prime ministers, ministers, committee chairs, and justices.
Whether advocating for gender equality, monitoring progress toward greater representation in government, or searching for resources to inform laws and policies that advance women’s leadership, users will have access to recent, detailed, and easily-accessible statistics.
Initially focusing on the West Africa region—Benin, Burkina Faso, Cabo Verde, Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, The Gambia, and Togo—the EJS Center Data Hub aims eventually to provide data for the entire African continent and become the premier destination for data on women’s leadership in Africa.
Announcing the launch of the tool, EJS Center Executive Director Dr. Ophelia I. Weeks noted the power of data in helping women “chart a path forward,” adding that the Data Hub is “one of the first tools of its kind that focuses specifically on the state of women’s leadership in Africa and will be invaluable for continuing to champion the rights of women and girls.
Former President of Liberia and founder of the EJS Center, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, added:
“The EJS Center is passionate about finding new and innovative ways to support the promotion of women to the highest levels of leadership. Data can be transformative, and it is my sincerest hope the EJS Center Data Hub will not only alert people to the current shortage of women leaders in certain areas of public leadership, but also empower men and women across the continent and the world to take action to ensure equal representation at the highest levels of leadership.”
Click here to visit the EJS Center’s Data Hub for Women’s Leadership in Public Governance.