The Week That Was: Global Women Empowerment News Overview (18th September - 23rd September)

Women are adopting crucial leadership roles in a variety of sectors, breaking down barriers and driving societal growth. Successful female leaders are making an indelible mark on fields such as politics, economics, science, technology, and the arts.

These remarkable women act as role models, demonstrating their abilities, competence, and persistent resolve to inspire others. In their leadership capacities, they passionately promote for diversity and inclusion, emphasising that one's gender should never be an impediment to achievement.

Furthermore, women in leadership not only accomplish incredible things, but they also advocate for social justice, gender equality, and human rights, tackling structural issues and debunking misconceptions.

Despite facing gender-related challenges, these ladies demonstrate tremendous fortitude. Their growing presence in leadership is shaping a more inclusive society for everybody, demonstrating female leadership's enormous potential.

Visit theglobalwomanleader.com for the most recent achievements of female leaders.

AfDB & AFI Renew Partnership to Support Women-led Businesses in Africa

The African Development Bank (AfDB) and the Alliance for Financial Inclusion (AFI) renewed their relationship to promote women-led small and medium-sized companies (SMEs) in Africa at the 2023 AFI Global Policy Forum in Manila. For the next four years, the extended agreement will focus on legislative and regulatory improvements for these sectors.

The African Development Bank's Gender Equality Trust Fund will contribute over $4 million in grant financing for the initiative, which aims to explore potential for policy and regulatory reform to promote access to credit. This programme will entail research in 13 more African nations, as well as close collaboration with politicians, financial regulators, and other stakeholders to put these changes into action.

Verlume Appoints Gillian Thomson as Head of People

Verlume is a prominent player in clean energy system integration, energy management, and storage. She has named Gillian Thomson as their new Head of People. This strategic appointment underscores Verlume's commitment to expanding its team in line with the company's growth objectives while placing a strong emphasis on the individuals who drive Verlume's innovative energy transition projects.

Joining Verlume's leadership team in late August, Gillian Thomson brings a wealth of experience in human resources gained from prestigious organizations such as Mars, Royal Bank of Scotland, and Centrica. Her career spans across various technical and specialist sectors, earning her recognition as Board Member of the Year at Business Women Scotland and Women’s Enterprise Scotland.

EU & UN Launch 'ACT' Program to End Violence Against Women

At the 78th UN General Assembly, UN Women Executive Director Sima Bahous and Commissioner for International Partnerships Jutta Urpilainen signed the "ACT - Advocacy, Coalition Building, and Transformative Feminist Action to End Violence Against Women" programme. The European Commission and UN Women's partnership initiative reaffirms their commitment to "Generation Equality," with an emphasis on reducing gender-based violence.

The ACT programme aims to end violence against women and girls through developing women's rights movements, advocating for change, and forming multi-stakeholder partnerships. It will first be implemented in Africa and Latin America, which have both high rates of violence and robust women's rights groups.

Quad Cities Welcomes OpportUNITY Inclusive Business Summit

On September 19, Hy-Vee's OpportUNITY Inclusive company Summit landed in the Quad Cities providing essential assistance to women and minority company owners while also providing them with the opportunity to realize their ambitions through financial aid.

Fifteen devoted entrepreneurs competed for a portion of the $50,000 financing pool by presenting their creative projects to a panel of judges. Tammy Becker, the visionary behind Green Current Solutions, a firm that specializes in recycling recycled plastic into eco-friendly shipping pallets, was among these hopefuls. Becker's objective is to fight deforestation, noting that "43% of all hardwood trees are cut down for single-use pallets." We want to conserve forests by pushing businesses to replace wood with plastic."

Somalia's All-Women Media Outlet, 'Bilan', Expands Coverage to Empower Women

Bilan, Somalia's pioneering all-women media outlet founded in 2022 in Mogadishu, is expanding its coverage. Bilan, which has a dedicated six-woman newsroom, has been presenting a unique combination of breaking news and in-depth pieces that focus on women's lived experiences.

Bilan, being an independent media platform managed by female journalists, has the freedom to choose what, when, and how they cover issues, providing a unique viewpoint and insight into women's lives and thoughts. Bilan's reporting have reached both local viewers through Dalsan and worldwide readers through recognised sites like as The Guardian, BBC, El Pais, and the Toronto Star since its beginnings. Bilan now intends to expand its offices in order to assist other female journalists in other places.

IFS Appoints Hoda Mansour as Chief Operating Officer for APJ, ME&A

Global cloud business software provider IFS has selected Hoda Mansour as its Chief Operating Officer for Asia Pacific, Japan, the Middle East, and Africa (APJ, ME&A) in a strategic decision that reflects IFS's exceptional success and regional expansion objectives.

Hoda brings substantial experience from international software companies SAP, Oracle, and Microsoft to IFS during this critical stage of expansion. She expressed her excitement for the post, highlighting IFS's industry leadership, customer-centric approach, and distinct market position.