Women's eNews' eight-part series on Emerging Female Leaders of Africa was published throughout the fall of 2005. The research and production of this series was supported by a grant from Carnegie Corporation of New York.

This series can now be purchased as a PDF.
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Almost without exception, the U.S,-based media covers Africa only during a crisis—genocidal ethnic conflicts, famine, AIDS. Thus, many would argue, those of us in the U.S., Western Europe, and even Africans who rely on international media for information about their continent could easily come to the conclusion that the entire continent is beyond hope and that assistance is ineffective.

Carnegie Corporation of New York had a different vision, based on its extensive knowledge and philanthropic investment in Africa’s educational infrastructure. Susan King, vice president of public affairs for the corporation, challenged Women’s eNews to find the uncovered story of committed leadership—women’s leadership—from Morocco to South Africa.

We were thrilled at the opportunity and committed to report, write and provide photos for eight stories covering women’s leadership on the continent—news that looked beyond the genocidal wars, the deepening poverty and the world's highest rate of HIV infection.

When we began planning our work, our Africa team—the editors, board members and several free-lance reporters based in Africa--openly wondered how Women’s eNews was going to find that many women in leadership doing significant work on behalf of other women. Had we over-promised?

As our reporting plan began to take shape and our research to bear fruit, the team quickly realized we had far too many worthwhile stories and that producing eight would only be a beginning of changing the way Women’s eNews covered Africa.

Also, because of its significance and the amount of time required, the team decided we should send a staff member Alex Poolos to Rwanda to report and write the first of the series. The genocide of 1994 had dramatically changed the gender politics that nation to the point that women now comprised 49 percent of the parliament, the highest percentage in the world.

In Rwanda and across the continent, our reporters met and interviewed African who are rising to the challenge, not despairing, but building civil society, creating schools, nongovernmental organizations, community support and health projects, bartering for peace in ravaged nations, changing harmful religious customs and rituals, and demanding a seat at the table as nations attempt to develop viable institutions. An astonishing number of these individuals are women. We hope you will find their stories as compelling as we did.

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Link to articles in this series:

Female Africans Take Lead in Prize-Winning Fiction
African women are taking over artistic territory once controlled by men and are now telling the continent's new stories in books and movies. The final article in our eight-part series on emerging female leaders in Africa.
Run Date: 11/28/05:
http://www.womensenews.org/article.cfm/dyn/aid/2539/

Influence of Kenyan Female Leaders Felt in Somalia
As Millie Odhiambo joins a spirited effort to turn back Kenya's Nov. 21 constitutional referendum, women struggling for greater political representation in Somalia take heart from her example. Seventh in a series on emerging female leaders in Africa.
Run Date: 11/17/05:
http://www.womensenews.org/article.cfm/dyn/aid/2530/

Women Fight State Brutality in Streets of Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe's government has used state-sponsored brutality to quash dissent, and women on the front lines of protest are paying a heavy personal price. Sixth in a series on emerging female leaders in Africa.
Run Date: 11/10/05:
http://www.womensenews.org/article.cfm/dyn/aid/2522/

Liberian May Be Africa's First Elected Female Prez
Liberia could become the first African nation to have an elected female president, if Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf wins her bid for office Nov. 8. Fifth in a series on emerging female leaders in Africa.
Run Date: 11/05/05:
http://www.womensenews.org/article.cfm/dyn/aid/2518/

In Lesotho and Swaziland, AIDS Activates Women
Spurred by the highest rates of AIDS infection, women in Lesotho and Swaziland are struggling to change laws and attitudes. Fourth in a series on emerging female leaders in Africa.
Run Date: 10/25/05:
http://www.womensenews.org/article.cfm/dyn/aid/2502/

African Businesswomen Create and Spread Wealth
In South Africa, women are taking advantage of new laws promoting diversity to share and spread the country's wealth. In neighboring Zambia, another woman builds a hospitality empire from $40. Second in a series on emerging female leaders in Africa.
Run Date: 09/26/05:
http://www.womensenews.org/article.cfm/dyn/aid/2466/

Rwandan Women's Leadership Spreads to Villages
Rwanda boasts the world's highest number of women in parliament. Now, more than a decade after the genocide, female leaders are working to get more women get elected to local offices. First in a series on emerging female leaders in Africa.
Run Date: 09/06/05:
http://www.womensenews.org/article.cfm/dyn/aid/2438/

Progressive or Conservative, Women Influence Islam
Three north African women--Latifa Jbabdi, Nadia Yassine and Soad Saleh--are playing an active part in the lively regional debate over women's role in Islam. Third in a series about emerging female leaders in Africa.
Run Date: 08/09/05:
http://www.womensenews.org/article.cfm/dyn/aid/2483/