Pan-African Convening Highlights Legal Leadership and Solidarity Among Women in Law
By: Amie Lewis, IAWJ Senior Program Officer
The Pan-African Women in Leadership in Law Convening, held in Nairobi, Kenya and organized by FEMNET last 14-16th July, 2025 – the African Women’s Development and Communication Network – and supported by Co-Impact, brought together women legal professionals, gender justice advocates, and media professionals from twenty countries across the continent. The event served as a strategic platform to reflect on the status of women’s leadership in law, strengthen networks, and identify practical strategies to accelerate institutional change and gender equality within the justice sector.
The convening opened with remarks from Hon. Chief Justice Martha Koome, who underscored the transformative role of women’s leadership in judicial systems. Her speech framed the convening’s core message: that inclusive legal leadership is not only a matter of justice, but a prerequisite for stronger institutions. As she stated, women’s leadership in law matters because, “[I]t delivers justice that is inclusive, and empathetic. It strengthens institutions, amplifies marginalised voices, and ensures that no one is left behind.”
I was deeply honored to participate in the panel “Legal Leadership Across Borders,” which examined how women are navigating and influencing the legal sector across jurisdictions. Along with other Co-Impact Women in Leadership in Law (WILIL) partners, the panel highlighted the role of transnational cooperation, institutional reform, and leadership development in advancing justice systems that reflect and respond to women’s realities. It also underscored the importance of storytelling, noting that one of the biggest things that we as women can do is tell our stories. And, in addition to that, amplify the voices of other women. When women tell their stories, it not only illuminates barriers, but it also elucidates the pathways for other women.
Other sessions throughout the convening expanded on key themes of intergenerational leadership, feminist solidarity, and institutional accountability. And members from the International Association of Women Judges (IAWJ) shared insights from their respective programs. In the panel “Bridging the Intergenerational Gap: Building the Bridges,” Ret. Justice Tani Yusuf Hassan, Judicial Coordinator for the IAWJ WILIL initiative in Nigeria, emphasized the need for action-oriented support structures within the legal profession. As she stated: “We need sponsorship, not just mentorship.” Khemraj Prem Behari, Technical Committee member for the IAWJ WILIL initiative in South Africa spoke about the importance of male allies and focusing on not only gender parity or quotas, but rather on substantive equality for women in the legal sector, on a panel entitled, “Cross-Sector Learning.” The session “Who Made the Ceiling Anyway? Women Leading in Law,” featured Judge Salima Rouhi, IAWJ Europe MENA Regional Director. Reflecting on the impact of women’s associations in making judicial leadership more accessible, she noted: “Belonging to an association has allowed us to be known as women judges… and we’ve been able to break that glass ceiling.”
The convening culminated with closing remarks by FEMNET Executive Director Memory Kachambwa, who offered five key takeaways:
- Continue sharing our stories to highlight lived experiences, shift narratives, and drive policy change.
- Strengthen intergenerational dialogue to ensure meaningful knowledge exchange between emerging and established leaders.
- Leverage the 2026 United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) theme on access to justice as a strategic entry point for coordinated advocacy and action.
- Build a sustained movement—move beyond convenings, strategize collectively, and engage the media early.
- Promote collective action and inclusive allyship, coming together in solidarity and forging stronger partnerships, including with male allies.
These takeaways reflect a collective recognition that meaningful, long-term change in the justice sector requires more than periodic engagement. It demands sustained collaboration, strategic alliances, and the intentional inclusion of women at all levels of leadership.
The Pan-African Women in Leadership in Law Convening marked an important milestone in the movement to strengthen women’s legal leadership on the continent. By reinforcing solidarity, amplifying women’s contributions, and building bridges across institutions and generations, the event laid critical groundwork for more inclusive, equitable, and responsive justice systems in Africa.