On paper, the progress is impressive. Many African countries now rank highly on progressive gender policies within law and justice systems.
Yet a quieter, more stubborn reality persists: leadership in law remains largely male, and where women do rise, workplace culture and entrenched norms often limit how far and how freely they can lead.
This contradiction sits at the heart of Africa’s legal sector today. Reports, including those by the International Bar Association, show that while women’s participation has surged, leadership opportunities have not kept pace.
Women remain under-represented at senior levels in law firms, corporate legal departments, judicial leadership, and decision-making bodies. The issue is no longer access alone; it is power, influence, and institutional culture.
It is against this backdrop that the Difference She Makes movement emerged in 2025.
Framed as a Pan-African initiative, it positions itself not as a celebration of numbers, but as a challenge to the systems that have allowed gender equity to stall at the entry level.
Its central claim, that representation without authority is insufficient, reflects a growing consensus among legal professionals across the continent.
The movement’s reach is notable. Through storytelling, dialogue, and cultural platforms, Difference She Makes has engaged more than six million people across Africa, with active work in Kenya, Nigeria, and South Africa and a broader continental lens.
But its significance lies less in scale than in emphasis: shifting the burden of change away from individual women and onto institutions themselves.
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