NALAFEM Summit Secures $500K for Women Leaders

The NALAFEM Summit held this month in Nairobi, Kenya, brought together more than 1,000 women leaders, policymakers, activists, entrepreneurs, and development partners from across Africa to strengthen women's leadership, build strategic partnerships, and promote long-term investment in women-led initiatives. The biennial event centered on promoting women's political participation and gender empowerment in inclusive governance, peace building and on the continent.

A key theme at the summit was that good leadership has to be robustly supported as well as represented. NALAFEM Founder and Women Change maker 2025 Aya Chebbi called on governments, donors and development organizations to change the way that they fund women, by investing in women leaders instead of specific projects. She stressed the need to build the capacities of the women leading these efforts to create lasting social and political change.

The message was echoed in a video message by former President of Liberia Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, UN Women Executive Director Sima Bahous and United Nations Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed, who emphasized the need to increase financial opportunities, asset ownership, and long term investment for women in Africa.

Key Highlights:

• 1,000+ women leaders gathered in Nairobi to advance women's leadership across Africa
• Colmena Fund pledged $500,000 to support African women leaders
• The summit called for greater investment and representation of women in leadership and peacebuilding

The Colmena Fund announced during the summit a pledge of $500,000 to bolster Africa's women leaders, as part of a commitment to helping women-led movements and organizations across Africa to the tune of $5 million.

A particular emphasis of the summit was on the current obstacles that women in politics and peace building continue to experience. Speakers pointed out that women are significantly under-represented in peace negotiations, which are a significant failure given their strong presence among the most affected groups by the war in Sudan. The participants emphasized the need to tackle the root causes of violence, such as militarism, gender inequality and structural discrimination, as well as to provide women with a meaningful role in decision-making in order to build sustainable peace.

The Strategic Initiative for Women in the Horn of Africa (SIHA Network) hosted a second session featuring women leaders from Sudan, South Sudan, Somalia and Uganda on grassroots feminism and inclusive governance. The panel emphasized the physical and virtual challenges faced by women activists for peace and human rights. With these difficulties, however, participants reiterated the strength and perseverance of women leaders and their dedication to promoting justice and equality.

A conversation was also held between Aya Chebbi and Zainab Bangura, Director-General of the UN Office in Nairobi and former UN Special Representative on Sexual Violence in Conflict at the summit. Education, mentorship, professional networks and strategic communication are vital in enhancing women's leadership, Bangura said. She also urged African better representation in the global decision making bodies.

Not only in policy debates, the event highlighted the importance of wellbeing and solidarity as core pillars of leadership. To make the summit inclusive and supportive, various activities such as meditation, healing sessions and wellness activities were integrated throughout the summit. The colors of the dress code, vibrant yellow and pink, were an emblem of unity and collective strength, highlighting the focus of the summit on sisterhood and shared purpose.

The NALAFEM Summit ended with reaffirmation of commitments to empower women's leadership in terms of greater investment and partnership building, and greater inclusion in governance. The participants advocated for continued funding, political representation and partnership to overcome the structural barriers and forge permanent opportunities for women leaders in Africa.