International African Women's Day: Celebrating power, progress and purpose

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00:00Across Africa, many women are breaking barriers, leading in their fields, and changing the world

00:05around them. Today, we shine the spotlight on 10 outstanding African women who are doing amazing

00:11things in leadership, science, the arts, and more. Number one on the list is Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala,

00:19Nigeria. A titan in global economics, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala is the first woman and the first

00:25African to lead the World Trade Organization. A two-time Nigerian finance minister, she

00:31spearheaded both reforms and debt relief. With over two decades in the World Bank, she

00:37now shaped trade for developing nations on a global scale.

00:412. Eileen Johnson-Salif, Liberia

00:45Africa's first elected female president, Eileen Johnson-Salif, led Liberia through post-war

00:52Reconstruction with Grace and Grit. A Nobel Peace Prize laureate, a presidency-empowered

00:58women across Africa to dream bigger, lead louder, and govern better.

01:033. Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Nigeria

01:08With words as a weapon, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie dismantles stereotypes and redefines African

01:16womenhood. From Half of a Yellow Sun to her recent book, Dream Counts, a global literary

01:22voice challenges patriarchy and colonial hangover, book by book.

01:274. Dr. Amina Gurifake is a biodiversity expert who became Morita's first female president.

01:34She is a champion of African science and nature-based medicine, advocating research-driven solutions

01:45to development challenges. 5. Anjeli Kijo, Bene

01:50Anjeli Kijo is a five-time Grammy-winning singer, known for her powerful voice and African-inspired

01:57music. Beyond music, she is a UNICEF Goodwill ambassador and uses a platform to speak out for

02:04girls' education, freedom, and human rights. 6. Bolongo Kenewendo, Botswana

02:11At age 30, she became Botswana's youngest-ever minister. Bolongo Kenewendo is an economist shaping

02:20Africa's trade and innovation landscape, a voice for youth, tech, and gender equality.

02:26She is helping chart a new course for inclusive development.

02:317. Ayashebi, Tunisia

02:34When the African Union needed a voice for its youth, they called Ayashebi, a fierce Pan-African

02:41feminist, our work bridges digital activism, policy, and peace-building across the continent's

02:471.2 billion population, half of whom are under 25. 8. Sina Mompe, South Africa

02:57Sina is a poet and storyteller who keeps African stories and traditions alive. She visits schools and

03:04communities using her voice to teach history, culture, and values through storytelling.

03:119. Dr. Katrin Nakelembe, Uganda

03:15She doesn't wear a cape, but she saves lives with satellites. Dr. Katrin Nakelembe, a researcher

03:22for NASA Harvest, uses data and Earth observation to tackle food insecurity across Africa. In 2020,

03:30she won the African Food Prize for a life-changing innovation.

03:3410. Amina J. Mohamed, Nigeria

03:39Amina J. Mohamed is a Deputy Secretary General of the United Nations. She has worked across Africa on

03:46issues like sustainability development, climate change, and gender equality, helping countries build a

03:53better future. These women are proof that African women are powerful, creative, and unstoppable. They

04:00lead, they teach, they inspire, and they remind us all that with courage and hard work, anything is

04:07possible. As we celebrate International African Women's Day, we take time to honor the strength,

04:13achievement, and future of African women everywhere.