How women are rewriting the African sports narrative

There are gatherings that feel symbolic and then there are gatherings that shift the ground beneath your feet. 

The African Women in Sports Initiative (AWiSi) Summit 2025, held at Hotel Africana from November 27–28, was exactly that kind of space, a room where African women did not just discuss sport, they redefined what power, leadership, and possibility look like within it.

From the opening remarks by the UN Women Deputy Country Representative to the final reflections, the Summit carried a single message at its core, women in sport are not waiting for permission, they are rewriting their own narrative.

Across two days, delegates from federations, media, academia, governance, coaching, officiating, and athlete development explored the realities facing women in sport, the victories, the obstacles, and the work ahead. 

What stood out most was the collective resolve. Every session was grounded in honesty, courage, and a strong desire for systems that protect and elevate women.

The conversations on leadership challenged long-held norms. Speakers argued that African women are ready for executive positions and technical roles not as tokens but as qualified, visionary professionals who have been doing the work quietly for years. 

They called for intentional mentorship, equitable representation in decision-making spaces, and structures that recognise women’s intellectual and administrative contributions beyond the field of play.

The Summit also turned its focus to safety and wellbeing, a theme that carried weight throughout the room. Discussions on Gender-Based Violence in sport revealed how silence has shaped the experiences of many athletes. 

Women shared stories of navigating fear, shame, and the pressure to perform while carrying invisible emotional burdens. 

The call to action was that federations, communities, leaders, and media must prioritise athlete protection, not as a side conversation but as a central pillar of sport.

As a panellist on responsible reporting, alongside Lynn Wachira from Kenya, Sarjo Baldez(The Gambia), Maurice Mugisha, and Andrew Kabura, I was reminded that storytelling is not just information, it is influence. 

Stories shape culture. Stories can protect or expose. And in the African sports ecosystem, stories determine whose achievements are celebrated and whose pain remains hidden.

But perhaps the most powerful part of AWISI Summit 2025 was the atmosphere itself, women encouraging one another, celebrating each other’s journeys, and creating networks that will outlive the Summit.