Experiences and Challenges of Women Leaders in Sub-Saharan Africa

Abstract

There is little research on non-Western women managers and leaders in general, and on African women in particular. More attention could be given to influences that shape leadership experiences in order to better understand African women leadership practices. The purpose of this paper is to examine the challenges females in positions of leadership face in the context of sub-Saharan Africa. In so doing, it addresses a gap in the literature on the experiences of female leaders in a non-Western context. The paper reviews articles in the printed media on African female leaders produced in sub-Saharan Africa. The articles identify a number of challenges sub-Saharan African women leaders face, including societal culture, occupational culture, sex stereotypes, and lack of access to education. Studies such as this one can provide insight into how African leaders behave, as well as raise implications of their behavior for organizational and socioeconomic outcomes, with a view to improving their effectiveness.