Women and girls of African descent: Drivers of change facing persistent barriers
The first official International Day of Women and Girls of African Descent was observed in the world. This is a day that was proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly in August 2024 celebrating the worldwide influence of women and girls of African descent in the past and present history. They have impact in all areas that include science, politics, art, culture, social justice, sports, and community leadership, even after centuries of systematic oppression, underrepresentation, and marginalization.
African women and girls have frequently been working on the border of resilience and creativity. They have maintained languages, traditions and cultural memory against slavery, colonial effacement and racialized othering. Their leadership has played a critical role in keeping communities going, developing resistance movements as well as creative and intellectual capital in the shadow areas where visibility and resources have been scarce. These women as Patricia DaSilva of UNFPA observes are active subjects of change who are transforming the world in which they live rather than passive recipients of the injustice that has bedeviled the world.
Intersectional Oppression And The Dual Challenge
The women and girls who are either African in origin or descent face layering of discrimination which includes racism, sexism, and rejection based on class. This intersects with them at a greater risk of systemic barriers of education, health, recognition in law, and employment. The degree of such inequality continues to exist all over the continents, whether in Africa, the Americas, Europe and beyond.
Public health is one of the most dystopian. High incidence of maternal deaths still occur among African- descended women even in high-income nations. Such results are not comprehensively offered by education or income but are a product of institutional bias, disparity in access to top-notch care as well as disregard of the context of culture in health systems. One of these efforts to redress these deeply rooted disparities is the UNFPA midwifery training projects that weave in the community-based system of care and the traditional wisdom of indigenous people.
Empowerment, Recognition, And Global Initiatives
The Launch Of The Second International Decade
In 2025, on the occasion of the inaugural celebration of the International Day, the Second International Decade was opened by the United Nations (2025-2034). Continuing on the objectives introduced during the previous ten-year period, the new effort focuses on reparatory justice, structural change, and access to rights and resources on equal terms. One of them is women and girls of African descent, as the central consideration should be their empowerment because they can make a significant contribution to ensuring inclusive sustainable development and social change.
Celebratory And Collaborative Platforms
The increasing interest in providing the voices of African-descended women with attention can be seen in such events as the Visionary African Women Summit 2025 in Casablanca. The summit united leaders, above 300, across Africa and the diaspora, to encourage dialogue, economic partnership, and cultural exchange. It was a big step towards developing transnational networks that will be able to carry collective developments.
Moreover, there are accolades that help demonstrate equal impact and contributions of women in various fields such as the list at ADIPWO 2025 of African Diaspora and Indigenous Professional Women. These platforms are effective in bringing African-descended women out of the shadows (and out of stereotyping) by creating awareness and leaving their mark.
Ongoing Challenges And The Need For Sustained Action
Structural Racism, Economic Inequality, And Representation Gaps
Although they are gaining traction, there is no access to concrete equity. Structural racism is still in the way of access to leadership positions, capitals, education, and fair salaries. The depiction of African-descended women in the media and politics and in academic institutions has yet to show the diversity and ability of these women.
Among migrant or refugee group members the issues are even more complicated due to precarious legal status, xenophobia, and the lack of institutes of support. Interwoven realities require approaches that take into consideration race, gender, levels of wealth and status of migration to formulate responsive public policy.
Health Disparities And Access To Care
This systemic failure has been highlighted by constant inequality in the healthcare system, especially when it comes to aspects of maternal health and reproductive rights. There is a need to have culturally competent models of healthcare. One such solution is UNFPA, who work to enhance birth registration and incorporate all the traditional health wisdom into maternal care, thus bridging the barrier of access and trust.
There are also attempts to fortify the data collection practices that disaggregate outcomes by race and gender, so that policymakers could use their results to base interventions on precise depictions of lived realities. Such data are lacking therefore most of the needs of African-descended women are not counted in national statistics and lack recognition in national budgets.
Toward Recognition, Solidarity, And Empowerment
The International Day of Women and Girls of African Descent also acts as a day of commemoration to acknowledge past contributions and other ways of mobilizing action internationally. What is needed is unambiguous: to make sure that these women, these girls are not only symbolically celebrated but empowered structurally. The governments, international organizations, and the private sectors are being urged to ensure that they are incorporating equity and inclusion in law, funding priorities, and institutional culture.
The supporters emphasize that the women of African descent should not be relegated to the status of recipients of charity but rather the key actors and of development and justice models. Equity must not just break down any walls but must establish mechanisms that make them the focus of their leadership, experiences, and visions of the future.
Amplifying Voices And Building Futures
With the world in a season of increased global crises, economic shocks, displacement, climate change, making sure that there is inclusive leadership is an existential concern. African ancestry women and girls have lived knowledge, resilience and innovation that are to be incorporated in policymaking and community-building processes.
Digital media, youth-led initiatives, and cultural storytelling have become key tools in this effort. Platforms that allow for the creation and sharing of narratives are reclaiming space and creating a new cultural archive rooted in authenticity and power. Mentorship and leadership programs, particularly for young girls, are critical in ensuring the next generation has both the confidence and capacity to transform systems from within.
This person has spoken on the topic: Recognizing the strength and agency of women of African descent, activist Ali Jerusa remarked that
“Amplifying their stories fosters solidarity and ignites transformative change, bridging history with a future envisioned by those who create it.”
Today 25th July 2025 is the International Day of Women and Girls of African Descent. It's a day to promote their #rights, #dignity, and #inclusion in all aspects of life. 📷 little me #TheBahamas #GirlChild #AfricanDescent pic.twitter.com/MYdQfLz9Y0
— Jerusa Léa Ali (@AliJerusa) July 25, 2025
The celebration and empowerment of women and girls of African descent in 2025 signal more than a commemorative gesture—they mark a turning point. Global frameworks, policies, and communities are increasingly called upon to not only acknowledge injustice but to dismantle the systems that perpetuate it. Whether this momentum will carry through sustained structural change depends on the depth of political will, the scope of community involvement, and the visibility of African-descended women leading the charge. This moment stands as both a reflection of past resilience and a blueprint for an equitable, inclusive future shaped by those long kept at its margins.
