Access to Opportunities, Visibility Key to Women’s Advancement – GMA Director

Chief Director of Global Media Alliance, Emma Wenani, has identified limited access to opportunities and a visibility gap as some of the major challenges hindering the advancement of women in leadership and professional spaces.

Speaking on Business Breakfast on Zed to mark the global celebration of International Women’s Day, Ms. Wenani stressed the need for organisations to deliberately create platforms that support women’s growth and leadership development.

According to her, women often struggle to access opportunities because many organisations are not intentional about creating the right structures for them to thrive.

“What I feel currently is the biggest issue is actually access to opportunities and the visibility gap,” she said.

Ms. Wenani explained that institutions must consciously promote policies such as succession planning and leadership development initiatives that make room for women to progress.

She noted that some organisations have already begun creating internal platforms to support women through professional associations.

“I see a lot of organisations right now having associations for women, for example women groups within companies such as banks or telecommunications firms. These groups discuss issues that encourage more women to step into leadership roles,” she said.

She emphasised that deliberate action by organisations is essential to ensure more women are empowered to take up leadership opportunities.

Beyond access to opportunities, Ms. Wenani also highlighted the importance of visibility for women seeking career advancement.

According to her, women must actively contribute to discussions and initiatives that shape workplace policies and gender inclusion.

“If you are not visible and you are not contributing to discussions about workplace equality or encouraging girls to enter fields like STEM, then your voice is missing from the conversation,” she noted.

She encouraged women to use various platforms to make their contributions known, including writing articles, participating in conferences, and engaging in public discussions.

Ms. Wenani added that even simple actions such as asking questions or sharing insights during conferences can help increase visibility and establish professional presence.

She observed that many women remain hesitant to take such opportunities but urged them to overcome that fear and actively participate in conversations that influence change.

Ms. Wenani stressed increased visibility and deliberate institutional support will play a critical role in reshaping perceptions about women in leadership and expanding opportunities for the next generation of female professionals.

She also encouraged women to step forward with confidence and embrace leadership opportunities, stressing that leadership is not defined solely by titles.

According to her, demonstrating that women can successfully lead large organisations and influence change is one of the most powerful ways to encourage the next generation of female leaders.

“I try to lead by example and hope that my example shows others that it is possible for a woman to succeed, to lead a big organisation, to be heard, and also to bring other women along,” she said.

Ms. Wenani explained that within organisations, women must be intentionally given opportunities to lead projects as a way of building confidence and strengthening leadership capacity.