By Vivian Amoah
Political leaders and gender advocates from across Africa will gather for a high-level webinar aimed at addressing the financial hurdles that hinder young women’s participation in politics.
The virtual forum, scheduled for Friday, March 13, 2026, at 9:00 GMT on Microsoft Teams, will examine the topic: “Examining Systemic Financial Barriers in Politics: How Money Politics and Monetized Party Structures Impact Young Women’s Participation.”
The session will interrogate how the growing commercialization of party politics including expensive nomination forms, campaign costs, and financially driven internal party processes, places young women at a disadvantage. Analysts argue that these structural demands often exclude capable female aspirants who lack access to substantial financial resources.
Esther Tawiah of GENCED, Ghana, will moderate the discussion. Panelists include Nancy Muigei of OSF Kenya, Mavis Yeboah of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Ghana, Chika Kumle from Nigeria, and Helena Nkrumah of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Ghana.
The speakers are expected to draw from experiences within their respective political systems, offering perspectives on how financial constraints shape candidate selection and electoral competitiveness for young women.
Organisers indicate that the webinar seeks to generate actionable recommendations to make party structures more inclusive and less financially prohibitive. Proposed solutions are likely to include reforms in party financing, targeted support for female aspirants, and stronger advocacy for equitable political participation.
The event is open to the public and aims to foster a broader conversation on dismantling economic barriers that limit women’s leadership opportunities across the continent.
