Picture: Nabeela Farida Tunis, the Minister of Tourism and Cultural Affairs of the Republic of Sierra Leone
Despite making up 70% of Africa’s tourism workforce, women predominantly occupy low-skill and lower-paid roles, facing significant gender disparities such as unequal pay, limited access to education, and restricted leadership opportunities.
Addressing these challenges, the Women in Tourism Leadership Africa Committee (WITLAC) has taken on the mission to empower women and foster gender equality across Africa. This mission aligns with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goal 5 of the Agenda 2030, which focuses on achieving gender equality and empowering all women and girls.
WITLAC emerged from the 2nd Leadership Taskforce on Women Empowerment in Tourism in Africa, launched in November 2019 in Accra, Ghana. This event coincided with the 1st Regional Congress on Women Empowerment in the Tourism Sector, focusing on Africa. Since then, WITLAC has been dedicated to promoting women’s empowerment and leadership in the tourism sector through a comprehensive approach.
The primary objective of WITLAC is to promote women’s empowerment and leadership in the tourism sector. The Committee is committed to promoting UN Tourism Gender Mainstreaming Guidelines by implementing gender-inclusive strategies for tourism businesses at the regional level. The committee also focuses on providing networking opportunities to facilitate connections and collaborations among women in the tourism industry.
Through tailored capacity-building and mentorship programmes, WITLAC aims to develop women’s skills and leadership potential. Additionally, the committee advocates for the adoption of gender mainstreaming policies to promote equality. To highlight the importance of gender equality in tourism, WITLAC conducts awareness-raising campaigns. Furthermore, the committee celebrates successful initiatives and individuals by showcasing role models and best practices.
In a closed-door meeting held on the sidelines of the First UN Tourism Regional Forum on Gastronomy Tourism for Africa in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe, WITLAC members discussed crucial issues and formulated an action plan.
Nabeela Farida Tunis, the Minister of Tourism and Cultural Affairs of the Republic of Sierra Leone and Committee Chair, shared insights into the committee’s goals and upcoming initiatives in an interview with VoyagesAfriq.
“We had the first WITLAC brainstorming meeting. WITLAC is a committee of all female tourism ministers, as well as selected members of the private sector, who have come together to drive the women’s agenda within tourism in Africa. About 67% of the tourism workforce are women, and ensuring dignified standards within the sector has been a significant issue. We seek to ensure that women get the dignity they deserve within the sector,” said Tunis.
She elaborated on the multifaceted approach WITLAC is taking to address these issues, including education, mentoring, capacity building, and training. The committee is also focusing on labour issues and promoting equality and women empowerment policies across different countries.
“As women ministers, we have a unique opportunity to lead by example and attract the majority workforce within the tourism landscape to ensure they achieve the dignity they deserve. We discussed the structure and future meetings and we are working on a concrete plan of action to be presented at the African Union level to promote women in the tourism landscape,” Tunis added.
A WITLAC training workshop on business and entrepreneurial skills is scheduled to take place on the sidelines of the Women in Tourism Forum in Freetown, Sierra Leone, later in October this year. This workshop aims to equip women with the necessary skills to succeed and lead in the tourism industry.
Through these initiatives, WITLAC hopes to make significant strides toward achieving gender equality and empowering women in Africa’s tourism sector.
