In an upcoming panel session at the 2022 edition of AfricaNXT, media entrepreneur and author of African Power Girls, Adebola Williams will explore clear ways of leveraging the power of communication tools — especially social media to combat narratives that entrench misogyny and chauvinism in the society.

The panel session which is titled Break the bias: How social media can build the next generation of African Power Girls, will be moderated by cinematographer, content creator, and actress, Maryam ‘Taaooma’ Apaokagi. The session is geared towards normalising the conversations and initiatives needed to empower the girl child and make them future-ready.

“Africa, and indeed the world, has been programmed to put the female gender down,” said Adebola Williams, Group Chief Executive Officer of RED | For Africa, while commenting on the essence of the panel. “Very often you see females having to do twice the work their male counterparts do to attain similar heights, and when they do achieve phenomenal feats, they are not celebrated as loudly as they should be — proof of this are the myriads of awe-inspiring women whose stories still remain untold.

“This unjust dynamic flows down to the home and schools. Girls are told they cannot do certain things for the most ridiculous reason — their gender. Thankfully, this narrative is already being altered. However, a lot is still left to be done.

“My book, African Power Girls, was written to contribute to the correction of these myopic narratives. I believe story stelling is a potent tool in achieving this. At the panel session, I will be reading a portion of this timely book and expounding on ways to actively empower females all around the world.”

Other panelists include popular producer and actress, Funke Akindele; and Comfort Lamptey, Representative, UN Women to Nigeria and ECOWAS.

Individuals interested in participating in the event should visit https://emamo.com/event/africanxt2022/s/break-the-bias-how-social-media-can-build-the-next-generation-of-african-power-girls-orPmxa