Media Advisory: Rugby Africa President Herbert Mensah to Deliver Keynote Address at Pan African Women’s Day Webinar
Media Advisory: Rugby Africa President Herbert Mensah to Deliver Keynote Address at Pan African Women’s Day Webinar Media and delegates are invited to…
Media and delegates are invited to attend the keynote address by Herbert Mensah, President of Rugby Africa and Executive Board Member of World Rugby, taking place online on Thursday, 31 July 2025 at 3:00 PM GMT.
Tomorrow, Herbert Mensah, President of Rugby Africa, the continental governing body for rugby, and Executive Board Member of World Rugby, the global authority for the sport, will deliver the keynote address at a virtual webinar hosted by Africa Sports Ventures Group (https://www.africasvg.com) to mark Pan African Women’s Day, taking place on Thursday, 31 July 2025 at 3:00 PM GMT.
Mr. Mensah will be joined by a distinguished lineup of speakers, including Minister of Sports of Sierra Leone, Hon. Augusta James Teima and Paulina Lanco, Rugby Africa EXCO Member and Chairperson of Women’s Rugby Advisory Committee. The event, themed “Rooted in Greatness: Advancing African Women’s Leadership and Legacy in Sport,” will convene influential figures from across the continent to spotlight the role of African women in sport and explore pathways to stronger representation.
In his keynote address, Mr. Mensah will highlight the critical role of African women in sports leadership, reflecting on gender representation, the need for inclusion, and opportunities to grow women’s leadership, while also emphasizing the vital role of male allies in supporting gender equity in sport.
The event comes against the backdrop of global gender disparities in sport and growing influence of women’s sports. The United Nations (https://www.un.org/en) reports thatonly 26.9% of executive roles in international sport federations are held by women, with girls dropping out of sport participation by age 14 attwice the rate of boys.
Event Details:
Date:Thursday, 31 July 2025
Time:3:00 PM GMT
Platform:Zoom
Meeting ID:875 5734 7052
Passcode:231264
Additional Speakers Include:
- Hon. Augusta James Teima, Minister of Sports, Sierra Leone (Plenary Address)
Panelists:
- Dr. Memuna Williams Co-Founder and Executive Director of Empowering Sustainable Change Co-Founder and Operations Lead, Champs for Change
- Paulina Lanco Rugby Africa EXCO Member Chairperson, Women’s Rugby Advisory Committee (WRAC) for Rugby Africa
- Tega Onojaife Founder, Ladies in Sports International Sports Producer and Presenter
- Ouname Mhotsha Professional Golfer & Advocate for Women in Sport
Moderator:
- Carole Beckford – Sports Marketing Specialist and former publicist to Usain Bolt
Media representatives and delegates are strongly encouraged to attend.
Media Contact:
About Rugby Africa:
Rugby Africa (www.RugbyAfrique.com) is the governing body of rugby in Africa and one of the regional associations under World Rugby. It unites all African countries that play rugby union, rugby sevens, and women’s rugby. Rugby Africa organizes various competitions, including the qualifying tournaments for the Rugby World Cup and the Africa Sevens, a qualifying competition for the Olympic Games. With 39 member unions, Rugby Africa is dedicated to promoting and developing rugby across the continent. World Rugby highlighted Ghana, Nigeria and Zambia as three of the six emerging nations experiencing strong growth in rugby.
