Women Inventors Symposium in Johannesburg

South African President and Deputy President inaugurate Women Inventors Symposium in Johannesburg

Mr Thabo Mbeki, President of the Republic of South Africa, and Deputy President Ms Phumzile Mlambo Ngcuka both attended last week’s South African Women Inventors and Innovators Symposium. Many of the country’s female ministers and around 1,500 women entrepreneurs, inventors and innovators from Africa, Europe and South-East Asia packed the Gallagher Conference Centre to take part in the launch of the Pan-African Women Inventors and Innovators Network and to honour many of those who have made the greatest contribution to encouraging women to play a full role in the continent’s economic and social development.

The two-day event is a joint initiative between the South African government and the Global Women Inventors and Innovators Network (GWIIN), the organisation behind the well-established British Female Inventor & Innovator of the Year Awards. The theme of the launch event is ‘boosting sustainability through innovation’. According to Mrs Bola Olabisi, Founder and CEO of GWIIN, the event has achieved all its objectives of highlighting the actual and potential contribution of women to social and economic development throughout Africa. “We know from GWIIN’s activities in the UK and Europe that by encouraging and giving recognition to innovative women, they gain the confidence to start up or develop enterprises that can help solve many problems, especially in areas such as healthcare, energy efficiency, education, agriculture and technology.

South African Government Minister Ms Buyelwa Sonjica welcomed delegates to the symposium and explained how much had been done to include women in the country’s government under the presidency of Mr Mbeki. Mrs Olabisi reinforced this message and presented the President with an award in recognition of his commitment to encouraging women to play a greater part in innovating and finding new approaches to economic and social development. In accepting the award, President Mbeki acknowledged that he was in fact accepting an ‘instruction’ to continue his strategy of encouraging women to play a full role in the country’s development.

South Africa’s President Mr Thabo Mbeki receives his award from Mrs Bola Olabisi of GWIIN at the launch of the Pan-African Women Inventors and Innovators Network in Johannesburg on 27 August 2008.

Over 1500 delegates were at the South African Women Inventors and Innovators Symposium and the launch of the Pan-African Women Inventors & Innovators Network on 27-29 August