Avance Media Recognizes Haja Zainab Hawa Bangura Among Top 100 Influential African Women of 2023

Haja Zainab Hawa Bangura has earned recognition as one of the 100 Most Influential African Women in 2023, according to Avance Media. This annual publication highlights the accomplishments of African women who have excelled in various fields, such as corporate leadership, entrepreneurship, and impactful decision-making on local and global levels.

The comprehensive list spans diverse sectors, featuring accomplished individuals ranging from Presidents, Diplomats, CEOs, Scholars, and Politicians, to Philanthropists. It serves as a valuable platform for these women to find inspiration and encourages them to continue making significant contributions, setting global standards, and breaking records.

Currently serving as the Director-General at the United Nations Office in Nairobi (UNON) since 2018, Haja Zainab Hawa Bangura is a Sierra Leonean politician and social activist. Her previous role was as the second United Nations Special Representative on Sexual Violence in Conflict, where she held the prestigious rank of Under-Secretary-General from 2012 to 2017.

In 2007, Bangura took on the role of Sierra Leone’s foreign minister in President Ernest Bai Koroma’s government, representing the All People’s Congress (APC) Party. Notably, she became the second woman to hold this position, succeeding Shirley Gbujama, who served from 1996 to 1997. Furthermore, Bangura served as the Minister of Health and Sanitation from 2010 to 2012.

In a social media post, she expressed: “This prestigious recognition isn’t just for me; it’s for every woman on the continent in general and Sierra Leone in particular,  who dares to dream big, defy expectations, and pave the way for a brighter future,” said Haja Bangura. 

The distinguished list also features other notable personalities, including H.E. Samia Suluhu Hassan, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo Iweala, Hilda Baci, Angélique Kidjo, and many others.