ASR Africa Initiative Scales Regional Women’s Mentorship Program Following High-Level UN Stakeholder Engagement in New York

ASR Africa announces the expansion of its young women's mentorship program to Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire during the 70th UN Commission on the Status of Women.

By: AXL Media

Published: Mar 18, 2026, 4:45 AM EDT

Source: The information in this article was sourced from ASR Africa

Strengthening the Pipeline for African Female Leadership

The Abdul Samad Rabiu Africa Initiative, popularly known as ASR Africa, has unveiled a strategic roadmap to amplify its mentorship interventions for young women across the continent. During a high-level engagement held on the sidelines of the 70th United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (UNCSW 70) in New York, the organization brought together a diverse group of mentors from Africa and the global diaspora. This meeting served as a critical platform to evaluate the program's successes in bridging the gap between academic theory and professional reality for women in tertiary institutions.

A Decisive Move Toward Regional Program Expansion

Since its inception in 2021, the mentorship initiative has provided structured guidance to more than 200 mentees in Nigeria, Zambia, and Senegal. Building on this momentum, ASR Africa’s Managing Director, Ubon Udoh, confirmed that the next phase of operations will include a rollout in Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire. According to Udoh, the program is designed to provide clarity and direction for participants, ensuring that the transition from the classroom to the corporate world is as seamless as possible for the next generation of African female professionals.

International Recognition of Mentorship as an Empowerment Tool

The importance of the initiative was echoed by global stakeholders, including Pamela Morgan, Co-Chair of NGO CSW New York, who attended as the Guest of Honor. Morgan noted that formal mentorship has evolved into a vital pillar of the global education sector, acting as a necessary complement to traditional degrees in the pursuit of gender equality. She commended ASR Africa for its sustained investment, emphasizing that the empowerment of young women requires more than just financial resources, it demands a consistent commitment of time and professional expertise from established leaders.