President of Rugby Africa and Executive Board Member of World Rugby, Herbert Mensah, has called for structural reforms and deliberate inclusion to elevate African women in sport.

He spoke during a virtual webinar held to mark Pan-African Women’s Day.

Speaking at the event hosted by Africa Sports Ventures Group, Herbert Mensah emphasised that real progress for African women in sport must go beyond words to action, urging sport federations, unions, and corporate leaders to “open the door” and create space for women in governance and leadership.

“It is about them,” Herbert declared. “The world has changed. You are empowered, and I believe that you are incredibly smart as a people. Don’t be held back by the norms of the world.”

Reflecting on the significance of Pan-African Women’s Day—established in 1962 in Tanzania, a country now led by a female president—Mensah praised the increasing visibility of women in leadership across the continent, citing examples from Mauritius and Namibia.

He revealed that his own offices in Accra are managed entirely by women, including a single mother and a Muslim woman. “These are extraordinary leaders,” he said, adding that Rugby Africa itself has been built on the backbone of powerful female figures, including current General Manager Maha and her predecessor Coralie, both of whom have led major structural changes within the organisation.

Mensah also highlighted Rugby Africa’s current constitutional reform agenda, which aims to set a minimum target of 40% female representation on the organisation’s board.

He urged African rugby unions to match this commitment by nominating and electing more women leaders.

“How many unions in Africa have women as presidents? Are they prepared to nominate them?” he asked. “We need to follow the lead of World Rugby, where independent female members hold key positions and help steer the global game.”

Mensah’s message was deeply personal. He spoke of his 89-year-old mother, his late grandmother who lived to 100, and his four daughters—all of whom, he said, were raised with the values of resilience, belief, and limitless ambition.

“I live for and believe in womanhood,” he said. “My daughters have been brought up to believe that they never need to give up. There is no limit to where they can go and how they can develop.”

He also shared a recent experience addressing young graduates in Hong Kong, telling them that success is “not about me—it’s about them.”

This, he said, is the same mindset with which African societies and institutions must approach women’s empowerment.

Mensah underlined the critical importance of visible female leadership, and described the strong women he works with on the World Rugby Executive Board.

“There is excellence in womanhood everywhere,” Mensah affirmed. “We need to open the door for them to come in.”

A Growing Legacy

Mensah also spoke proudly of Rugby Africa’s governance credentials, noting that the body ranks highly in International Olympic Committee (IOC) standards.

A key recent milestone, he said, was the formal introduction of safeguarding measures within Rugby Africa—a decision led and implemented by strong women, and currently chaired by his vice president, Nasser.

“There are men at the helm of businesses who must open the door,” he stated. “One of my personal battles has been persuading women to come in. It is time for the world of sport to shift—deliberately, urgently, and permanently—toward inclusiveness.”

As Pan-African Women’s Day 2025 was commemorated, Herbert Mensah’s address stood as both a celebration and a challenge: to recognise the excellence already present in African womanhood—and to build structures that give it room to flourish.

“The future belongs to those bold enough to reimagine it,” Herbert Mensah said, adding, “And women must be at the centre of that vision.”