Difference She Makes, launched in 2025 and already reaching more than six million people in Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa and beyond, is pushing for a shift from symbolic inclusion to real transformation. The campaign argues that while Africa leads globally in progressive gender policies in the justice sector, those policies have not translated into equitable leadership opportunities for women.
Reports, including from the International Bar Association, show that women are joining law schools, courts, corporate legal departments and law firms in unprecedented numbers. Yet across many countries, they remain under-represented at senior levels, and where women do rise, cultural norms and institutional biases often impede their ability to lead fully and visibly.
Driving accountability, not celebration
Difference She Makes seeks to close this gap by building institutional accountability for cultural change, beyond simply celebrating representation statistics. The movement uses storytelling, art, culture and intergenerational dialogue to expose invisible barriers and elevate the voices of women shaping Africa's evolving legal landscape.
'This campaign is a timely intervention,' said Irene Kerubo of Difference She Makes. 'While women continue to enter the legal profession in record numbers, their leadership is still held back by persistent structural and cultural constraints. This campaign brings those realities to the surface, not simply to acknowledge the gaps, but to drive accountability and reimagine environments where women in law can lead and thrive.'
The campaign's philosophy centres on three principles: transformation over tokenism, institutional responsibility over individual burden, and transparency instead of exclusive power networks.
Advocate Susan Musambaki noted that the movement 'amplifies our collective voice to make legal spaces more inclusive and truly reflective of women's leadership.'
A continental coalition for change
Difference She Makes is powered by a diverse mix of legal trailblazers, young professionals and partner organisations committed to reform. Among them are Linda Kasonde, Zambia's first female Bar Association President; Nigerian lawyer Becky Dike; South African human rights lawyer Tamika Thumbiran; retired Judge Mohini Moodley; and Kenya's Natasha Ali Errey.
The movement also collaborates with influential platforms, including Legally Clueless, Drunken Lectures, Nalafem and the East Africa Media Group, building momentum toward a continent-wide coalition for structural reform.
Visibility remains a core challenge, according to South African journalist Ntombi Nkosi, who said the initiative ensures that 'women in law are not just included, but visible, respected and celebrated.'
Key initiatives driving impact
Difference She Makes has launched several pioneering initiatives:
1. Amplifying Women's Stories
Through the Legally Clueless podcast, a journalistâ€"lawyer fellowship and a digital storytelling series, the campaign is uncovering entrenched biases in Africa's justice systems. The first episode features Anne Ireri, CEO of the Federation of Women Lawyers in Kenya (FIDA-Kenya).
2. Pan-African to Global Advocacy
In partnership with NALAFEM, the movement is coordinating a regional advocacy agenda that highlights Africa's achievements and remaining challenges. Insights from regional convenings will shape Africa's contribution to the 70th session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women (CSW), positioning the continent as a leading voice on gender equality in justice.
3. Off the Table, On the Record Series
This dialogue series creates culturally grounded safe spaces for women, allies and decision-makers to address issues often avoided in formal settings, surfacing realities that must be acknowledged to drive meaningful change.
4. Voice and Verdict Fellowship
A first-of-its-kind Pan-African fellowship bringing together six journalists and legal professionals from Kenya, Nigeria and South Africa. The fellows will produce investigative storytelling aimed at confronting tokenism, institutional bias and opaque power structures within Africa's justice systems.
The fellowship includes legal professionals Susan Musambaki, Judith Anukie Ojovbo and Mpho Mokgehle, alongside journalists Ntombi Nkosi, Lucy Riley and Isioma Joseph Madike.
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