Celebrating Unrecognized African Women Accelerating Action

By Phebe Ejinkeonye-Christian

We celebrate women every March 8, but what happens on March 9? The truth is, recognition means nothing if it doesn’t translate into real action. What happens when women stop asking for a seat at the table and start building their own? When we stop waiting for opportunities and become the architects of change? This year’s IWD theme challenges us to rewrite the narrative—and that we must do.

Every year, we gather on International Women’s Day to discuss how women can break barriers, lead industries, launch businesses, and claim our space in technology, politics, and boardrooms. We applaud those who reach the top, those whose names make the news, and those whose victories are measured in numbers—how many women got elected, how many startups received funding, how many policies were changed.

But let’s pause for a moment and ask a few deeper questions: What if some of the most powerful forces driving women’s progress aren’t the loudest? What if true acceleration doesn’t always look like viral speeches, million-dollar ventures, or global recognition? Can it also be found in the unseen, the unrecognized, yet glaring actions women take every single day?

The truth is, progress isn’t only built on what we see. It’s built on what we don’t see.

We celebrate women who break glass ceilings, but we often forget those who clear the broken glass so others can walk through safely. Not every battle for progress is fought in the public eye. Some of the most powerful revolutions happen in small, quiet, everyday choices and actions.

Think about it: Have you ever noticed how women often carry the invisible weight of emotional labor? Or the mothers, aunts, and sisters who raise girls to be confident and teach boys to respect women? How about the workplace mentors who guide younger women behind the scenes, even when no one is watching? And the women who stand up for colleagues facing discrimination, even at the cost of their own career growth?

These actions don’t get awards, but they shape futures.

Many women don’t set out to pioneer anything—they’re just doing their jobs, following their dreams, or refusing to accept exclusion. Yet, by simply existing in certain spaces, they force change.

Consider the first female plumber in a town where plumbing is “a man’s job.” Or the woman who confidently wears her natural hair in a corporate setting, unknowingly shifting beauty standards. What about the market woman who teaches her daughter financial literacy, planting the seeds of future entrepreneurship?

These women don’t always make headlines, but they make history. We often think change happens through policies and protests. But sometimes, it happens in the small, everyday conversations that slowly shift culture.

We’re conditioned to think that change-makers are the ones on magazine covers and conference panels, receiving multiple awards and recognitions. But what about the woman who hires other women in her small business, giving them financial independence? Or the community leader who advocates for girls to finish school in a place where early marriage is the norm? What about the grandmother who tells her granddaughter, “You don’t have to endure what I endured”?

That is action. That is impact.

Not all impact is loud. But every impact drives progress.

You don’t have to be a CEO, politician, or activist to be an agent of change. You don’t need millions in funding or a massive platform. You just need intentionality.

In 2025, women all over the world are charged to accelerate action, to accelerate impact, and to drive change—not just in boardrooms or politics but in the unrecognized areas that form the foundation for every successful woman.

Every woman, regardless of her background, can take action by speaking up in her circles. We must stop tolerating disrespectful comments about women, both in private conversations and public spaces. And that means we must also stop making those comments ourselves. The narratives we allow shape the culture we live in.

Every woman must support women-owned businesses. Real change happens when we put money where our advocacy is. We must buy from women, refer women, collaborate with women, and amplify their work. Many women-owned businesses struggle not because of a lack of skill, but because of a lack of support. We must put an end to tearing down other women’s hard work because it’s “beneath us”.

It is time to be a mentor to at least one woman. Every experienced woman must take at least one younger woman under her wing. Helping one woman navigate a space she’s unfamiliar with is real action. It doesn’t have to be formal—it could be as simple as offering guidance, sharing knowledge, or opening doors. I can tell you that this is a huge accelerator. Over the years, many of the young ladies I’ve mentored come back with gratitude for the investments made in them, bearing evident results.

Women must challenge outdated norms at home. If we want to see generational change, we must start where it matters most: the home. Let’s raise daughters to be not just good wives but also strong leaders. Let’s raise sons to respect and support women. Let’s normalize ambition in women without questioning their femininity.

Lastly, we must invest in our personal growth. If we must be accelerators, we cannot pour from an empty cup. Women must read books, take courses, expand your skills, and prioritize your personal development. The more you rise, the more women you pull up with you.

We’re used to measuring progress by numbers—how many women got into leadership, how many businesses were started, how many policies were passed. But what if the real speed of change is determined by something deeper?

What if progress is found in the daily choices we make, the conversations we have, the boundaries we set, and the courage we show?

Progress is not just policies and programs. It’s culture. It’s mindset. It’s the ripple effect of millions of women deciding that change starts with them.

So this year, as we celebrate International Women’s Day, let’s recognize the silent, powerful, everyday work of women. It may not always make the news, but it makes history.

Ejinkeonye-Christian, a certified life coach, and business educator, is the CEO of Phebeon Consulting and Media Solutions Ltd, Nsukka, Enugu State, Nigeria [+234 (0)-708-048-0510; ceo@phebeon.com.ng]