The State of Women Address: WomenCan calls for actionable solutions to accelerate gender equality

On 28 March 2026, WomenCan will return to the stage with the second annual State of Women Address (SOWA) at Mercedes-Benz Sandton, and this time, the message is clear: dialogue is no longer enough. The focus now is on actionable solutions that accelerate gender equality in tangible, measurable ways.

Positioned as more than just a calendar event, SOWA has evolved into a movement intent on shifting the prevailing narratives surrounding women’s rights in South Africa and beyond. At its core is a recognition that while representation has improved in some sectors, systemic barriers continue to shape the lived realities of many women. From economic exclusion and unequal pay to limited access to leadership spaces and safety concerns, the issues remain multi-layered and deeply entrenched.

WomenCan, a pioneering empowerment platform dedicated to championing bold leadership and transformative storytelling, has built its identity around one central question: what becomes possible when women are given equitable access to opportunity, visibility, and support? Through masterclasses, curated conversations, and high-impact events, the organisation has cultivated a community where women connect across industries, share knowledge, and reimagine what leadership looks like across boardrooms, businesses, and households.

SOWA functions as the flagship expression of that mission. The gathering convenes thought leaders, policy makers, corporates, women’s networks, non-profit organisations, and government representatives under one roof, not simply to celebrate progress, but to interrogate the gaps that persist and co-create strategies for structural change. Keynote addresses and panel discussions are designed to move beyond surface-level inspiration toward sustained, accountable action.

Founder Tumi Mthembu emphasises that the platform’s power lies in its inclusivity and intersectional approach. By uniting voices across genders and sectors, SOWA creates space for transformative dialogue that aims to dismantle barriers and challenge long-standing stereotypes. The ambition is not abstract; it is rooted in building systems where equity, equality, and well-being become lived realities rather than aspirational ideals.

Central to this year’s address is the principle of collective responsibility. WomenCan’s framework rests on advocacy, collaboration, and lateral accountability, the understanding that progress cannot rest solely on the shoulders of women, but must involve institutions, industries, and communities willing to interrogate their own roles in perpetuating disparity. Through partnerships with Primedia Outdoor, Black Distributors Trust, and Sanlam, the platform is amplifying marginalised voices while bridging gaps between policy intention and practical implementation.

This convergence of corporate influence, grassroots advocacy, and policymaking power signals a deliberate strategy: to address the systemic roots of gender inequality rather than its symptoms. By leveraging media reach, financial backing, and institutional insight, WomenCan aims to ensure that conversations translate into measurable impact.

As South Africa continues to grapple with socio-economic disparities that disproportionately affect women, platforms like SOWA underscore a critical shift in tone. The era of symbolic gestures is being replaced by a demand for accountability, data-driven interventions, and shared ownership of outcomes.

For WomenCan, the State of Women Address is not a singular moment, but a catalyst, a mechanism to accelerate the pace of change and to reaffirm that women’s empowerment is not a niche agenda, but a national and global imperative. In gathering diverse voices at Mercedes-Benz Sandton this March, the organisation is making a definitive statement: gender equality must move from rhetoric to reality, and the time for decisive action is now.