Janine Lewis – Political Officer, US Consulate General
Speaker at African ChangeMakers Women Network Event
March 2022.
Theme: Stopping Bias Start with YOU.
Are women voices heard in Africa? If they’re not, where and how can we do that?
How can we advance women in the politics space? As my Bio says, I was in the military for 20 years, a little more than 21 years. You should know that in the United States Armed Forces, female representation, depending on the branch is between 14 and 16% of the entire military, which means that the military is very much still an old boys club. There’s no question about it, which means most of the time, I was the only female in the room, but I would not sit in a corner. If there is a spot at that table, I took that spot on that table. I deserve to be at that table as much as my counterparts, I worked hard for each position that I took. And I wasn’t going to take a backseat.
It just interesting that society view, it’s so important for the women to be at home than to be in the communities and keep the home running and keep them functioning. But your society has not embraced the fact that all of those skills required in keeping the community and family running that women natural possessed is the same skills needed at the National, at the state, and at higher governmental levels. We need that same energy, same focus; we need that same balance to make sure that all voices are heard.
When I spoke with many people that are doing amazing things in their communities, I’m looking for ways to partner them up with other people who will be able to take that message up further. And opportunities such as this are allowing us that for sure. When you’re in your own environment, you only see what’s in your environment. And when you step out, you will like realize, Oh wow, you forget that assumptions you’re making when you’re in your lane. They don’t apply to the broader field, but the broader field is what brings together our international communities. And so this is one of the reasons why the United States Government views women permanent as vital to building democracy and good governance and advancing economic development in countries, not only our own country, but your country and all the other countries where we have an active mission.
The most important thing here is that, we are taking opportunities like today to talk about what’s important, what we need to do from here to make sure that we are acting on the things that we agree and decide on. Thing that is important to meet the goals that we want, which also means we have to understand what are the goals you want for women empowerment here in Nigeria?
Are they clear and universal enough that we can make significant progress? And if not, then let’s start the education process. Let’s start communicating these goals and get everybody on board with them.
I am a tool for you and I like to connect people. The best thing I can do for you is not solve your problems but put you in contact with other people who share your energy and your desires and help to moderate a discussion that will get us to the goals that you want. Not what I want, but what you want, because this is your country. And I am just a tool for you to navigate your goals.
About Our Speaker: Janine Lewis is a Political Officer with the U.S. Department of State Foreign Service. She assumed her duties at the U.S. Consulate General, Lagos in September 2021. This is her first assignment to the African continent and Nigeria. Previously, Janine was at the U.S. Embassy in Belgrade, Serbia. Having joined the Department of State in 2018,
Janine brought with her more than 21 years of military experience including intelligence and strategic planning work at U.S. Central Command in Tampa, FL, and business knowledge from her former civilian life. In her combined careers, Janine has worked with foreign militaries and their governments in Kuwait, Jordan, Colombia, Serbia, and Bosnia-Herzegovina.
She enjoys bringing people together and working to find the right plan for better relations and development opportunities at local, national, and international levels.
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