#ThisIsMyJourney Season 2 | Annah Ruwanika

Annah Ruwanika, Manager DEIB, Employer Branding & Engagement at DHL Express lives in Bonn, Germany and is an experienced Inclusive Communications and Culture Expert with successes in Brand Management, Customer Experience, Corporate Social Responsibility, and Inclusive Communications. She has made significant contributions towards Diversity, Equity and inclusion with a key focus on gender equality, equity and people with disabilities.

She holds a Master of Science degree in Marketing from Edinburgh Business School (Heriot-Watt University) and an Honors in Business Management (University of Free State). Annah is a certified gender equality changemaker and a civic leader with an active philanthropic background and has participated in numerous civic engagement initiatives.

Annah has volunteered for both local and international events and initiatives over the last 7 years in Zimbabwe, South Africa, Japan, Austria, and Germany. Currently, she is working in one of the divisions of the world’s leading logistics company as a Manager for DEIB, Employer Branding and Engagement in the global human resources team.

One of the most important systematic challenges Annah would like to continue addressing is overcoming gender inequality which is a complex and long-term process that requires concerted efforts from all of us (individuals, communities, governments, and organisations). According to the United Nations, at the current rate in working towards achieving SDG 5: Gender Equality by 2030, we are not moving fast enough. It is estimated that we will need another 300 years to end child marriage, 286 years to close gaps in legal protection and remove discriminatory laws, 140 years for women to be represented equally in positions of power and leadership in the workplace, and 47 years to achieve equal representation in national parliaments. The stats are clear, change needs to happen now.

Annah believes that as an individual, her contributions may be a drop in the ocean but collectively, we can work towards achieving gender equality through education and advocacy. Starting off by addressing gender socialisation which is crucial for dismantling harmful stereotypes through gender sensitivity and awareness programmes in school curricula which may be a long-term solution but for now, she will continue to advocate for the empowerment of women within her sphere of influence.

The gender equality changemakers programme has allowed Annah to have a more holistic approach to gender matters. Working in a global space many influences can lead to a one-size-fits-all approach in implementing programmes aimed towards achieving gender equality and gender equity which may lead to negative outcomes. The programme has also opened her eyes to tackling gender topics using a multi-pronged approach leading to positive outcomes at the local level.

The Digital Frontiers Institute’s Gender Equality Changemakers Programme is taking the gender equity conversation in Africa to new and exciting places. It calls for people who are brave and willing to take risks: to ask difficult questions and explore new terrains.  The 5-part programme is an immersive learning experience which equips students with the knowledge, tools, attitudes, and practice needed to undertake gender equality change projects, ignite change in their respective organisations, and beyond that.

This season of #ThisIsMyJourney aims to tell the story of each of our Changemakers and how they took the journey to becoming Gender Equality Changemakers. Each of our Changemakers offers incredible insight into the steps they took and how they completed the programme. They each take us on a journey through their determination, vision, and accomplishments.

As Digital Frontiers Institute, we hope that by sharing these stories we celebrate our amazing students while also planting a seed of inspiration in those who want to pursue their own GEC qualifications with us.

Take this journey with us over the next few weeks on our social media pages where we will be sharing a #ThisIsMyJourney story every single week.

Stay updated by following us on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook and subscribing to our YouTube Channel.

Share your story with us to also be featured in our stories of impact, by following this link.

Established in 2015, Digital Frontiers Institute is a proud brand of Digital Frontiers. Learn more about the Gender Equality Changemakers programme and find out how to enrol: https://genderequality.digitalfrontiersinstitute.org/