| African Women in Mathematics Association | |
| Formation: | July 19, 2013 [1] |
| Type: | Professional organization |
| Membership: | 300 |
| Language: | French and English |
| Leader Title: | President |
| Leader Name: | Marie Françoise Ouedraogo |
The African Women in Mathematics Association (AWMA) is a professional society whose mission is to promote mathematics to African women and girls, to support women's careers in mathematics, to create equal opportunity and equal treatment in the African mathematical community, and to create a meeting place for mathematical African women. The AWMA was founded in 2013. AWMA has approximately 300 members from over 30 countries and from all regions of Africa.[2] It hosts events to encourage African girls' participation in mathematics.
In 1986, the African Mathematical Union founded the commission on women and mathematics (AMUCWMA). At the AMUCWMA's 2012 conference in Ouagadougou, which drew over 70 attendees, a panel on the state on women in mathematics in Africa was held. The panel's primary recommendation was to create an association for African female mathematicians. The AWUCWMA held another conference soon after in July 2013 in Cape Town. One of the primary objectives of the conference was to form an association for African women in mathematics. On July 19, 2013 at the conference, the African Women in Mathematics Association was officially formed. The primary objective was "the promotion of female mathematicians in Africa and the promotion of mathematics among girls and women in Africa".
The first AWMA conference was held in July 2015 in Naivasha, Kenya. The topic of the conference was Women in Mathematics for Social Change and Sustainable Livelihoods. Starting in October 2020, the association has hosted virtual seminars due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[3] The first of these seminars was hosted by Aissa Wade on complex contact structures and Jacobi manifolds.
The AWMA has collaborated with the African Mathematical Union, Centre International de Mathématiques Pures et Appliquées, and European Women in Mathematics. They created their website in 2015, with assistance from the Women in Mathematics committee of the International Mathematical Union.
In coordination with other women's mathematics organizations, the AWMA celebrates women in mathematics during the May 12 Initiative.[4] The date was chosen for Maryam Mirzakhani's birthday.
At the organization's formation, Marie Françoise Ouedraogo was elected president, Joséphine Guidy Wandja the vice president of Western Africa, Rebecca Walo Omana the Vice President of Central Africa, Schehrazad Selmane the Vice President of Northern Africa, Yirgalem Tsegaye the Vice President of Eastern Africa, and Sibusiso Moyo the Vice President of Southern Africa.[5] The group is a nonprofit organization. Decisions are made by simple majority, and constitutional changes are made by 2/3 majority. A general meeting is held at least once every two years.[6]
The organization lists its purpose as: