WIMBIZ seeks increased women representation, wants media showcase successful women

By Chinyere Joel-Nwokeoma

The Women in Management, Business and Public Service (WIMBIZ) has called for increase in women representation in leadership positions in Nigeria.

The Chairman of Board of Trustees of WIMBIZ, Ms Bisi Adeyemi, made the call at a news conference on Wednesday in Lagos.

Adeyemi said that women were not well represented in the National Assembly, urging improvement.

She said that both public and private sectors should ensure increase in women representation in line with the National Gender Policy (NGP).

Adeyemi said that implementation of 35 per cent women representation in public leadership positions in line with NGP would boost equality and economic development.

She urged that equality policies should be implemented in both public and private sectors.

Adeyemi added that equal opportunities should been given to women and men in both public and private sectors to enhance economic growth.

She said that pushing for change for the good of women entailed collective efforts.

“We all know that we live in a society that is influenced by culture, tradition, religion and so many other factors.

“A lot of the women groups, including ours, have come together to assess every aspect of gender equality within the Constitution, and if women are well represented in the House, they would have pushed for passing of the gender bill.

“The future of women’s leadership appears promising both within Nigeria and globally.

”There is a growing recognition of the importance of diversity and inclusion in leadership, which is driving efforts to break barriers and empower women to take on leadership roles,” she said.

The Executive Director of WIMBIZ, Ms Hansatu Adegbite, said that the organisation had been in existence for the past 23 years, inspiring women and empowering them to attain leadership positions in business, management and public service.

On interventions to narrow gender gap, Adegbite called for policies aimed at supporting girls in achieving better education, reducing child marriage and alleviating its consequences.

She also called for reduction in teenage pregnancies and support for women and girls to have access to family planning and improved maternal healthcare.

Adegbite said that media organisations should play a vital role in advocating gender equality through their contents.

She said that the media should showcase successful female leaders in the financial sector, highlighting their career journeys, expertise and contributions to the sector’s growth.

Mrs Chioma Afe, Member, Board of Trustees of WIMBIZ, said that the association would remain committed to its pursuit of advancing women in leadership across sectors.

Afe called for capacity building of women as a strategy to enhance equality.

“We will continue to offer programmes and resources aimed at building leadership capabilities of women across different sectors through training workshops, mentorship programmes, networking events and leadership conferences.

“This is to inspire, empower and connect them across different sectors, not just in Nigeria but also globally.

“The goal is to gradually spread our impact across Africa and other continents, especially with one of our international conferences coming up in London,” Afe said.

She promised that WIMBIZ would continue to identify barriers to women’s leadership and develop evidence-based solutions.

“Our research and detailed reports will provide valuable insights for policymakers, businesses and other organisations seeking to promote gender diversity and inclusion.

“We will continue to collaborate with other organisations, both locally and internationally, to leverage resources and expertise in advancing women in leadership.

“We will be strengthening and extending our partnerships to other countries and various sectors, especially with government agencies, corporate sponsors, academic institutions, and other non-profit organisations,” she said. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

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Edited by Ijeoma Popoola