By Adeola Ogunlade
The Executive Director of Development lmpact On Pathfinders Initiative. Glory Amara Brendo-Otuojo, has called for more investment in women and girl’s education and female employment opportunities as part of the effort towards positioning women for leadership positions.
Breada-Otuojo said this by recently at the international Women’s Day Webinar organised by Centre for 21st Century lssues.
According to her, critical gaps in funding and resources for education, skills development and mentorship impact the ability of young women to realize their full potential as leaders.
She said that many women are rising to positions of leadership around the world and in traditionally male-dominated industries, however, women are still underrepresentation in many sectors globally and Nigeria in particular, there is a pronounced imbalance in gender appointments.
She noted that less than 10% of CEOs worldwide are women, yet, almost half of the workforce is comprised of women in Nigeria”.
“Women only own 20% of enterprises in the formal sector and only 11.7% of board directors in Nigeria are female.
Women are disadvantaged by unequal access to the resources needed to become effective leaders.
She added that investing in women will help in social advancement, economic prosperity, and sustained economic growth are impossible without the empowerment of women.
“Organisations with more gender diversity in senior leadership positions are more profitable, successful and sustainable”.
“Women are one of the most powerful forces for social change; they are the backbone of any society. Women are the force that keeps families together and communities’ strong enhanced creativity and innovation” she said.
On her part the Board Member and Director of Programme with Women Consortium of Nigeria (WOCON), Mrs Morenike Omaiboje called on government at all levels to implement the 35% affirmative action for women’s participation in governance.
She said that women in governance should ensure women’s quota are strictly filled to maintain a balance. Enough of all-male affair in political decision making.
“Women should be guided to play very active roles on the decision making table regarding matters facing them”, she said.
She further noted government should address gender inequality strictly from the human rights angle and the gender dimensional angle.
In her speech, the Executive Director of Centre for 21st Century, Titi Akosa charges women to continue in their advocacy for a better world for women.
She said that most time women are always at the receiving end of climate change crisis and other societal misdemeanor thus, we must continue to speak out and make our voices count for a better world for women.