The Nestoil Group has advocated the need for an end to gender bias, saying women deserve to be celebrated for their invaluable roles in shaping the world .
At its 2021 International Women’s Day (IWD) webinar,the energy group campaigned for egalitarian society where emphasis should be placed on impact and less on gender
Speaking on the sub-theme, ‘’Self Development; A Panacea for Progression of Female Professionals’’, Charlotte Essiet, the Director of Corporate and Regulatory Affairs, AOS Orwell, maintained that women will achieve more if they focus on themselves by being intentional, accountable and pay attention to their environment.
She admonished women to always look for ways to self-improvement by investing in their personal development through getting the required education, getting a mentor, and sticking to what the mentor is meant for, and know how to manage their time effectively.
Temitope Yusuff, an Associate Director and a leader of the oil and industry group at PwC Nigeria,said the country has a lot to gain if women are accorded their due rights.
She spoke on ‘’Self-Chose to Challenge’’, and urged Nigerian women to deepen their participation in the country’s economy with a view to changing the narratives in Nigeria.
She added: “With 40 percent of Nigerian entrepreneurs being women, the highest ratio globally, the country’s GDP, according to a McKinsey report, could grow by 23 percent or $229bn if women participated in the economy to the same extent as men”.
She lamented that the COVID-19 pandemic further worsened the bias against women.
She said: ‘’The impact of COVID-19 on gender parity in the workplace is disproportionately hurting sectors with more female employment and amplifying gender inequalities. It has also worsened the already unequal burden of unpaid care and domestic work shouldered by women that could force more women out of the workforce, reversing progress towards gender equality and stunting economic growth.’’
She added that a survey of women working in corporate jobs showed that women are considering permanently reducing the amount of time they allocate to their careers or leaving the labour market for good after the COVID-19 pandemic
She challenged women to redefine success, express their choice, sharpen their skills to earn respect, and challenge self-imposed constraints, and the fear of being judged and seeking constant approvals.
