Firms Must Set Clear Targets to Address Gender Equality—Makinwa

By Modupe Gbadeyanka

In order to address gender equality, organisations must set clear targets, the Chief, Intergovernmental Relations & Africa at the United Nations Global Compact (UNGC), Ms Olajobi Makinwa, has suggested.

She said this on Monday at the 7th Ring the Bell for Gender Equality organised by the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) to commemorate International Women’s Day (IWD).

At the event, Ms Makinwa also called on business leaders to choose to challenge the gender disparities that exist within organisations.

According to her, deliberate efforts must be put in place to “ensure equal pay for work of equal value, address gender bias and prejudice, prevent violence and harassment, offer clear opportunities for career development, and ensure women are included in the decision-making process across all levels of leadership.”

On her part, a member of the National Council of the NSE, Mrs Angela Adebayo, noted that, “It is imperative that we all consider the challenge ahead of us in achieving a gender-equal world and recognise that we have a critical role to play in ensuring we create a post-pandemic future that fully includes and supports women.”

“We must choose to challenge the gender norms and stereotypes and build a more inclusive society that ensures we make steady, collective progress towards empowering all women and girls by 2030 as enshrined by the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs),” she added.

In his remarks, the CEO of the NSE, Mr Oscar Onyema, said the exchange was “committed to playing our part by implementing various initiatives aimed at promoting gender diversity and empowering women.”

“We do, however, recognise that there is a pressing need to do more to advance gender equality across our ecosystem. In this regard, one of our key initiatives is the 3-year Nigeria2Equal programme that we are implementing in collaboration with the International Finance Corporation (IFC).

“The program will support the private sector to increase women’s participation as leaders, employees, customers and entrepreneurs through favourable workforce policies and practices, products and services that target the women’s market segment and deliberate measures that promote women’s participation in corporate value chains,” he said.