On the occasion of the 2021 International Women’s Day celebration, SING Nigeria has charged all Women to deliberately choose to challenge hitherto men dominated areas if they must achieve gender balance.
The body made this position in a press statement issued by the Public Relations Officer, Victor Agi, to commemorate with all Women globally, noting that Women must draw inspiration from the trailblazing achievement of the Director-General of the World Trade Organization, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo Iweala.
Victor said Okonjo-Iweala’s emergence to fill the highly coveted position as the first Woman and foremost African is remarkable and a pacesetting which other Women must choose to emulate.
“It is fulfilling to know that her emergence has nothing to do with her gender, but everything to do with capacity, content and leadership that can bring about the needed reforms and transformation, so the WTO can serve its strategic role in ensuring equitable and fair trade among member states”, he said.
The statement also celebrated all Women who played frontline roles in stemming the tide of the Covid-19 pandemic that defiled conventional means of control. “We saw and continue to see how women exhibited leadership and frontline roles to save lives and livelihood across the globe”, it added.
Agi, said that the theme of this year’s celebration: #ChooseToChallenge, “is apt and underscores the need for women to push beyond societal and cultural limits while challenging for equality in leadership, politics, economics, education, commercial and other areas of life”.
He advocated for gender equality and Women participation in all spheres of life, noting that: “Women can inspire great transformation and change in our societies. Therefore, having visionary Women in leadership in a Covid-19 world is the beginning of a better world for us all”.
“The NOI example is fresh and dear to us, and we are calling on stakeholders to support efforts at ensuring a fair playing ground for leadership ascension for Women at every level of the society”.
Agi, said that gender balance however will not fall on Women on the platter of gold, and called on Women to deliberately choose to cause disruptions in predominantly men areas of influence.
“On this special day dedicated to celebrating Women globally, SING Nigeria joins in extending our congratulations and thumbs up to all resilient women that have contributed in no mean measure to making our world a better place; as we say to all Women; #ChooseToChallenge”, he ended.
