The Namibian Stock Exchange (NSX), in collaboration with the CFA Society South Africa, recently hosted an event aimed at raising awareness about gender equality and women’s empowerment in the workplace and beyond.
The annual gathering, known as Ring the Bell for Gender Equality, marked International Women’s Day.
The theme of this year’s event, “Invest in Women: Accelerate Progress,” echoed the ongoing commitment to advancing gender equality and empowering women in all facets of life.
Speaking at the event, CEO and Head of Distribution at Sisedi Investment Group, Hertha !Gontes, emphasised the need for concerted action to address gender inequality, while also sharing insightful data on gender disparities in Namibia, emphasising areas for improvement.
“Women’s economic inclusion and empowerment is the deliberate effort to build the capacity of women to actively participate and contribute to the economy and livelihood processes and value these contributions. This should be done with dignity and benefits should be shared fairly,†she said.
!Gontes underscored the significance of economic empowerment for women, particularly for the minority black girl child.
She outlined three key pillars of women’s economic empowerment: access to income and assets, control of monetary gains, and power relations in decision-making.
“In simpler terms, economic inclusion and empowerment aim to increase access to money and assets available to women, ensure full control of these assets and their gains, and empower women to make decisions on their usage,” she said.
