The Standard Bank Top Women Conference concluded on a high note. The event saw dignitaries who are experts in their fields coming together to celebrate and educate each other with the aim of creating a cohesive economy that allows women to thrive.
Yesterday, the conference touched on issues that women find themselves drowning in from unequal pay to not being trusted to hold powerful positions solely because women are not seen as capable. Today, that conversation was taken to a new level as respective sectors weighed in and explored opportunities that are available to women today.
Yes, women are still not well represented in spaces of change and because of this, Lineshree Moodley who is the Country Head at VISA, said they would like to see more women dominating prominent spaces.
“The promotion of diversity and inclusion of women is important to us. It is our responsibility to include more women into the digital ecosystem by equipping them with information that ensures that they stay in such places and thrive to the point the point where they can transfer their skills to other women through programmes.”
Moodley explained that a disparity still exists around women in Sub-Saharan Africa specifically in the financial services industry.
Former Deputy President of South Africa, Dr Phumzile Mlambo- Ngcuka congratulated women on making this current economy one that is women led.
“Congratulations. You are the generation of women we have been waiting for.”
Finding it ironic that women are not in the forefront of initiatives such as cooking shows which would normally be led by women, Ngcuka said she shakes her head when men become the faces of prominent moments that should have gone to women instead.
“When food makes money, men are in front but who really cooks every day? When we look at who makes clothes, we look to women but when there are celebrity designers, men are in the forefront. We need to make sure that women are thought of in areas they mostly excel in. We need to step it up.”
Ngcuka said that the future belongs to women, and it is up to women to take that future.
“The future is feminist. We need to make it our business to ensure that we are part of sustainable development as it matures. We are transitioning to a green and clean economy which is a massive area that doesn’t have enough women in it.”
The day was broken up into interactive workshop sessions in three categories: Women rising along supply chains, leveraging public speaking skills for personal empowerment and women leading the way in sustainable Agri-innovation.
The intensive workshops were hosted into three venues outside of the main auditorium and were facilitated by the likes of Conversation Strategist and CEO of Elevate Africa, Elma Akob, and Agriculture Ecosystems Lead of the Standard Bank Group, Niki Neumann amongst others. The workshops each consisted of speakers by the likes of Lebogang Letsoalo who is a Global Supply Chain Expert & Award Winner; Managing Director and Founder at Mobility for Africa, Shantha Bloemen and Kholofelo Shaai, Executive Head of Supplier Development at Standard Bank Group.
Picture credit: TopCo Top Women Conference