Reflections on International Women’s Month

Reflections on International Women’s Month: Future of work strategies must address challenges for women in the workplace to reduce gaps exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic

The month of March came to an end a week ago, and this is an opportunity to reflect on progress made in reducing gender inequality and to discuss how to tackle the challenges that remain. This year’s International Women’s Day theme, #BreakTheBias, was timely. The effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on women in the last two years have been enormous. Millions of women have left the workforce and rates of gender-based violence have risen around the world, so we must continue to accelerate our efforts to bridge gender divides.  

Last week, we closed International Women’s Month by co-hosting a virtual event themed “Investing in Women’s Leadership: Creating Inclusive Workplaces in Corporate Africa.” Coca-Cola and Citi co-hosted with IFC. The idea was to hear from some of the leading corporations that are implementing gender inclusive practices and making commitments to increase the number of women in leadership positions in Africa.

I am inspired by the commitments the speakers are making to advance gender equality in corporate Africa. Coca-Cola has made a commitment to have 50% of its leadership be women by 2030, Citi’s country leadership team in East Africa is 50% women, NMB Bank in Tanzania is on the journey to getting EDGE certified and Transcorp of Nigeria is led by one of the youngest female CEOs in Africa. 

Women make significant contributions to private sector growth and overall economic development. Evidence shows that businesses with more gender diverse leadership and workforce perform better. It’s a win-win for women and for businesses. As I reflect on the many discussions held over the last month, it’s important to remember that we must continue to convert these conversations to actions.

With the private sector thinking about what the future of work looks like, strategies must address gender gaps in leadership and the broader workforce. Let me share a few thoughts on what I believe the private sector can do to play its important role in driving gender equality throughout the year to ensure the conversation we had in March leads to change:

1.      Address the disproportionate family and childcare burden placed on women, which is a major hindrance to women’s progression in the workplace. This can be done by adopting workplace policies and practices that provide flexibility for women and by supporting investments that allow employees to access high quality and affordable care services.

2.      Invest in strengthening the female talent pipeline across all levels of company management to ensure companies develop a strong pool of female leaders. 

3.      Eliminate the gender pay gap. This is not only a moral issue, but also an important economic imperative. Companies can contribute towards eliminating poverty by closing the gender pay gap.