World over, women continue to live in societies that deny them of attaining their full potentials due to various socio-economic and cultural reasons. In the World Bank 2022 report on Women, Business and the Law, findings show that 2.4 billion women of working age do not have equal economic opportunity. While 178 countries maintain legal barriers that prevent women from full economic participation, in 86 countries, women face some form of job restriction and are not guaranteed equal pay for equal work, in 95 countries.
Despite these impediments, women have continued to contribute significantly to the global economy, even as statistics show that global GDP could increase by 26 percent by closing the gaps between women and men in the workplace, which would benefit both advanced and developing countries.
Going by the contribution of women to the economy, it is therefore disappointing that gender bias against women remains a big challenge to tackle. In addressing the challenge, the campaign theme for this year’s International Women’s Day #BreakingtheBias is quite apt to promote gender equality in all facets.
As an organisation that strongly believes in the strength and capacity of women to make a difference in whatever area of human endeavour, Fets has joined the rest of the world in celebrating International Women’s Day by calling for gender balance in the workplace. The payment service company believes that when women are represented evenly in the workplace and most importantly in leadership, the organization is better for it.
Interestingly, this call is not just in words alone. Fets lives the call as it has women representatives who are strategically positioned in the management structure of the company, evidence that the company practices what it preaches.
Speaking on this year’s campaign theme, the Managing Director, Funds & Electronic Transfer Solutions Limited, Mrs. Omotade Odunowo while felicitating with women on the International Women’s Day celebration, congratulated them for their resilience, hard work, dedication, and selfless sacrifice to humanity while also calling for a sustained effort to address the gender imbalance in the society. She said, “Being a woman-led organization, FETs is particularly interested in lending its voice to causes that promote the active participation of women in leadership as well as the socio-economic development of the society. There is no doubt, women have what it takes to lead and as such, they should be given equal opportunities to contribute to society.”
On how its products and services foster inclusion of all, Odunowo noted, “Fets product offerings are designed to cater for the needs of our teeming customers irrespective of their gender. In our thoughts and actions, we are breaking the bias, by creating equal opportunities for everyone to thrive in an open environment”.
Over the years Fets have consistently designed different payments services options to address the specific needs of users. One of these is its retail product, FETS wallet, which provides a secure, convenient, and affordable alternative to carrying out cash transactions for individual customers. With the FETS wallet, customers can create an electronic wallet and store funds in form of e-value on their phones, enabling them to transfer money, pay for goods and services, pay utility bills, and buy airtime.
International Women’s Day is a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women. The day also marks a call to action for accelerating gender parity. Significant activity is witnessed worldwide as groups come together to celebrate women’s achievements or rally for women’s equality. This year’s campaign theme, #BreaktheBias, is challenging women and men alike to take meaningful action to forge a gender-equal world.
