Mr Oscar Onyema, Chief Executive Officer, Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE), on Friday said gender equality was important to reduce employment and entrepreneurship gaps in the country.

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Onyema stated this at a symposium organised by the Exchange in Lagos to commemorate the 2020 International Women’s Day with the theme ‘Each for Equal.’

The NSE CEO said the exchange would continue to explore ways to advocate for gender parity.

“Plans are currently under way to launch the Nigeria2Equal Initiative, a three-year project in which the International Finance Corporation and NSE will collaborate to reduce employment and entrepreneurship gaps in Nigeria,” he said.

Onyema said the programme would support the private sector to increase women’s participation as leaders, employees, customers and entrepreneurs through favorable workforce policies and practices.

He reiterated the commitment of the exchange to narrowing both the global and local gender gap.

“We are mindful of the rate of progress and will continue to advocate for a collaborative approach to accelerating change both within the Exchange and among our members, issuers and other capital market stakeholders.

“In line with the theme for this year’s celebration, allow me to amplify the global International Women’s Day message: “An equal world is an enabled world.

“Individually, we are all responsible for our own thoughts and actions – all day, every day.

“We can, therefore, actively choose to challenge stereotypes, fight bias, broaden perceptions, improve situations and celebrate women’s achievements.

“Collectively, each one of us can help create a gender equal world. Let’s all be Each for Equal,” he stated.

Also speaking, Dr Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu, Wife of the Lagos State governor, said the government was making serious efforts towards ensuring that issues concerning abuse of human rights were confronted with the required vigor and vitality.

Sanwo-Olu, who was represented by Mrs Olamide Sanya-Olu, said all hands must be on deck to address gender disparity.

She said the onus was now on everybody to lend a voice to gender equality for the benefit to be enjoyed by all.

According to her, it is in the collective interest of Nigerians to do so and they must not shy away from that.

She said the Lagos State government decided to join the rest of the world to celebrate the cultural, socio-economic and political achievements of women and efforts made by corporate organisations to close the gap.

“We are all stakeholders in the project to create a gender equal world.

“In Lagos State, we are passionate about protecting the rights of women and girls, giving women equal right with men.

“As a matter of fact, the present administration of Babajide Sanwo-Olu has apparently demonstrated its commitment in this regard with the number of women in the state executive council and other initiatives, targeted at women empowerment,” the governor’s wife said.