• Saturday, November 16, 2024
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NGO advocates mentorship, empowerment for women

NGO advocates mentorship, empowerment for women

L – R: Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Author and WISCAR Keynote speaker and Amina Oyagbola, Chairperson and Founder, WISCAR during a fireside chat at the 2022 WISCAR Annual Leadership and Mentoring Conference recently held in Lag

 

Women in Successful Careers (WISCAR), a non-profit and non-governmental organisation has advocated for the importance of providing professional development opportunities for women and providing strategic mentoring.

Amina Oyagbola, founder and CEO, of WISCAR said this at the 12th Edition of WISCAR’s annual leadership and mentorship conference in Lagos on December 10 under the topic “For the Nation: The Power of Inclusion,” made.

“Our theme is a call to galvanize action by all (private and public sector) to enable and accelerate women’s inclusion in governance, women’s leadership in organisations and active female participation in all other spheres of our nation,” Oyagbola said. “With 2023 being a critical election year, it is a call to people to take deliberate steps to elect public servants that are gender sensitive who will bring about the change that we all seek.”

“Through the Win-with-WISCAR mentoring programme and the WISCAR Grow and Learn Initiative, we have impacted well over 15,000 men, women and girls,” Oyagbola said. “In 2021 WISCAR was appointed the private sector liaison partner to UN Women Nigeria to drive private sector support and participation in UN Women/UNGC Women Empowerment Principles (WEPs). So far, we have surpassed the target of 100 proposed signatories to the WEPs.”

“Our mission at WISCAR remains the preparation of talented women, of all ages and generations, to imbibe and manifest ethical leadership, as we believe these attributes are key to sustainable development and galvanising the change we want to see,” the founder continued. “We believe that as more professional women are empowered, they will empower others, enrich the talent workforce, contribute to growth, and aid in the development of gender equitable policies that are necessary for nation-building.”

Read also: Sonaiya, others decry political limitations on Nigerian women

Also at the event, Chimamanda Ngozi Adiche, the keynote speaker said “the WISCAR woman is a solid person. There is something special about receiving this award and recognition at home and by professional women. This award and the entire evening felt so genuine, and I was moved and grateful to be so celebrated.”

Muhammad Sanusi Lamido II, Sarkin Kano, Ben Llewellyn-Jones, the Deputy British High Commissioner, and Beatrice Eyong, the Country Representative of UN Women in Nigeria, shared messages of goodwill at the WISCAR 2022 conference, which brought together women from all parts of the economy.

The event also celebrated the success of 51 female professionals from the class of 2022 and featured a fashion show of Nigerian-made goods. “Following another well-received call for applications, we are thrilled to welcome the incoming cohort for the 14th stream of the WIN 1 & WIN 2 programmes which will commence in January 2023,” Oyagbola said.

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