Women execs still face resistance

THE Minister of Gender Equality and Child Welfare, Marlene Mungunda, says women are still facing various obstacles in reaching the upper ranks of the corporate world.

Speaking at a well-attended conference of the Economist Businesswomen’s Club at the Ongwediva Trade Fair centre yesterday, Mungunda said some women have to contend with extreme resistance and bias in order to reach top positions. She said Government was working tirelessly in partnership with the private sector, NGOs and other organisations to create an enabling environment for men and women that would later transform into gender equality.”It is our task to ensure that there are structures in place to help women, especially in the corporate world, to reach the top positions, and to be just as good as, or even better than the best male corporate leaders.”Mungunda said the past year has seen women established in positions of authority nationally as well as internationally.In this regard, she cited countries such as Germany, Liberia and Finland, which now all have a female head of state.”Newly elected women leaders give hope to women worldwide that from the highest level to the personal, equality between women [and men] is a goal that can be achieved,” Mungunda said.The Economist Businesswomen’s Club is a non-profit organisation that was founded nine years ago.It aims to encourage personal development and boost management skills among its members and to advance the status and power of women.She said Government was working tirelessly in partnership with the private sector, NGOs and other organisations to create an enabling environment for men and women that would later transform into gender equality.”It is our task to ensure that there are structures in place to help women, especially in the corporate world, to reach the top positions, and to be just as good as, or even better than the best male corporate leaders.”Mungunda said the past year has seen women established in positions of authority nationally as well as internationally.In this regard, she cited countries such as Germany, Liberia and Finland, which now all have a female head of state.”Newly elected women leaders give hope to women worldwide that from the highest level to the personal, equality between women [and men] is a goal that can be achieved,” Mungunda said.The Economist Businesswomen’s Club is a non-profit organisation that was founded nine years ago.It aims to encourage personal development and boost management skills among its members and to advance the status and power of women.