Deputy Chief Executive Officer of Ghana Exim Bank (GEXIM) Rosemary Beryl Archer, has urged women to embrace technology and leverage it to advance and impact in their communities.
Rosemary Beryl Archer made the call as part of celebrations to mark this year’s International Women’s Day celebration.
A statement issued by Ghana Exim Bank, Rosemary Beryl Archer sent best wishes to all women around the world making great strides in their fields and making an impact in their communities.
“I extend my warmest felicitations to all women on a day that seeks to honour feminine industry players and socio-political spheres the world over. The contribution of women to various facets of our economy has been momentous, albeit not sufficiently acknowledged. Even in the face of spiralling challenges wrought by the COVID-19 pandemic, women have held the fort and ensured stability and progress in many spheres of our economy. These notwithstanding, women also appear to have been the most affected by the ravages of the recent global challenges,” she noted.
According to a study by the International Labour Organisation, approximately 4.2% of women’s employment was lost as a result of the pandemic from 2019 to 2021, compared to 3% of men. It further revealed that, the number of men in employment was projected to return to pre-pandemic levels by the end of 2021, while the number of women is expected to be 13 million fewer by about the same time.
“While there may be several avenues for remedying the situation, trade appears to be one of the most potent sources of hope to this milieu. According to a 2020 publication by the World Bank, Trade can radically improve women’s lives, create new jobs, enhance consumer choice, and increase women’s bargaining power in society,” she added.
World Bank Managing Director, Mari Pangestu said “Trade can expand women’s role in the economy and decrease disparities with men by giving women more and better employment opportunities and seizing these opportunities will be even more important in a post-COVID-19 world.”
“It thus behoves us to pursue trade as a viable alternative to growth and economic rejuvenation. Women should embrace technology and leverage it to advance and compete in new frontiers that were hitherto inaccessible. I will also entreat men in relevant spheres of influence to be deliberate in walking hand-in-hand with their women counterparts as they strive forward in the path of growth and progress,” he said.
In line with this year’s theme of “Gender Equality Today for a Sustainable Tomorrow,” the Ghana Exim Bank is committed to advancing the course of women participating in the local production and exports of made in Ghana products to drive the industrialisation agenda of the Government.
The bank has in the past couple of years offered support to women involved in food processing, the construction of four(4) shea production centres (through the Shea Empowerment Initiative) and the establishment of the GEXIM SME Tuesday Market platform to primarily highlight made in Ghana products mostly spearheaded by women.
There are several other such initiatives that are soon to be launched all with the aim of furthering the course of Ghanaian women in manufacturing and international trade. These will ultimately drive us all forward in our quest to sustainably grow trade, industry and the country’s economy at large so help us God.
