In a bid to mark the 2020 International Women’s Day, Wema Bank, Nigeria’s leading innovative bank, is set to celebrate female staff and customers of the bank with a bank-wide event.
Tagged “Generation Equality; Realizing A Woman’s Right,” the interactive session will draw from the IWD global theme ‘Each for Equal’ to discuss collective individualism as a notion in the drive for gender equality.
Inspired by the substantial role of women in the growth of its business, deliberations at the bank’s event will also address demands on equal pay, equal sharing of unpaid care and domestic work, an end to sexual harassment, all forms of violence against women and girls, healthcare services that respond to our needs, equal participation in politics and decision-making in all areas of life.
The session is scheduled to hold on Friday, March 13, 2020, at Wema Bank Headquarters, 54 Marina Road, Lagos and across the 146 branches of the bank nationwide. The session is also open to customers, especially members of the bank’s women-support community, SARA by Wema. The event will further promote the SARA by Wema community which has empowered over 10,000 women since its launch in March 2019 through financial literacy programmes.
According to Funmilayo Falola, Head of Brand and Marketing, Wema Bank, “the event will champion the discourse that we are all responsible for our thoughts and actions. As a bank, we believe that we can actively choose to challenge stereotypes, fight bias, broaden perceptions, improve situations and celebrate women’s achievement.”
Beyond celebrating the International Women’s Day, the bank is partnering with Afro-soul queen, Aramide to host Songversation with Aramide, a concert-style event that celebrates the achievement of women in Nigeria.
The partnership will also see the bank support three women-owned businesses with N100,000 each. Last year, catering and food packaging business, Tasty Corridors, fashion and luxury style startups, Exotic Mee and Radiant Couture received a N100,000 grant which helped all three businesses to add up on equipment, while also providing them with global recognition and networking opportunities.
This year, three more women-owned business will be selected through a campaign on the bank’s social media pages @wemabank and @sarabywema on Instagram and Twitter, and ‘Wema Bank’ on Facebook. Five businesses will be shortlisted after nominations by followers, while the final three will be voted for.
Wema Bank remains committed to the cause of building a gender-equal society by partnering with initiatives that champion the financial inclusion of women, while also encouraging women to constantly seek for better.