On March 8 2020, Addosser Microfinance Bank joined the rest of the world to celebrate International Women’s Day, a day that not only celebrates women but that calls to action the acceleration of gender equality in the world.

Based on this year’s campaign theme #EachforEqual, our celebration was centered on achieving gender equality in the workplace. As a result, we engaged several female employees via interview sessions and a panel discussion on what gender equality meant to them and what we can do to achieve gender equality in the workplace. Here are some responses:

Gender equality to me means equal rights, opportunities, and responsibilities given to both male and female alike. – Adeboye Oluwaseun, Banking Operations Officer.

Gender equality to Temitope Omotayo (Head, Credit Administration) means what applies to a male should apply to a woman in terms of  having same entitlement, right and support.

Being asked on whether Addosser operates on the basis of gender equality, Mrs Ampitan said “I think to a large extent, I would say Addosser practices gender equality in terms of equal rewards and opportunities given to both males and females. Compared to other banks I have worked with previously and even in the industry, I think we have a higher representation of women; however I believe we can do more in recruiting more women into the system”.

Still on if Addosser can be seen as a gender equal bank, Branch Manager, Odunade branch – Udenze Goodness said ‘Since I have joined the bank, I would say boldly that Addosser operates on the basis of gender equality, roles are not limited to the male gender only. As long as you have the required skills and experience to take on the role irrespective of gender, Addosser has never being biased towards that. For instance I am a branch manager and there are many other women fulfilling same position in other branches. Same applies for Territorial Coordinators across the territories, we have both males and females; this has always been on merit in Addosser”.

On why Addosser is bias towards women and has over 70% of its customers as women, Hajarat Shafi, Team Lead Consumer Banking attributes it to how Addosser has put in place strategies to empower its female customers through its SME Boutique Women Entrepreneurs Club (SWEC) and how women are better entrepreneurs with better repayment history.

Concluding the event, we adopted the #EachforEqual pose to lay our allegiance to create a gender equal world and we agree that an equal world is an enabled world and that collectively each one of us has a role to play in creating gender equality in the world and in the workplace.

Addosser Mircofinance Bank is strongly known for its bias towards women as it is evident in the workplace, the bank ensures that all employees feel respected and enjoy equal rewards and opportunities towards career growth and advancement.