Rosemary Beryl Archer
DEPUTY CHIEF Executive Officer of Ghana Exim Bank (GEXIM) responsible for Banking and Business, Rosemary Beryl Archer, has urged women to embrace technology and leverage it to advance and compete in new frontiers that were previously inaccessible.
Ms. Archer made the call to mark this year’s International Women’s Day celebration, which fell yesterday on the theme “Gender Equality Today for a Sustainable Tomorrow”.
She further 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 those in socio-political spheres the world over. The contribution of women to various facets of our economy has been momentous, although not sufficiently acknowledged. Even in the face of spiraling challenges brought 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 emphasised.
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.
While there may be several avenues for remedying the situation, Ms. Archer highlighted trade as one of the most potent sources of hope to this situation and advocated trade pursuit as a viable alternative to growth and economic rejuvenation.
“A World Bank publication in 2020 indicated that trade can radically improve women’s lives, create new jobs, enhance consumer choice, and increase women’s bargaining power in society. In the report, the World Bank Managing Director, Mari Pangestu, revealed that 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,” she emphasised.