Africa-Press – Angola. The First Lady of the Republic, Ana Dias Lourenço, recognized this Wednesday the “extreme” contribution and dedication of women in the financial sector, in Angola, in the development of the economy and social well-being of Angolans.
“Thank you very much for having and promoting a vision of the future and for not giving up your arms, embodying a cause that belongs to all of us”, thanked Ana Dias Lourenço, at the opening of the Forum on “Women’s Leadership in the Financial Sector”, a started from the National Bank of Angola (BNA).
In Angola, he recalled, several women are responsible for portfolios of capital importance, namely in finance, health and education, with many others responsible for governance in the provinces.
In companies, he also said that the number of women is increasingly notorious, whether in executive presidency positions, or administrators and intermediate managers, such as directors.
Despite their multiple roles, she also recognized that Angolan women in the economy continue to work and qualify to actively contribute to the development and progress of Angola.
In the context of the challenges, he continued, the Angolan woman has invested in her training and professional qualification and seeks to improve and overcome herself every day, so that, on her own merit, she has an equally preponderant role in decision-making in society.
“I fully believe that the world would be more harmonious, and we would all experience a strong sense of work, if more women participated in decision-making processes in the political, business, educational, social and financial fields”, he underlined.
As he said, when financial systems become more inclusive, financial markets are more effective and financial policies are more sustainable.
In order to boost the exercise of citizenship and women’s participation, with a view to deconstructing the tone of exclusion and discrimination against women, he said that a constructive dialogue was urgently needed, from civil society, State institutions, in particular financial institutions which, by their nature , are directly linked to the empowerment and financial autonomy of Angolan women.
Despite the advances made in recent years, he said that, in the 21st century, there is still a global underrepresentation of women, as users, customers and decision-makers in the financial sector.
Based on studies by the World Bank, advanced by Ana Dias Lourenço, there is still an underrepresentation of women in investment decision-making processes in “pravite equity” equity companies, venture capital, which reaches only 10%.
Inclusion of women
Ana Dias Lourenço is also in favor of greater financial inclusion of Angolan women, who, in her view, should be an integral part of growth strategies and be integrated into the State’s macroeconomic and financial policies.
It also argues that Angola needs solid financial institutions capable of providing financial services to low-income women, with a view to promoting self-employment, entrepreneurship and supporting the family economy, in addition to increasing productivity and reducing poverty .
Citing more recent international studies, it highlights some advantages of including women in the financial system, pointing out that they are better risk managers than men, follow more demanding hiring practices, which contributes to a qualification of the work environment.
Therefore, greater female inclusion in leadership positions in the financial system, such as banking and supervision, is internationally identified as a factor of financial stability.
At the same time, he added that it is important to promote greater inclusion of women in leadership positions in the financial sector (banking and supervision), which is synonymous with development, progress and innovation.
As in many other areas of governance, the role of reference and example of the State is irreplaceable in terms of gender equality and the inclusion of women.
The BNA, in particular, admitted that in its broad definition of monetary policy and supervision of the financial system and regulation, it has been taking important steps in this direction.
To the State, he said that it is up to assume the commitments of equality and continue with the implementation of incentives and female inclusion in the financial system, “that everything will have to gain”.
During the forum, statistical data on female representation in the top management of the Angolan financial system were presented.
Some women, with leadership positions in banking financial institutions, shared professional experience in the sector, as well as their point of view on the prospects for the development of the financial system.
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