Australian HC underscores need for greater participation of women in economy

ISLAMABAD: Neil Hawkins, Australia’s High Commissioner to Pakistan stressed upon the need for increasing women’s inclusion in the economy of Pakistan. The HC said this while addressing a ceremony in connection with the “Champions of Change Coalition”, here on Monday.

Founded in Australia, in 2010, the Champions of Change Coalition was extended internationally to Pakistan in 2018.

During the ceremony, Neil Hawkins congratulated Champions of Change Coalition Members in Pakistan on their ongoing actions to improve gender equality, saying that “all societies including Pakistan and Australia, need to increase women’s inclusion in the economy - we cannot afford not to, and it’s the right thing to do”.

The Champions of Change Coalition is dedicated to achieving gender equality, advancing more and diverse women into leadership, and building respectful and inclusive workplaces for all. Members are united in their pursuit of sustainable gender balance at the board level and in executive teams, through a long-term focus on achieving gender balance across their organizations.

During the meeting, it was highlighted that the male Champions of Change Pakistan Members adopted an action plan to uncover the power dynamics in their own organizations and networks, and disrupt the status quo.

Basing their plan on the Champions of Change resource, “Power to create inclusive gender equality in the workplace”, members will explore how power is attained and attributed, make visible the systems of power that exist in their organizations and act to disrupt power dynamics that can impact progress towards achieving inclusive gender equality.

The organizer of the event, PepsiCo Pakistan highlighted the company’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion initiatives, such as the Sheroes programme, which established Pakistan’s first all-female distribution center in Sialkot, breaking stereotypes in sales and distribution roles previously considered exclusively for men.

At the conclusion of the event, Furqan Ahmed Syed, CEO PepsiCo Pakistan and Afghanistan, said that at PepsiCo, we firmly believe that diversity, equity and inclusion are the cornerstones of economic progress. Women decision-makers at the top inspire a positive change that benefits businesses, industries, and societies.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2023