OZOLUA UHAKHEME
A Tech Executive, author and speaker Jane Egerton-Idehen has launched Be Fearless Campaign a national campaign focused on highlighting the hurdles that prevent women from fulfilling their potential, and providing a guide to younger women on the complexities of navigating career and life opportunities in their fields.
The campaign is focused on promoting gender equality, increasing female representation in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) careers and providing support and direction for professional women.
Egerton-Idehen decried the gender gap that still undermines the economic security of most Nigerian women by limiting their ability to work and pursue a career and urged for gender equality focused on enabling higher growth, productivity and economic stability, not only for women, but their families and ultimately the country.
She stressed that Nigerian women still have just three-fourths the legal rights and opportunities of men and called for activities that empower Nigerian women especially in technology.
Speaking at the online release of her new book entitled Be Fearless: Give yourself permission to be You, Egerton-Idehen who is also Country Manager Nigeria/Regional Sales Manager, West Africa, Avanti Communications emphasized the under-representation of women in corporate Nigeria and challenges young women to pursue their dreams.
“There is a significant gender imbalance in corporate Nigeria, especially in the technology industry where ratio of women to men is as high as 1:5. We must now deliberately work towards a more balanced sector where everyone is enabled.
The theme of the International Women’s Day Each for Equal reminds us that there is still more to be done towards improving gender equality and fostering a healthier, wealthier and more harmonious world.
We hope to encourage more young girls and stimulate gender-equality discussions, via this campaign, my new book, endowments to girls and the experiences of many African women who are contributing to this campaign”, she said.
Egerton-Idehen also encourages the lovers of women; parents, siblings and husbands and colleagues to empathise and help them achieve their potential at home and in the workplace.
The campaign features a book tour to about 20 tertiary institutions in Nigeria, book reading sessions at some leading book stores, scholarships to female students in STEM courses and a formal launch of her new book.
The campaign is also expected to encourage leading entrepreneurs and businesswomen in Nigeria to share their experiences building successful careers, challenges they encountered and learnings they hope to pass on to a younger generation of African women.
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