WIEN Demands Gov’t to Prioritise Gender Equity Policies

Mary Nnah

Women in Energy Network (WIEN) has demanded the incoming administration of the federal government prioritise policies and programs that dismantle prevailing gender bias and discrimination in the energy sector as a reliable way to harness the full human potential in accelerating national development.

WIEN which provides aegis for female investors, business owners, professionals, and sundry workers in the energy sector declared at its 2023 International Women’s Day (IWD) Breakfast Session that government must build a society that provides a congenial environment for people to excel in their endeavors irrespective of gender.

In her presentation at the event, the President of WIEN, Mrs. Funmi Ogbue, proposed collaboration among policy drivers, regulators, industry leaders, and organisations like WIEN to implement concrete solutions that dismantle all forms of bias and discrimination in the energy industry in particular and the country in general.

The WIEN IWD Breakfast Session which was hosted in Lagos was organised in partnership with Women in Shell Network and Seplat Awesome Women’s Network and focused on “Programmes & Initiatives for Equitable Access for Women in the Nigerian Energy Industry.”

The session is part of month-long activities lined up by WIEN to mark the 2023 International Women’s Day (IWD) celebrations which comes with the theme: “Embrace Equity.” With the activities, WIEN is driving harder on its advocacy for workplace gender balance and enhanced opportunity for women in the energy industry.

Ogbue pointed out that the “call to Embrace Equity highlights the need to ensure that everyone has access to the same opportunities, resources, and rights regardless of their gender, race, ethnicity, or other factors that can lead to inequality.”

She called on the incoming administration of the just concluded 2023 Nigerian General elections to prioritise gender equity and inclusion in its policies and decision-making, “and work with industry leaders and organizations like WIEN to implement concrete solutions.”

Ogbue stated that government must create a more equitable future by implementing policies that promote gender equity, such as increasing access to education and training programs for women in the energy industry and ensuring equal pay for equal work.

She called on the government to work with stakeholders to create a more inclusive environment by promoting diversity in leadership positions and ensuring that women’s voices are heard and valued in decision-making processes.

“Governments and legislature must strengthen existing policies to attract more women in STEM, ensure the appointment of women as heads of agencies in the various sectors both at sectional, regional, and international levels as well as redraft obsolete legislations that hinder progress in the sector,” she noted.

She also called for regulations that mandate institutions to spread opportunities in the energy industry across the gender divide.

“Regulatory agencies such as the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) can implement policies that promote gender equity and inclusion in the oil and gas industry.  Armed with baseline data of gender inclusion, stakeholders can start to build a framework to achieving gender inclusion,” she added.

Ogbue also emphasised that “in addition to the business case, promoting gender equity in the energy industry is also a matter of social justice and human rights;” adding that “it is essential that we work together to create a future where everyone has an equal opportunity to succeed, regardless of their gender or background.”