Luanda - The First Lady of the Republic, Ana Dias Lourenço, acknowledged Wednesday in Luanda the extreme contribution and dedication of women in the financial sector, in Angola, in the development of the economy and social welfare of Angolans.
“Thank you very much for having and promoting a vision of the future and for not giving up, giving yourselves to a cause that belongs to all of us”, thanked Ana Dias Lourenço, at the opening of the Forum on “Female Leadership in the Financial Sector”, an initiative of the National Bank of Angola (BNA).
She recalled that in Angola several women occupy key positions, namely in finance, health, education, and in the government of the provinces, as well as in companies where the number of women is increasingly notorious, both in executive presidency positions and in administrative and middle positions of management, such as directors.
Despite the multiple roles, she also recognized that Angolan women in the economy continue to work and qualify themselves to contribute, in an active way, to the development and progress of Angola.
Ana Dias Lourenço added that the Angolan woman have been investing in their training and professional qualification and seek to improve themselves every day, so that through their own merit they can have an equally leading role in society in decision making.
"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”, she stressed.
She said that when the financial system becomes more inclusive, the financial markets are more effective and more sustainability for financial policies.
In order to boost the exercise of citizenship and participation of women, with a view to deconstructing the tone of exclusion and discrimination of women, she said that a constructive dialogue is urgently needed, from the civil society, state bodies, especially financial institutions which due to their nature are directly linked to empowerment and financial independence of the Angolan woman.
In addition to the progress made in the past few years, the Angolan First Lady said also that in the 21st century, it is recorded the global under-representation of women as users, customers and decision makers of the financial field.
Based on World Bank studies, advanced by the First Lady of the Republic, Ana Dias Lourenço, there is still an under-representation of women in investment decisions in private equity, venture capital companies, which reaches only 10%.
Inclusion of women
Ana Dias Lourenço defends also a major financial inclusion of the Angolan women, which to her they should be important part of growth strategies and be integrated in the macroeconomic and financial policies of the state.
She also argues that Angola needs strong financial institutions capable of providing financial services to low-income women in order to promote self-employment, entrepreneurship, and support the family economy, in addition to increasing productivity and reducing poverty.
However, quoting recent international studies, she highlights some advantages of women inclusion in financial system, considering them to be better risk managers than men, follow more demanding hiring practices which contributes for a qualification of the environment work.
Therefore, the greater inclusion of women in leading positions in the financial system, such as in banking and supervision, is internationally recognized as a factor for financial stability.
At the same time, she added, it is important to promote a greater inclusion of women in leadership positions in the financial sector (banking and supervision) 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 matters of gender equality and inclusion of women.
The National Reserve Bank (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.
She said that it is up to the State to assume the equality commitments and proceed with the implementation of incentives and inclusion of women in the financial system, "which will have everything to gain”.
During the forum, statistical data on female representation in top management of the Angolan financial system were presented.
Some women, with leadership positions in financial banking institutions, shared their professional experience in the sector, as well as their point of view on the prospects for development of the financial system.
