"A MORE GENDER INCLUSIVE ENVIRONMENT"- DUPE OLUSOLA DELIVERS KEYNOTE SPEECH AT PWC NIGERIA'S IWD EVENT

“I am an equal opportunitist. I believe that each gender; male or female, should be given the opportunity to prove themselves, should have the self-belief that they can achieve and attain whatever they believe they can do.” These were the opening words of Dupe Olusola, GH Marketing at the PWC Nigeria’s International Women’s Day event where she delivered the keynote speech titled ‘Building a more gender inclusive environment’

It was a beautiful event well attended by many female leaders doing amazing things in their fields.

Dupe Olusola began her speech very gracefully, with a clear explanation to what a gender environment means. “It’s an environment where everyone, male or female is allowed the freedom to express themselves and be inclusive in the decision making process that happens in the workplace not because of their gender but because of their ability to contribute to the bottom line."

For this to be successful in the workplace, a supportive culture of inclusion and equity is necessary. A truly inclusive work culture ensures that every employee, regardless of their gender, feels supported and respected.

As an advocate for the need to re-orientate our mind-set towards gender inclusion, Dupe Olusola believes the discipline starts from the home. It helps support and groom individuals to be open minded and set them up for success.

Women also have a huge role to play in the work place as advocates for equality. She adds, “it's not just by getting a seat at the table but what do you do when you are given a seat at the table? As women, we should not see impossibility or have self-doubt, instead, see it as an opportunity to step out of our comfort zone and challenge ourselves. We talk about inclusion but we must remember that inclusion requires commitment and hard work. We must walk the talk.”

As she concluded, she drew attention to the fact that, it is a business imperative to not treat inclusion as the latest fashion trend but rather to commit to a culture of support and equal opportunities, making structural and cultural changes that demonstrate the commitment.

Her keynote address ended saying, "There's no competition, only growth and development. A win for one woman is truly a win for all."