|
Report on a Leadership
Training and Business Exchange Symposium for African and Chinese
Women-September 9-12 2007
I had the privilege and opportunity to be nominated
by the Public Affairs Section of the US Embassy in Nigeria to attend the
above mentioned training programme organised by Vital Voices Global
Partnership which was held in Shanghai, China.
The theme of the training
programme was ‘Women as an economic force’ and participants were business
women from China, Nigeria, Swaziland, Zimbabwe, Tanzania, South Africa,
Kenya, Zambia and Uganda. The meeting was sponsored by Standard Chartered
Bank China
We learnt there are emerging
economic opportunities between China and Africa and that there is a need to
foster communications between African and Chinese women because women are
critical to the equation. Women are good at connecting, whether through
relationships, culture or trade. Women are an emerging force; there is a
need to develop networks in other to get women’s voices into the mainstream,
not just as victims but as solution providers. Investing in women is smart
Monday September 10
The theme of the day was
China and
Africa: Trade and Economic opportunities.
Welcome and programme overview:
i. Alyse Nelson Bloom Vice President & Co-Founder,
Vital Voices Global Partnership.
ii.Katherine Tsang , CEO, Standard Chartered Bank
China.
iii.Kenneth Jarrett, US Consul- General Shanghai.
The first keynote discussion was by John Page,
Chief Economist, Africa Region; The World Bank his presentation was titled ‘Hunting
for Leopards.’
Next topic was: ‘Women &
SMEs in the China-Africa Relationship’ given by
Brenda Wong, General Manager,
SME Banking, Standard Chartered Bank China.
After our lunch break there
was a panel of discussants featuring Chinese and African businesswomen
leaders. The topic was: China & Africa: Business Trends, Challenges &
Opportunities for Women. The panel was moderated by Ambassador Ruth A.
Davis, Chief of Staff and Senior Advisor, Bureau of African Affairs, US
Department of State
Featuring the following
panellists:
-
Rose Guo, VP of the Women’s Business
Association, China
-
Huang Ruiling, Deputy General
Manager, Shanghai International Port
-
Li Hong, Owner and President, Raining
Company (textile entrepreneur)
-
Joyce Mpofu, Chairperson South Africa
Association of Investors, South Africa
-
Zoe Dean-Smith, Managing Director,
Visionary Growth & Development Consultants, Swaziland
-
Hafsat Abiola, Director, China-Africa
Forum and President of KIND, Nigeria/China
-
Eva Muraya, Chief Executive Officer,
Colour Creations Ltd, Kenya.
It was generally agreed that
leadership training is important for women. Women need to be trained to be
better entrepreneurs. Successful women need to mentor other women who have
the potentials to succeed.
After a short break the next
presentation was:
Doing Business: Levelling
the Playing Field for Women in the Global Marketplace
Amanda Ellis, Head, Gender
Entrepreneurship Markets, IFC
Amanda started her
presentation with this quote;
‘Forget China, India and the
internet, economic growth is driven by women. Women have contributed more to
global growth in the last decade than China’.
The Economist April 15-21 2006
Tuesday, September 11th
The overall theme of the day
was ‘China and Africa: Effective Partnerships to Foster Accountability and
Development’
. The Global Gender Gap
Report
A presentation and discussion
with Sa’adia Zahidi, Author and Economist, the World Economic Forum.
The presenter informed us that
the need for the Global Gender Gap report arose when it was discovered that
in the 2001 World Economic Forum in Davos, only 8% of the participants were
women .In 2007 participation of women has increased to 17%.
The objective of the report is
to create a benchmark for policy makers .The Global Gender Gap report is
planned to be a yearly report so that it would be possible to track over
time how the situation is changing. Statistics from 115 countries were used
in compiling the results. For more information on the report please visit
www.weforum.org/gendergap.
After break the next topic
was:
Business Engaging in
Community – A smart Investment
A discussion about building
public-private partnerships and corporate social responsibility programs.
Led by Sheila Wong, Head of
Corporate Affairs, Standard Chartered Bank China
Sheila made a presentation on
the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) policy of Standard Chartered Bank.
China & Africa: Effective
Partnerships to Foster Accountability & Development
A discussion of regulatory
issues and accountability in cross border business partnerships.
The presentation was about
doing business in China, the legal requirements for doing business in
China.This was followed by-
Next Steps: Developing
Partnerships & Communicating with Stakeholders
Led by Eileen O’Connor,
Attorney, Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP International and former CNN
White House Correspondent.
It was unanimously agreed by
all participants that there was need for critical focus and the following
decisions were subsequently made:
*To create a China-African
Women’s Group Economic Forum
* To accomplish what?
-growth
-networking opportunities
-establish code of
conduct/best practices.
*To establish affiliations
with other women’s groups.
*To invite experts from IFC
for capacity building
*To keep conversations going
by web chat
* To establish a mentoring
programme in China like the one in Africa
Subsequently a website was
immediately created for members at http//:africachinanetwork.vitalvoicesonline.org
*It was also agreed that there
was need for a legal team to look into laws that restrict the participation
of women in business in Africa. Mrs Amina Agbaje (Nigeria) and I volunteered
to be in the legal team for the group.
Wednesday, September 12th
Breakfast Presentation and Discussion:
Developing Your Leadership by Michael Useem, Professor of Management and
Director of the Centre for Leadership and Change at the Wharton School,
University of Pennsylvania and author of the ‘Go Point: When It’s Time to
Decide’ among other books.
Leadership in an increasingly unpredictable world
requires a capacity to instill a compelling vision of the organization’s
future and to communicate the strategy for achieving it. Leadership depends
on fostering a culture throughout the organization that places a primacy on
personal responsibility, professional achievement, and consistent results.
And it requires a capacity to think strategically, plan effectively, and act
decisively. Drawing on both academic research and moments when individuals
confronted fast-changing markets and faced critical decisions, Michael Useem
focuses our attention on those leadership capacities and decision strategies
that make the difference whether leading a team, an office, or an
organization. Professor Useem emphasised that leadership comprised of the
following qualities - vision, integrity, passion, conviction, humility.
Thereafter we had field visits and the participants
chose which organisation the would visit
Building Partnerships: Africa & China
Meetings with Chinese women’s organizations,
business associations and businesses.
·
9.30am departure for Textile Factory
·
10.00am departure for American
Chamber of Commerce
·
10.00am departure for British Chamber
of Commerce
·
10.00 am departure for All China
Women’s Federation
I chose to visit the American Chamber of Commerce
Shanghai. We were informed that AMCHAM Shanghai is the largest trading
partner in China and that membership is restricted to American companies or
American citizens.
On the whole I benefited immensely from the
programme. I learnt a lot from the top class international experts and
speakers. I learnt a lot from the wonderful and industrious participants who
are all success stories in their different fields of endeavours. I been
exposed to numerous ideas and networking opportunities which I know will
impact positively on my organisation and community.
NEXT STEPS:
1 .I was offered a consulting
job to conduct a legal analysis on laws that impair the economic empowerment
of women in Nigeria. I intend to follow up on the offer.
2. I intend to identify
business women in my community, train them on how to access the available
opportunities that exist in the IFC for them to move their businesses to the
next level.
3.Develop a matrix of
recommendation for gender and economic growth with a multi sectoral
approach, for my network of 2500 NGO subscribers, so that they can
identify and key into areas of their comparative strengths in order for a
critical mass of civil society organisations to be engaged in a sustained
initiative for the economic empowerment of Nigerian women. It is quite
obvious that no one organisation can do every thing.
CONCLUSION:
On behalf of the Board of
Trustees and the entire members of (RUFARM) Roots and Fruits Women Farmers
Society of Nigeria, I thank the US Embassy most especially the PAS for
nominating and sponsoring me to attend this very important programme. The
networking opportunities will definitely have a positive impact on our
organisation. I assure you that the knowledge gained will be replicated here
in Nigeria for the benefit of Nigerian women whom we serve. Thank you very
much.
Nogi Imoukhuede
Chairperson
RUFARM |