The month of March hosts several gender-based celebrations, including International Women’s Day (IWD). IITA is a gender-inclusive Institute that sees gender equality as very important in improving livelihoods in society and creating an enabling work environment for staff. Knowing that achieving this goal is improbable in unequal, marginalized, and vulnerable groups, IITA developed a policy to ensure a gender-balanced workplace and formed a gender science network to promote gender interventions through research.
Hilde Koper, giving the opening remark
To celebrate IWD, IITA held a symposium on 8 March, adopting the universal theme: “Women in leadership: Achieving an equal future in a COVID-19 world”. The purpose was to celebrate women’s achievement and inspire and promote their participation in leadership through discussions on the contributions of women and men to an equal future, especially in the new normal. Zainatou Sore, Head of Capacity Development Office, moderated the meeting.
In her welcome address, Lilian Mendoza, Head of Human Resources Service, noted that IWD celebrates women’s achievements in various fields. During this celebration, IITA recognizes and appreciates all women for their valuable contributions to the Institute. She also highlighted how the women speakers would be sharing the challenges and opportunities in their career paths and their journey to leadership. In contrast, the male speakers would share their contributions in supporting women to attain leadership positions. “I appreciate and congratulate all the fabulous women in IITA,” she said.
In her remarks, Hilde Koper, DDG Corporate Services, relayed an incident in her secondary school and how it pushed her to start speaking up for gender equality from the age of 14, even though she grew up in a family where both genders were treated equally. “Having both men and women is what makes a good leadership team. It is important to keep fighting for equal rights and increase the percentage of women in the workforce,” Koper said.
DG Nteranya Sanginga, speaking on the impact of IITA women on the Institute.
IITA Director General Nteranya Sanginga gave a keynote stating that we do not all have to be in leadership positions to make a difference at work and in society. Every staff member can play vital leadership roles at their level. He gave examples of young women such as Mercy Elohor Diebiru-Ojo of GoSeed, Bolanle Larinde of Start Them Early Program (STEP), and Regina Kapinga in IITA Uganda, who have made an impact and, as a result, made their way through to leadership positions. “Leadership is not being in big positions but being able to effect changes in whatever position you are in,” he said.
IITA Gender Specialist Steven Cole spoke on the importance of Gender Diversity and Inclusion (GDI) to advance women in the workplace and society. He highlighted how critically important it is for women to play significant roles in government, the workplace, and the community as everyone continues to respond and gradually recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. However, Cole also noted that the structured inequality in society limits women from taking up leadership positions, which is unacceptable. “As we celebrate women, it is important to ask these questions—how are you removing the barrier in the workplace to ensure that IITA harnesses the power of women to realize an equal and inclusive workplace in the future? Are you standing on the sidelines waiting for others to act, or are you in the game and making sure you are doing your part and making sure there is a positive change?” he questioned.
IWD symposium onsite participants in a family photo.
The main speakers—eight females and two males —Titilayo Falade, Diana Kirungi, Tamara Mwansa, Peter Kulakow, Beatrice Bachwenkizi, Traore Fanta, Rose Ndango, Catine Gersonia, Omotayo Ayo-Afolabi, and Tahirou Abdoulaye—shared their challenges and opportunities’ stories.
The IITA International School presented a video that featured “Talking Heads,” with female students interviewing women leaders within and outside the Institute to encourage young girls.
In the vote of thanks, Human Resources Manager Lade Oke thanked everyone for joining in the event to celebrate women. She especially appreciated DG Sanginga, who has been a champion in advancing the cause of women; Koper, who is a good example of a woman leader; and all the speakers for their inspiring stories. “I hope by next year we will be sharing a better story on advancing the women’s cause,” Oke said.
Olamide Deborah Nwanze is a Senior Research Associate specializing in gender mainstreaming research to inform participatory and inclusive breeding, variety development, and seed systems policies regarding root, tuber, and banana (RTB) crops in the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture Headquarters, Ibadan, Nigeria. She is a PhD candidate at the University of Ibadan and holds an MSc and B. Agric in Agricultural Extension and Rural Development. Olamide is a fellow of the African Women in Agricultural Research and Development – Gender Responsive Agricultural Systems Policy (AWARD-GRASP) and the Gender Responsive Researchers Equipped for Agricultural Transformation (GREAT). She seeks to apply her gender-mainstreaming learnings, gender-responsive research, and policy development, and review expertise to facilitate women, youth, children, and vulnerable social group’s access to and adoption of agricultural Innovations that guarantee food, nutrition, income, and livelihood security in Africa. Her current roles include mentoring research fellows, development of guides and training manuals, implementation and adaptation of gender frameworks and tools, value chain actors’ engagement as citizen science partners, policy review and redesign, data management, and analysis. Her current research explores mixed methods and participatory and interdisciplinary approaches to capture and highlight gender dynamics, needs, preferences, and challenges stakeholders face within the agricultural livelihood value chain to prioritize gender-inclusive strategies in breeding programs, policy design, and implementation.
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