Celebrating International Women’s Day 2021
A challenged world is an alert world. Individually, we’re all responsible for our own thoughts and actions – all day, every day. We can choose to challenge and call out gender bias and inequity. We can choose to seek out and celebrate women’s achievements. Collectively, we can all help create an inclusive world,” – International Women’s Day#IWD2021 #ChooseToChallenge”
This upcoming International Women’s Day is all about uplifting and celebrating women in leadership, in business and in our communities. Over the next couple of weeks on our blog and across social media we will be celebrating just some of the many fantastic women in the #BLPnetwork and the BLP team who are not only leaders in their respective fields of work but who are also invested in creating an equitable future in a Covid-19 world.
Today we have the pleasure of profiling Naomi Mara, BLP Manager & Membership & Services Officer at the Solomon Islands Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SICCI).
Naomi is the youngest of three girls in her family and takes immense pride in the completion of her Bachelor of Social Science from James Cook University in Townsville.
After completing her studies in early 2017, Naomi was accepted into her current role where she ensures members can access value-adding services. This includes providing relevant training, workshops, and networking events as well as other services that members might need.
Most recently, when SICCI signed on with BLP, I have been working on assisting SMEs to access business advisory services. This has included helping SMEs owned and operated by women to access the same services and finances that would usually only be available to male owned SMES.
I love this element of my job as I believe it is not only creating an equitable future for women and youth in a Covid-19 world but it is encouraging more entrepreneurs to give their business ideas a go in the Solomon Islands,” says Naomi.
When asked how Naomi challenges gender bias and inequality if it comes up she says the first step is to recognise that there is inequality and speak about it openly. Sometimes this is often difficult due to gender roles and norms set out by society. However, Naomi stresses that when there is an opportunity to educate others then you should jump at that chance.
ENDS
Business Link Pacific recognises the critical role that Gender Equality and Social Inclusion plays within all spheres and contexts when working with SMEs in the Pacific and it is our aim, across everything we do, to build improved access to essential business advisory services for women youth and other disadvantaged groups as business owners, and help to improve the inclusive approach that businesses take in their operations. To find out more about our work visit: https://about.businesslinkpacific.com/blps-gender-equality-and-social-inclusion-gesi-approach/?fbclid=IwAR3kkBvJyAmQSnLd3gNVumVBtXF4UMi5K8N7iKNlsSESJLoWDrxGYpBd7xI