Women are capable of holding corporate leadership positions just as they manage their households, according to a leadership expert from the Asian Development Bank. Sarah Boxall recently facilitated a four-day program in Suva aimed at empowering senior executive women who aspire to advance in the corporate world.
Organized by the Fiji Institute of Chartered Accountants, the program focused on helping women enhance their confidence, develop their skill sets, gain insights into business operations, and build networks with other women in senior roles within the private sector.
As an expert in the economic empowerment of women with the Asian Development Bank’s Pacific Private Sector Development Initiative, Ms. Boxall emphasized that Fiji currently lags behind neighboring island nations in terms of female representation in corporate leadership, which hinders the country’s economic growth potential.
Institute president Wiliki Takiveikata noted that the training has strengthened the capacity of participants to succeed in their workplaces. He expressed hope that the participants will leverage the connections made during the program and be inspired by guest speakers who share their experiences in career transitions and effective board operations.
The training, delivered by Gina Houng-Lee and academic Nacaniela Rika, limited participation to 25 women representing 15 different organizations. Ms. Boxall pointed out that challenges such as organizational policies and sexual harassment in the workplace often deter women from advancing in their careers, indicating a need for legislative and policy changes to support female employees.