Gong Ceremony held at PSX to Celebrate International Women’s Day in Collaboration with UN Women, IFC, CFASP & WOB

By Rafiq Vayani

DUBAI/KARACHI: Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) celebrated International Women’s Day 2024 with a gong ceremony in collaboration with UN Women, International Finance Corporation (IFC), CFA Society Pakistan (CFASP) and Women On Board (WOB). The theme for this year’s event was ‘Invest in Women: Accelerate Progress’.

Eminent women leaders and professionals from the business and corporate sectors, as well as distinguished women from the media, arts, sports and academics participated in the celebration. This year’s celebrations included ringing the bell and speeches by the distinguished women leaders and by men championing the cause of gender equality & inclusivity. A seminar was also conducted as part of the event celebrations. The seminar included industry experts and representatives from CFA Institute of Pakistan delivering insights into professional excellence and resilience of women leaders. Moreover, an Investor Awareness Session for women was also held by PSX as part of the Women’s Day activities. PSX joined more than a 100 exchanges all over the world under the aegis of World Federation of Exchanges (WFE), of which PSX is an Affiliate Exchange, to mark this important day this year. The gong was struck by prominent women leaders in their respective professions & businesses and by distinguished male champions of women empowerment. This year, ConnectHear collaborated as the accessibility partner for the event. This aligned well with PSX’s and its collaborating partners’ efforts on inclusivity and positive consideration for differently abled people. ConnectHear provides services of interpreting spoken words into sign language.

Speaking at the event, Mr. Ahmed Chinoy H.I. S.I., Board Member PSX, stated, “The significance of marking International Women’s Day is multifold. Today we not only celebrate the achievements of women professionals, academicians, entrepreneurs, artists, and those sportswomen who are contributing to the society and economy but also reaffirm our resolve to continue our efforts for greater women empowerment, gender equality, and diversity. This isn’t merely about diversity for the sake of representation. It is recognising talent, dedication & leadership capabilities that women bring to the table. Diversity isn’t just a checkbox; it is a strategic initiative that fosters innovation, better decision making & overall improved performance.”

In her welcome address, Ms. Raeda Latif, Chief Marketing & Business Development Officer at PSX, stated, “As we celebrate International Women’s Day 2024, we reiterate the significance of investing in women to accelerate progress. For every economy to thrive, there is need for women’s contribution in equal parity with men. It is estimated that if women participation in the economy could get at par with men, Pakistan’s GDP could increase by 60 percent by 2025. It is important to recognise the pivotal role women play in driving economic growth and social development. Keeping this in mind, Pakistan Stock Exchange duly invests in women. From HR policies focused on inclusivity & diversity and taking various steps towards gender equality & workplace improvement to Investor Awareness Sessions and workshops focused on women, PSX is committed towards encouraging women in the workplace and women empowerment”.

Mr. Anwar Qureshi, Operations Manager, UN Women Pakistan, stated, “The Ring the Bell for Gender Equality (RTB) campaign represents an opportunity to raise awareness of gender equality in the private sector, particularly in relation to the Women’s Empowerment Principles. It is time to bring finance and investments to gender equality, and gender equality to finance and investing alongside innovation.”

Dr. Samuel Rizk, Resident Representative, UNDP Pakistan, for Women on Board, added, “We at the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) take great pride in being champions for gender equality in Pakistan. Working with our partners in Pakistan, we target gender parity issues through strategic policy and structural interventions. Our aim is to transform women’s livelihoods through green initiatives and digitalization. We strive to increase their access to finance and capital, promote gender-responsive budgeting, and empower women as agents of change.”.

“Greater transparency in the Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) practices of listed companies in Pakistan can be a gamechanger. IFC is excited to join forces with the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) and the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) to help leverage ESG-related frameworks, especially around gender equality,” shared Mr. Mohsin Chaudhry, ESG Advisory Team Lead for Pakistan – IFC.

To celebrate Women’s Day, the CFA Institute and CFA Society Pakistan collaborated to provide scholarships for Professional Development Certifications. On account of its 60th anniversary, the CFA Institute also announced scholarship for the prestigious CFA Program. Sarwat Ahson, Executive Director, acknowledging women’s significant contributions across various sectors, particularly in finance emphasized the commitment of both organizations to promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion, mentioning initiatives like the CFA Institute Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Code. She also highlighted the proactive steps taken by the CFA Society, such as reserving a board seat for women and instituting Gender Diversity Awards in their annual excellence honors. The ‘Recognizing Gender Diversity at Workplace’ award specifically recognizes companies’ efforts in creating inclusive environments for women, demonstrating their dedication to advancing gender diversity and inclusion in the finance industry.