Movement needs to percolate beyond board rooms

Delby P. Bragais is the President of The North Road Image & Fashion Group based out of Philippines. She believes that men can play a very critical role in not achieving a balance at the workplace, but also in curbing trafficking of young girls from impoverished families.

What according to you are the successes of gender equality movement which gathered momentum towards the end of the last decade? Towards the end of the last decade, I have seen 3 areas where there has been success in moving the gender equality movement forward. Among them are the following:

I have seen more women use their voice and the power of their stories to speak out against discrimination, sexual harassment and violence. The #MeToo movement is an example.

I have seen movement towards a more equal distribution of household work. I see young fathers willing to help their wives with child rearing and household chores compared to their fathers and grandfathers

I have seen more women having access to education and entering the entrepreneurial field – starting their own businesses as a path towards financial independence.

At the start of this decade, what would be your three priorities for gender equal workplaces My 3 Priorities for gender equal workplaces are:

1) Visibility & Opportunity for Women Using my influence in digital and in-person platforms to Increase visibility for women achievers, movers and shakers from different industries who have made a valuable contributions to their communities and companies.

2) Women Helping Women Sharing my experience in entrepreneurship, personal branding and leadership to provide mentorship for women interested to become entrepreneurs or go to the next level in their businesses and profit from their passion.

3) Male Champions Years ago, I was invited as a Keynote speaker by a Global company for International Women’s Day, and while I was on stage in front of about 300 women executives, I was surprised to be asked by a top ranking male executive in the audience, “what more can we do to support women in our company?” Male Champions help accelerate the Women’s movement, and being mindful of opportunities to advocate for women’s rights and enlist males to support women in this quest will go a long way in bridging the gender gap in the workplace and beyond.

How important is the role of men in this movement and what according to you should organisations do to involve them? I believe that the Women’s Movement is not an initiative for Women alone, but a movement for the universal benefit of all mankind leading to a more progressive world.

I see men and women as equal partners in creating successful families, businesses and nations. As partners, it is important to include men in the discussion of advancing the women’s movement and playing an active role in supporting issues such as the gender pay gap, equal opportunities, and creating a safer workplace environment for women, among others.

The women’s movement will experience accelerated progress with more male champions … more men who truly understand the plight of women and will take action in raising their voices towards making sure that their female counterparts will receive what is due them and the recognition they deserve for a job well done.

Beyond the corporate world of legitimate business lies a type of businesses that people seldom talk about … where girls are usually forcibly taken from impoverished rural communities, used and abused. I have spoken to young survivors of this horrific commercial activity and heard their stories. It is in the power of men to call a stop to their fellow men to end the demand side of human trafficking. Without demand, there will be no supply.

Inviting more men to participate in the ongoing discussion on women empowerment and women’s rights is imperative.

How important is the concept of “Sisterhood” in accelerating change? The concept of “sisterhood” is extremely powerful. As the saying goes ” A rising tide raises all ships.”

Women joining hands and moving forward will inevitably sweep everyone forward and upward towards the next level.

I have experienced “sisterhood” through my involvement with the AICI Philippine Chapter, a professional association composed of mostly women corporate and personal image consultants, trainers and coaches. The formation of this chapter in my country as part of a global association of image experts, has professionalized the image industry in the Philippines and opened the doors for international business opportunities. By supporting each other and collaborating instead of competing, we have all experienced business benefits, not to mention deep friendships along the way.

Do you think we need a young champion like Greta Thunberg for this cause as well? While I do admire qualities of the young and courageous Greta Thunberg, I believe that for the Women’s movement, a person who has blossomed into full womanhood and experienced the ups and downs of the different stages of being a woman, would be a more inspiring champion and role model.