BPR Bank Rwanda, on March 11, officially joined Women in Finance Rwanda, a platform dedicated to advocating for gender balance in the Rwandan financial sector and nurturing an inclusive culture that supports the advancement of women.
The move underscores the bank’s commitment to promoting gender equality and inclusivity in the financial sector.
Announcing the official membership during a partnership launch ceremony that took place at BPR Bank Rwanda’s headquarters, the bank’s Managing Director, Patience Mutesi, emphasised that joining Women in Finance Rwanda reaffirms their commitment to empowering women and promoting gender diversity in leadership.
"This is one of several activities we have undertaken to celebrate women, supplementing ongoing engagement forums dedicated to celebrating women’s achievements,” she said.
"We believe that by working together, we can create a more inclusive and equitable financial sector. This membership reflects the bank’s efforts to support progression of women into senior roles within our organisation and the broader financial services industry. The programme has so far provided four scholarships in Finance and Sustainable Banking to staff and we’ll seek to expand enrolment in the near future.”
Mutesi further highlighted several initiatives to achieve gender equality and inclusivity in their work, including addressing biases in hiring, providing equal training opportunities, examining promotion practices, and implementing the bank’s mentorship programme.
She also outlined plans to ensure BPR Bank’s internal changes result in tangible benefits for women, such as increasing lending to women-owned enterprises and prioritising procurement from such enterprises.
BPR Bank Rwanda celebrated International Women’s Day on March 8 by hosting its female customers at a breakfast forum to engage on matters of financial sustainability and career development.
The bank believes that joining Women in Finance Rwanda is another monumental step in prioritising capacity-building for women across all levels of banking and the Rwandan society at large.
Lina Higiro, founding Chairperson of Women in Finance Rwanda, welcomed BPR Bank Rwanda’s membership, highlighting the importance of collaboration to drive meaningful change.
"We are thrilled to welcome BPR Bank as a member of Women in Finance Rwanda. Their commitment to gender equality and inclusivity aligns with our mission, and we look forward to collaborating to drive positive change in the banking sector,” she said, adding that the partnership will be pivotal in building capacity for women in the financial sector and contributing to the overall development of Rwanda.
Additionally, Higiro highlighted the importance of women’s participation in the finance sector and highlighted the challenges they face, such as underrepresentation in leadership roles and biases in hiring practices. She stressed the need for collaboration and support from both men and women to address the issues and build a more balanced and inclusive financial industry in Rwanda.
During the event, four female employees of BPR Bank Rwanda were awarded scholarships to further their professional development in partnership with the Chartered Institute for Securities and Investment (CISI), a global professional body for securities and investment practitioners.
Among the scholarship recipients was Solange Tuyishime, a credit analyst at the bank.
She expressed gratitude to BPR Bank Rwanda and CISI for the opportunity and pledged to utilise it to make meaningful contributions to Rwanda’s financial sector.