International Women's Day #EmbraceEquity

Q. How have you been using your own sphere of influence, and are rising to the challenge to create a space for your voice, and the voices of other women and girls, to be heard?

A. "Throughout my life and career, my sphere of influence has changed, and thinking about my journey to gaining confidence in my own voice, inspires me to be deliberate in my efforts to encourage and promote confidence in women and girls. Growing up in a family of highly opinionated, ambitious, and resilient women and men, instilled in me the values and confidence needed to pursue my own goals.

It is this influence which fuels my commitment to advocating for women who do not yet have a voice while helping to enable and empower those seeking to develop their own.

As a mother, I strive to ensure that my children understand that there are no limits to their ambition and that self-expression and willfulness are essential components of success. My children often remind me that they are unique individuals, and therefore require my support in a way that is tailored and evolves with time.

Similarly, as a friend and colleague, I have realized that how I listen is often more important than what I say in supporting others to navigate their own path.

As a leader in the Digital and Financial space, I have had the privilege of collaborating with many successful women who are driving innovation and leading businesses in finance and technology. For many, like me, their success hinged on their commitment to excellence and hard work, coupled with well-placed support and mentorship.

While I recognise the significant progress that has been made in Jamaica and globally in the last 20+ years of my career, I am cognizant there is still much to be done to in order to promote gender equity.

From where I stand, it is evident that identifying, mentoring, and promoting talented women, and being purposeful about promoting their ideas are fundamental efforts towards creating the change that needs to occur. We can all help to move the needle on gender equity daily by choosing to support women-led businesses, products, and ideas, and by hiring and promoting women in our own organisations."

Dannielle Cameron Duncan, Vice-President - Payments Services & Digital Channels, NCB.