International Women’s Day: Building gender equity, not charity

For Eve Banda, executive head of people and marketing at Hollard International, the 2026 United Nations International Women’s Day theme: ‘Rights. For All Women and Girls’ is a reminder that the conversation has moved. It is no longer just about getting women through the door; it is about what they do once they are inside.

Banda views rights through the lens of voice, influence and decision-making power. It’s a perspective rooted in her upbringing in the early 80s. “My father gave us the opportunity to be seen and heard,” Banda says.

Banda occupies a unique position, wearing both ‘people’ and ‘brand’ hats. She argues that the modern workplace must be reimagined to accommodate the non-linear nature of women’s careers. This isn’t just about abstract policy; it’s about lived experience.

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“We have to think of reimagining through the lens of life stages,” she explains. “It’s the simple, structural things, like our Namibia operation creating dignified spaces for breastfeeding mothers, or phased return-to-work programmes and leadership tracks that don’t punish motherhood. These are no longer ‘nice-to-haves’; they should be seen as essential for driving gender equity,” Banda says.

From a brand perspective, Banda is clear that a brand is not what you say, but what your people experience. At Hollard, the brand acts as the advocate that ensures diversity and inclusion remain true to form for employees, brokers and partners alike.

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