As the Women’s Decade 2010-2020 of the African Union draws to a close, women the world over are standing firm in their push for gender equality – and they want men to walk and work with them, to change perceptions of how women are viewed, and implement changes right where they are. This is at the very core of the United Nations HeForShe campaign www.heforshe.org – a place where men can feel powerfully emboldened to be part of the movement and the solution.  

The strides governments are making are laudable, says Anne Githuku-Shongwe, Representative at the United Nations Women South Africa Multi-Country Office. However, the real work of gender equality has to continually happen in our communities, in our thinking, in our advertising and our perceptions of women. “That’s what the United Nations HeForShe campaign is all about,” she says. “Taking personal responsibility and change that will cascade into thought and community change.”  “With the advertising industry, we’ve created the Unstereotype Alliance, and we’re really challenging private companies who spend billions on advertising to make sure that every single advert that goes out does not stereotype or reinforce images of women as weak or as sexual objects, but actually promotes the image of the future that we really want, which is one where gender equality thrives,” explains Githuku-Shongwe. 

The Unstereotype Alliance is a thought and action platform which uses advertising as a force for good to drive positive change. It seeks to eradicate harmful gender-based stereotypes in all media and advertising content. Convened by UN Women, the Unstereotype Alliance contributes to empowering women in all their diversity (including race, class, age, ability, ethnicity, religion, sexuality, language and education) and addressing harmful masculinities to help create a gender equal world. 

The Loeries, the globally recognised awards for the advertising and communications industry across Africa and the Middle East, are Ally Members the Unstereotype Alliance. One aim is to engage with communications students through a dedicated Unstereotype Alliance and HeForShe Facebook Challenge http://bit.ly/2QLhbFL. “We really want students to engage themselves on the issue of stereotyping. If we can begin to impact on students who themselves are moving into this creative industry that shapes how we believe men and women should be in society, if we can start changing that, and every billboard that comes up, every ad that is on the table, imagine what that would do? A strong woman with a strong man, positive families. These are the images we want portrayed. And just one powerful ad can make such a difference.” “This is the kind of conversation that we want to have at Loeries Creative Week in August this year, with men who are not ashamed to promote feminism, and who can stand and be counted as a feminist.

We’ve got to impact everywhere there are influencers. Creatives are influencers, so if we can influence the influencers to influence the world, then we’re really influencing.” Anne Githuku-Shongwe explains that “in much of Africa and the Middle East, gender-based violence is normalised. It actually should be considered a state of emergency, the way you would deal with a cyclone or other disaster, because really there is a serious issue here. Rape in particular, and sexual violence, is prevalent in many countries, and it’s an area that really has to be dealt with because women will make progress in their education and in their economic advancements, but then they get into a situation of rape or some form of violence from a loved one, and all of that reverses,” she laments.  

Gender equality has to go far beyond just the number of women who sit in high positions, it has to translate to having actual impact on women’s lives. Economically, governments spend billions on procurements every year. “Barely one percent of that goes to towards women-owned businesses. Barely! And that’s a global average,” says Githuku-Shongwe.  “Just imagine if 50 percent of government procurement went to women-owned businesses? That would transform the world, because we know that women-owned businesses employ more people and impact on more people just because automatically they are households.

So the economic upliftment of women is not something to do just because it’s cute, it actually makes transformational economic sense. It’s good business actually. And it starts with changing the way women are viewed and treated.” Anne Githuku-Shongwe will be speaking at the Unstereotype Alliance Masterclass as part of Loeries Creative Week, 22-25 August. More info can be found at Loeries.com. 

Major Partners:      DStv Media Sales, Gearhouse               

Category Partners:     AB InBev, Barron, Brand South Africa, Facebook, Gagasi FM, Google, JCDecaux, Nando’s, Tsogo Sun, Vodacom, Woolworths               

Additional Partners and Official Suppliers:   AAA School of Advertising, Antalis South Africa, Aon South Africa, Backsberg, BEE Online, First   Source, Fresh RSVP Guest Logistics, Funk Productions, Gallo Images, Grid Worldwide, Hetzner,   Mama Creative, Newsclip, Paygate, Rocketseed, Shared Value Initiative, Shift Social Development,  Vega School, VQI Communications Nigeria               

Endorsed by:      Association of Communication and Design, Brand Council South Africa, Commercial Producers    Association, Creative Circle, EXCA, IAB, South African Institute of Architects, IID               

Official Media Partners       Bizcommunity.com, Book of Swag, Brand Communicator Nigeria, Business Insider by Pulse, Campaign Middle East, Film & Event Media, Modern Marketing,The Redzone.               Twitter: @loeries        Instagram: Loerieawards        Facebook: The Loeries         

Distributed on behalf of the  Loeries  by:      Riana Greenblo Communications Date: June 27 2019         For more information, interview requests or high-res images, please contact:        Riana Greenblo on 011 3256006; 0825675159 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. McGloughlin on 0113256006 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. (mornings only)   

MultiNET’s new approach to sharing wealth means home loan consultants could earn R20 million on average more than their counterparts in the market. Over the years, those companies that have played a disruptive role in their respective market spaces have been the ones to catapult us forward. Apple and the smartphone, Nikon and the world’s first digital camera, even a certain insurance company and its telephonic underwriting process, are just three examples of how industries have evolved.

And the home loans industry is no different, as MultiNET, SA’s only independent home loan origination company, is disrupting its industry by giving their consultants the opportunity to earn 293% more than the current market norms. This equates to an average earnings of R58 000 more per month, and over a 30-year career of a home loans consultant, would be worth over R20 million.

“The idea comes from looking at the same industry we service, real estate,” explains MultiNET CEO Shaun Rademeyer, “We realised that in the real estate industry, the agent is the key to success, and earnings moved over the years from 50% of the commission to upwards of 90%. “We have looked to evolving the origination industry to make use of the same key element, the consultant; the person doing the loan application.

This person is normally well experienced in the financing of home loans with several years of detailed knowledge and expertise ̶ many actually come from a banking background where they helped build the mortgage industry as we see it today.” These experts are mostly found through referrals, either by estate agent or via friends and family ̶ they are normally the go-to-person when customers ask, “What is the best way to get a home loan?”

However, this same person who is so integral to the success of the business is also settling for the smallest slice of the pie. “We have asked why, and the answers that come back are brand loyalty, a guarantee of a salary even though most are commission-only earners or the culture the company creates. However, in the end these talented individuals are small businesses in their own right that should start looking after their own interest and the interest of their families vs the financial gains of a few within the business.”

In 2018, MultiNET decided to change the lay of the land for the consultant and launched a unique offering to the home loans market that is built off the company value of sharing the wealth with the individuals who are its backbone.

“At MultiNET, we keep the cost of running the company low whilst still providing systems, support and building a brand to support the home loans consultants and aggregation businesses,” explains Rademeyer, “The efficiencies within our organisation have provided us with the ability to match the real estate industry strategy and disrupt the market the same way as high commission split brands like Property.CoZa, Keller Williams and Re/Max did for the property industry.”

Alister Smit, a consultant who recently joined MultiNET, says when he first heard about the offer he was extremely sceptical. However, after joining the group he realised that for years he was working towards making other people wealthy, much to his detriment, and taking away personal time and resources for the future.

“The world is getting smaller, and more and more people are looking for personalised service, the type of service that comes from employees who are invested in the companies they work for. We believe that our consultants and business partners are the backbone of our industry, able to give that personalised service, and their reward is the earning opportunity we provide,” says Rademeyer.

“And this is just the start; we are committed to finding new solutions within our industry for all stakeholders, supporting the development of previously disadvantaged segments in the market and spreading the financial benefit with the broader players in the industry.” About MultiNet MultiNET is the only independent bond origination company in South Africa.

They are committed to evolving the origination industry through cutting-edge innovation in systems, processes and the development of people, specifically supporting the development of previously disadvantaged segments in the market. For more information, please visit multinet.co.za

Net-workingwomen.com is proud to announce that our newly refurbished website, www.net-workingwomen.com has been launched, and taking off.

Net-workingwomen is an A-Z online directory for working women, to advertise their businesses, products, services, skills and resources. NWW was started in 2005, and has built up an extensive and expanding, database of women in business.

Without doubt, the internet is the most effective global networking tool of our time, and increasingly, of the future. In the 21st century, more than ever before, women are making financial decisions, creating employment, offering quality services, sharing skills and resources, supporting families, and building the international economy.

From grassroots informal business sectors, to the top movers and shakers worldwide, women are becoming major financial contributors in society. Keeping this in mind, www.net-workingwomen.com aims to connect working women globally, and to provide a link to a more Inclusive, Communicative, and Supportive womens’ network.

With a strong social content, NWW would also like to encourage women to become involved in, and contribute to the welfare of our society. – Build, Lead, Empower!