A2ii launches two self-paced training modules for supervisors on gender lens and practices in insurance
Existing biases about women’s risk mitigation needs, their perceived dexterity with complex financial products such as insurance lead to underrepresentation of women in the insurance industry, as a viable customer segment, and in regulation and supervision.
Regulatory and supervisory approaches have the potential to facilitate women’s access to insurance to improve their financial resilience and advance gender equality. This requires a proactive, intentional approach that begins with assessing regulatory and supervisory practices through a gender lens, reviewing internal representation and mobility of women, and examining workplace policies and practices that may exclude women. A gender-neutral approach to insurance, though well-intended, is insufficient and creates a disproportionate impact on women. It unintentionally leaves them behind because we are not considering some of their specific needs.
The Training Modules
The two new training modules - Applying a gender lens to inclusive insurance and How to conduct a rapid gender diversity assessment – provide regulators, supervisors and policy makers practical tools and assessments that lead to actionable insights that can improve women’s access to insurance and advance gender equality.
Part 1, Applying a gender lens to inclusive insurance, examines some of the myths and biases that can get in the way of considering the women’s market potential. It provides supervisors with three distinct learning outcomes:
- An in-depth understanding of why gender is critical to inclusive insurance
- An opportunity to reflect on one own’s approach to gender
- Access to further opportunities for learning and action
This module features an intervention by Helen Rowell, Deputy Chair of the Australian Prudential Authority and the IAIS’ Exco Champion for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DE&I) as well as a country example from Zambia by Chishiba Kabungo, (Manager – Market Conduct – Insurance Supervision at Pensions and Insurance Authority, Zambia).
Helen Rowell, Deputy Chair of the Australian Prudential Authority and the IAIS’ Exco Champion for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DE&I)
In Part 2, How to conduct a rapid gender diversity assessment, supervisors get access to the Rapid Gender Assessment tool and
- Learn how to complete the assessment
- Interpret their results, and
- Apply to learnings to practice
The rapid gender assessment uses leading gender diversity indicators for regulatory and supervisory practices, workforce representation and workplace practices. It is designed as a high-level snapshot that should help supervisors understand their current state of diversity and inclusion. The assessment does not require a significant amount of data or precise percentages, it scores automatically and provides learners with an overall score reflecting on their state of diversity and inclusion which could be foundational, intermediate or advanced, along with a commentary on how to get better.
How to take the training
The two modules are hosted on A2ii’s learning and exchange platform – Connect.A2ii. If you are already a Connect.A2ii member, you will find the two training modules under your Catalogue tab. Supervisors: if you're not a member, create an account by clicking on ‘create new account’ link at the bottom right corner of this page.
Non-supervisors can also complete the modules through the public catalogue without creating an account.
The training catalogue within the platform features A2ii’s flagship training modules as well as interaction and discussion space.
We hope you enjoy your learning experience!
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