From left: Sonia Hernandez, director at Vodafone Procurement Company; Jugera Ibrahimi, chair of the British Ladies Club; and Corinne Cahen, Luxembourg’s family minister. They are pictured at the BLC’s Professional and Entrepreneurial Women event, 14 March 2018. Gretel Photography

From left: Sonia Hernandez, director at Vodafone Procurement Company; Jugera Ibrahimi, chair of the British Ladies Club; and Corinne Cahen, Luxembourg’s family minister. They are pictured at the BLC’s Professional and Entrepreneurial Women event, 14 March 2018. Gretel Photography

The event brought together two very successful women: Corinne Cahen, minister for family affairs and integration and minister for the Greater Region, and Sonia Hernández, director of global supply chain & commercial services at Vodafone Procurement Company in Luxembourg.

Many interesting questions were raised during the evening including how to keep focus and manage career objectives and family, parental leave in Luxembourg and what is being done for women’s’ equality and social empowerment.

Other questions addressed the biggest challenges faced by women and how to manage to work and build a reputation in government and the telecommunications industry, both of which are male-dominated environments.

The two speakers agreed that it is not about a fight between men and women, but rather about finding balance. They noted that the take-up of parental leave in Luxembourg now rates about 50-50, with a lot of progress being made in the motherhood world.

“Such women’s empowerment evenings are very important,” said BLC chair Jugera Ibrahimi. “Every woman must be convinced that she is amazing in her own way and it’s important that they take risks without feeling intimidated.”