News

On January 10, 2024, the workshop "Synergy of cooperation between business and public organizations to improve the situation of women in Ukraine" was held in Kyiv. The event brought together 58 participants representing various industries and areas of activity, including the public sector, the service sector, education, IT, creative industries, processing industry, trade, agriculture, etc.

 

Among the key tasks of the event is to promote the application of transformational approaches to promote gender equality, empower women in the workplace, in supply chains and in communities, as well as involve private companies in the implementation of relevant programs and initiatives.

 

These questions are relevant, since 61% of the registered unemployed in Ukraine are women, and those who work receive, on average, 18.6% lower wages than men. As for those women who run a business, 19% in 2022 noted the negative and prejudiced attitude of the environment towards their activities.

 

How was the workshop

The workshop created a space to share experiences on implementing initiatives to support women's empowerment in the context of full-scale war and reconstruction processes.

 

During the workshop, the participants got acquainted with the Women's Empowerment Principles (WEPs) and learned why it is important and how you can implement WEPs in your companies or create partnerships for their implementation. Presentations included cases of successful implementation of WEPs in Ukraine, including increasing the number of women in leadership positions and in "non-female" professions, creating women's communities in companies, creating supply chains with entrepreneurs, as well as creating and ideas for partnerships through the LinkedIn network.

 

The participants also joined the discussion using the "World Cafe" method - discussed discussion topics in small groups and exchanged ideas. Among the main issues are the support of women through the cooperation of the public sector and business, as well as the challenges related to the creation of a safe and inclusive work environment in enterprises.

 

An additional motivation for participating in this event was the opportunity to learn about the activities of each participant of the event, as well as to promote the activities implemented by various companies and organizations for women.

 

What are the Principles of Women's Empowerment?

The Women's Empowerment Principles (WEPs) are a tool for achieving gender equality, raising business awareness of gender equality and combating gender discrimination in the workplace. Any company can implement these Principles in the workplace and monitor progress towards achieving them.

 

"The implementation of the principles of women's empowerment by state and private companies, civil society organizations, and business associations is important for the country's sustainable and inclusive economic recovery, for ensuring transformational results and achieving long-term solutions, as well as women's participation in these processes. UN Women in Ukraine supports the promotion of the principles of women's empowerment as an effective tool for achieving gender equality and strengthening the position of women in the labor market and in society in general," said Lyudmila Kovalchuk, UN Women in Ukraine project coordination analyst.

 

According to research results, young people under 35 currently see more career opportunities for women, as well as partly in access to political activity.

 

"Gender equality is an inseparable component of responsible business behavior, as well as international and national systems for the protection of human rights, including labor rights. There is growing evidence that empowering women is not just a matter of getting one's reputation right; it is also an effective business solution, and the development of partnerships to promote women's rights and opportunities can make such solutions innovative and tangible for the country's economy," says the executive director of the Ukraine Investment and Trade Facilitation Center Iryna Tytarchuk.