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Initiative "Empowering Women in Business" is an initiative to raise awareness, provide training and provide information support to private sector representatives to improve their professional skills in implementing the Women’s Empowerment Principles (WEPs) and implementing women’s empowerment programs, as well as to facilitate the creation of new partnerships with private companies, business associations and civil society organizations to promote gender equality and women’s economic empowerment

The main goal of this initiative is to engage private companies in implementing programs and projects on gender equality and women’s economic empowerment in the workplace, supply chains and communities.

Initiative "Empowering Women in Business" is implemented by the Ukraine Investment and Trade Facilitation Center within the framework of the project "Transformational Approaches to Achieving Gender Equality in Ukraine," implemented by UN Women with the financial support of the Government of Sweden in cooperation with the Office Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration of Ukraine

Areas of activity within the Initiative "Empowering Women in Business"

1. Training on the Implementation of the Women’s Empowerment Principles (WEPs) – 3-day training courses to raise awareness of approaches to implementing WEPs and implementing initiatives to support women’s economic empowerment during full-scale war and recovery

Training on the Implementation of the Women’s Empowerment Principles (WEPs) in online format is planned for 2025

2. Workshops “Synergy of Cooperation: Best Practices of Private Companies in Empowerment and Women's Empowerment" - exchange of experience between representatives of private companies, business associations and civil society organizations on the implementation of initiatives to support women's empowerment during full-scale war and recovery processes

Registration via the link

Workshops "Synergy of Cooperation: Best Practices of Private Companies in Women's Empowerment" are planned for 2025 in online format

3. Training for Trainers on the Promotion and Implementation of the Women's Empowerment Principles (WEPs) is a 3-day training course aimed at preparing qualified trainers who will be able to effectively transfer knowledge about WEPs in their organizations and facilitate the promotion and implementation of these principles in business practices. This is a step towards creating a more equitable and gender-balanced business environment in Ukraine Follow-up activities are currently being implemented with trainers to promote and implement the Women’s Empowerment Principles (WEPs) that have already been trained

4. Guide to the training course on implementing the the Women’s Empowerment Principles (WEPs) to Achieve Gender Equality and Support Women’s Economic Empowerment during Full-Scale War and Post-War Recovery for Private Sector Representatives, consisting of lecture materials, interactive exercises, handouts for participants and tools for trainers. The manual is intended for representatives of companies and non-governmental organizations working in the field of achieving sustainable development, gender equality and human rights, as well as for associations and other stakeholders involved in training to achieve gender equality

5. Roadmap for Developing Partnerships to Support Women’s Economic Empowerment aims to create and strengthen collaboration between government, civil society, and business structures to ensure women’s equal access to resources, education, and economic opportunities

6. Preparation and publication of stories of successful implementation of the Women's Empowerment Principles (WEPs)

Avenga: "How to ensure equal rights and opportunities for men and women in the IT sphere - examples from the experience of Avenga"

Aurora: "Aurora multimarket: lost over 200 stores due to the war, but did not stop the development of the network"

Villa Verde: "Ukrainian entrepreneur uses flower business to bridge gender gaps during wartime"

"Happy Bakery" by "KavomAN&Ka": "Respecting rights is an opportunity for women to feel protected"

Home Bakery: "Rural women and participation in social and political life": co-owner of "Home Bakery" about opportunities during wartime"

SistersCherries: "Women should feel protected at work in wartime: how a children's clothing brand introduces safe and comfortable conditions for its employees"

Drive Hub Safe Traffic Center: “Women should have opportunities for development where they didn’t exist before: the story of the founder of the safe movement center”

Vesna: “The destruction and occupation did not stop us, but only pushed us to develop: the story of a Ukrainian manufacturer of care cosmetics”

FitCurves: “The initiative works, even if it helps only one person” 

LIA Studio: “The founder of the lingerie studio conducts educational lectures on women's health, entrepreneurship and protection of rights” 

Ferrexpo: “Reviewing gender roles in the mining industry in the context of a full-scale war” 

Lika-Comfort: “We must create conditions for women to be able to work in any field” 

Ukrhydroenergo: “Comprehensive support for women is an important step for their return to Ukraine with children” 

First Floral Company: “First Floral Company helps women without experience become professional gardeners” 

JDI Integrations: “Ensuring gender equality as a strategic step: a vivid example of JDI Integrations” 

Zalizo Company: “It is necessary to expand the rights and opportunities of women already at the stage of starting a business: Zalizo Company on its own experience of transforming the enterprise” 

Cafe Morricone: “I moved to another city and started a business from scratch” 

Dvorsky Studio: “Empowering women in business: the story of Maria Dvorska” 

Profipower LLC: “Implementing gender approaches in the workplace allows women to influence the development of the company” 

Ukrenergo: “Strengthening the role of women in the energy sector: the case of NPC Ukrenergo”

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Background:

The Women's Empowerment Principles (WEPs) are a set of seven principles that serve as a tool to guide businesses in promoting gender equality and empowering women in the workplace, labor market, and society. Through their implementation, companies change their approaches to supporting women, protecting their rights, and treating them fairly in the workplace.

"Empowering Women in Business" is an initiative to raise awareness, conduct training, and provide informational support to representatives of the private sector to improve their professional skills in implementing the Women's Empowerment Principles (WEPs) and implementing relevant programs, as well as to facilitate the creation of new partnerships with private companies, business associations, and NGOs to promote gender equality and expand women's economic opportunities.

"UN Women" is the United Nations entity for gender equality and the empowerment of women. It is the leading body coordinating the work of the UN system in the field of gender equality. It is a subsidiary body of the UN General Assembly, established by the Assembly's decision in 2010 to accelerate progress in meeting the needs of women worldwide, increase the efficiency of using available resources, and consolidate the mandates and functions of individual UN system units that dealt exclusively with gender equality and the empowerment of women.

Office Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration of Ukraine ensures the implementation of state policy to ensure equal rights and opportunities for women and men in Ukraine and the corresponding coordination of interaction between central executive bodies.

Ukraine Investment and Trade Facilitation Center is an independent non-profit organization specializing in supporting the development of small and medium-sized businesses, promoting the implementation of women's economic empowerment initiatives, trade, and export.

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