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On November 26-28, the last training of this season on the implementation of the Women’s Empowerment Principles (WEPs) was held in Kyiv.

WEPs are one of the effective tools that can be used to expand the rights and opportunities of women in the workplace and thus bring gender equality closer to the professional environment. Since the beginning of the full-scale Russian invasion, 21 Ukrainian companies have signed WEPs, but the awareness of the Ukrainian business sector about these instruments remains quite limited.

Over the course of three days, 27 participants from different regions of Ukraine examined WEPs, in particular the importance of ensuring equal rights and opportunities in the workplace, access to education for women workers, ensuring their well-being, etc. The basis for this training is a guide on the implementation of WEPs, which all participants of the training also received at the event.

In addition to learning about the WEPs themselves, participants also learned how Ukrainian businesses can join the Alliance for a Gender-Responsive and Inclusive Recovery of Ukraine. It was launched at the 2024 Ukraine Recovery Conference in Berlin on the initiative of the governments of Ukraine and Germany, together with UN Women. The Alliance has over 60 members and brings together governments, international organizations and international financial institutions, civil society and the business community. Its goal is to jointly promote gender equality and empower women in Ukraine to ensure a gender-responsive and inclusive recovery. Signing the WEPs is a prerequisite for joining the Alliance.

“The Alliance for Gender-Responsive and Inclusive Recovery in Ukraine addresses the impact of war on women and marginalized groups. Integrating gender equality into financing, decisions and prioritizing women’s rights creates the foundation for sustainable development. The use of WEPs allows for the implementation of gender-responsive approaches in the workplace, in collaboration with small and medium-sized enterprises and at the community level. Participation in the WEP training and their signing will help businesses become leaders in the gender-responsive recovery of Ukraine, and over 46 million euros in commitments confirm collective responsibility for the future resilience of Ukraine,” said Sabine Freizer Gunes, UN Women Representative in Ukraine.

The training also featured civil society leaders and gender equality experts. For example, Larysa Kobelyanska, a gender researcher, spoke about the challenges Ukraine faces on its path to implementing gender equality in the process of EU integration. Yulia Savelieva, a gender expert, taught how to create a gender-responsive workplace, and Olena Strelnyk, a doctor of sociological sciences, explained why women in Ukraine earn less than men.

On November 29, the last workshop of 2024, “Synergy of Cooperation: Best Practices of Private Companies in Empowering Women” was also held. Representatives of Ukrainian businesses that have already signed WEPs shared successful cases of their implementation in the workplace. In addition, representatives of private companies, business associations, and civil society organizations shared their experiences in implementing initiatives to support women’s empowerment during wartime to ensure gender-responsive recovery. Traditionally, for these workshops, participants worked in groups using the “World Café” method. They offered ideas on supporting women in the workplace, ways to build cooperation between private companies, civil society organizations, and government agencies, and discussed how to implement WEPs in workplaces with a small budget.

“Women’s economic empowerment is key to creating an inclusive society and a sustainable economy. Gender equality in the workplace is not only fair, but also economically beneficial. Providing women with more opportunities for professional growth increases the productivity of businesses and their competitiveness. By investing in women’s professional development, we invest in a future where everyone has an equal chance to realize their potential,” concludes Iryna Tytarchuk, Executive Director of the Ukraine Investment and Trade Facilitation Center.

Disclaimer:

The training on the implementation of the Women’s Empowerment Principles (WEPs) and the workshop “Synergy of Cooperation: Best Practices of Private Companies in Empowering Women” are implemented within the framework of the “Empowering Women in Business” initiative, which is carried out within 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.

These events are part of efforts to promote awareness of the Alliance for Gender-Responsive and Inclusive Recovery in Ukraine and implement its commitments through the implementation of WEPs.

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Ukraine Investment and Trade Facilitation Center

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/itfcua

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/itfc-ukraine/

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Background:

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.