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Equality between women and men in the professional environment is not only about ethics and modern approaches to doing business, but also a real opportunity for companies to become more successful and efficient. Businesses that expand women's professional opportunities demonstrate better economic performance and become more competitive in the market.

Since the beginning of the full-scale Russian invasion, women have become active drivers of the economy. In 2024, women launched more than half of newly created businesses in Ukraine. And the implementation of the Women's Empowerment Principles (WEPs) in the work of Ukrainian companies is increasingly becoming a key tool for strengthening their role.

In 2025, a new series of exercises on the implementation of WEPs for Ukrainian businesses, government agencies, business associations and civil society organizations will take place. The training sessions will be held online on February 17-19 and April 14-16. Participants will learn in detail about WEPs and gain practical knowledge for their implementation within their teams.

“The community of companies that respect human rights and ensure gender equality is growing every year. Currently, more than 10,000 companies in the world, including 41 in Ukraine, have already signed WEPs, thereby demonstrating their commitment to supporting women and girls. UN Women in Ukraine supports the promotion of WEPs as an effective tool for achieving gender equality and empowering women in the labor market and in society as a whole. The implementation of WEPs by public and private companies, civil society organizations, and business associations is essential for the sustainable and inclusive economic recovery of the country, as well as the participation of women in these processes,” notes Halyna Meshcheryakova, Program Specialist at UN Women in Ukraine.

In addition, the training will explain how to join the Alliance for a Gender-Sensitive and Inclusive Recovery of Ukraine, launched at the 2024 Conference on the Recovery of Ukraine in Berlin with the support of the governments of Ukraine and Germany, together with UN Women. The Alliance includes more than 60 organizations, including governments, international structures, financial institutions, civil society organizations and the business community. The Alliance’s mission is to promote equality between women and men, as well as support the empowerment of women in the recovery process.

Participation in the training is free of charge. Up to 25 participants will be invited to participate in each training session.

Registration form and details — at the link.

Who can join?

• business owners;
• representatives of public and private companies (especially at the management level);
• members of business associations.

“WEPs contribute to the creation of fair working conditions, where women have more opportunities to occupy leadership positions and develop professionally. The role of Ukrainian women in the country's economy is becoming increasingly noticeable, but large companies are still headed by men. Women can manage no less effectively,” concludes Iryna Tytarchuk, Executive Director of the Ukrainian Investment and Trade Promotion Center.

Disclaimer:

Training on the implementation of the Women's Empowerment Principles (WEPs) is implemented within the framework of the initiative “Empowering Women in Business”, which is carried out within the framework of the project “Transformational Approaches to Achieving Gender Equality in Ukraine”, which is implemented by UN Women with the financial support of the Government of Sweden in cooperation with the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration.

These activities are part of efforts to promote information about the Alliance for a Gender-Responsive and Inclusive Recovery and the implementation of its commitments through the implementation of WEPs.

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Information about WEPs Implementation Training in social networks:

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:

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.