17 CEO’s “Step it Up” for Women’s Empowerment
Date:
Sialkot, Pakistan - Seventeen CEOs from private sector companies in Pakistan have signed the CEO Statement of Support for the Women's Empowerment Principles, at an event on 21 May 2015 in Sialkot, organized by the United Nations Entity for Gender equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women) and Baidarie (a non-government organization established by rural women). The Women’s Empowerment Principles is a partnership initiative of UN Women and the United Nations Global Compact (UNGC) and provides a set of considerations to help the private sector focus on key elements integral to promoting gender equality in the workplace, marketplace and community, through policy and action.The launching ceremony, hosted by the Sialkot Chamber of Commerce and Industries, comes as part of UN Women’s partnership initiatives aimed at encouraging high-level leadership to promote gender diversity and inclusive work force within the corporate sector.
These seventeen CEOs, by signing the Statement on behalf of 11,000 employees where 18% are women, acknowledge that equal treatment of women and men is not just the right thing to do - it is also good for business. By signing the seven steps of the Women’s Empowerment Principles corporates take on a global approach to four key areas: promoting economic development through female entrepreneurship, championing gender diversity in business and corporate level, public-private partnerships for advancing women’s economic opportunities and providing potential business and investment opportunities through supplier diversity and marketing practices.
The private sector champions were identified through a series of consultations by UN Women and Baidarie. They are: Anwar Khawaja Industries, Awan Sports Unit 2 and 5, Box Ring, Capital Nexus, Capital Sports Corp., Forward Gear, Forward Sports, Kampala Industries, KM Ashraf and Sons, Mansha and Brothers Sports, Penna Overseas Corp., Starpak Martial Aarts, Talon Apparel, Talon Soccer, Talon Sports and Vision Technologies Corp.
Ms. Bismillah, a home based woman worker, after hearing the news that her organization has adopted the Women’s Empowerment Principles, voiced her delight: “If there will be more than 30% women employees then our strength will be reinforced and we can raise our voice for our rights”.
Speaking in support of his female colleagues and the seven Principles, Mr. Muhammad Majied, a factory worker shared: “If working women’s skills and wages are recognized, their socio-economic condition will improve. Some female colleagues have no access to social security benefits such as health insurance and old age benefits. If these are rightfully provided to them I am sure motivation and outputs will increase. If the seven Principles are introduced I am sure the socio-economic condition of both men and women will become much better”.
Mr. Jamshed Kazi, Country Representative, UN Women, congratulated the seventeen CEOs on signing the Statement of Support for the Women's Empowerment Principles. “This enthusiasm gives great hope for the future of Pakistan and especially for the important role reserved for women within the process towards gender equality and the empowerment of women. Today’s ceremony, comes as part of UN Women’s partnership initiatives aimed at encouraging high-level leadership to promote gender diversity and inclusive work force within the corporate sector. This is even more so important for Sialkot, being one of the leading manufacturing hubs in Pakistan. By adopting the seven Principles, industrialists of Sialkot have acknowledged the rights of the women workforce”, he said. CEOs, as part of their responsibility, were reminded that their commitments must now translate into visible and measurable actions.
Dr. Mariam Nouman, CEO of Capital Nexus, speaking at the launching ceremony shared her contribution in empowering local women: “In 2005 when my husband opened a sportswear manufacturing company, we decided to have 30% women in our workforce. We had a limited experience in hiring women, and had to adjust a number of policies and actions. We hired 20 local women as football stitchers who were professionally trained. Very soon we saw our women stitchers perform beyond our expectations. This encouraged us to hire more women. In 2012 we started another company and are aiming to have 50% of women as employees”.
Mr. Khawaja Masood, CEO of Forward Group reminded guests that the Women’s Empowerment Principles is a “particularly good model of an initiative that supports partnerships to sustain poor and needy women. It is a crime against humanity that our women are contained within the four walls of their houses as prisoners. I believe that there is no chance for the welfare of the humanity unless the condition of women is improved”. He added: “If we want to make significant improvement in our factories, hindrances to women’s advancement need to be better understood and addressed and we, as CEOs, should provide equal employment opportunities.
Mr Khawaja Musharaf, CEO of KM Ashraf and Sons, shared: “With a 20% female workforce we have provided safe and secure working conditions to them. We have already made sure that on the factory floor the wages remain same for both genders and in the corporate office we will follow the same policy. We plan to further groom their skills and competencies including leadership and management trainings, and enhance their professional development”.
For more information contact:
Faria Salman,
Strategic Management and Partnership Officer,
UN Women Pakistan
Email: faria.salman@unwomen.org