Empowering Women & Girls - Q1 2024

Empowering Women & Girls

“The

Jemimah

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Investing in women: the overlooked solution to today’s challenges

WRITTEN BY Jemimah Njuki Chief of UN Women’s

The Ukraine, Sudan, Gaza-Israel and Haiti crises, plus the changing climate, economic stress, food insecurity and more seem insurmountable, surpassing our ability to cope. Despite the diverse natures of each crisis, they share a crucial common thread: the potential for improvement through empowering women and girls — a positive narrative often overlooked.

Benefits of women empowerment

Peace processes including women negotiators are more equitable and long-lasting. Prioritising education, family planning and fair wages could lift over 100 million women and girls out of poverty. Expanding paid care services could create almost 300 million decent-paying jobs by 2035, fairly compensating women and girls while boosting economies.

High returns in gender equality investment

Investing in women yields significant returns. Yet, we continue to spurn it. It is even more frustrating that we do so when the amount required is comparatively small. UN Women and our partners have worked out the price tag.

economic prosperity.

It is a mere USD 360 billion per year for developing countries alone to achieve gender equality by 2030. That is a fraction of the USD 2.24 trillion spent each year on the world’s militaries. It surely offers a far greater value and benefits us all.

Global benefit in making the right investment

It has become cliche to point out that seeking equality for women and girls is not only the right thing to do but also the smart thing. However, it is true. This highlights our foolishness in neglecting it, especially when we’re urgently seeking solutions. That foolishness becomes increasingly costly in times of need.

This 2024, some 2.6 billion people will have the power to vote in over 60 countries around the world. What will they demand in exchange for their vote?

Will they expect the candidates for office in their countries to commit to investing in women and girls, or will they waste an unparalleled opportunity for change that benefits us all? We must collectively join our voices in a call for equality that cannot be ignored. Change is not beyond us. We have a solution in front of us; let us seize it.

You have to feel empowered to raise your hand when an opportunity arises.

A recipe for success: support, inclusion and empowerment

Find inspiration and learn from empowered women leaders about career growth and mentorship. Pave the way to success and own your career.

Layla Whiting

Manufacturing Director, PepsiCo

INTERVIEW

Layla Whiting’s journey is a testament to female empowerment in business.

Initially a part-time receptionist at PepsiCo, she embarked on an exceptional trajectory. She rose to UK Manufacturing Director after embracing opportunities across Supply Chain and HR.

“When I started at the company, my confidence was pretty low,” she remembers. “But the number of people who believed in me — when I didn’t necessarily believe in myself — was remarkable.”

Career growth, autonomy and support Whiting valued empowerment in owning her career, embracing diverse work approaches and learning from mistakes within a supportive, inclusive setting. “If you’re offered a role that makes your tummy flip, you should take it because you’ll learn so much,” she says. “It can be scary, but I’ve always been supported and trusted to try new things, so I’ve never been worried about being outside my comfort zone, and I’ve never felt held back.”

Why mentorship and sponsorship are critical

Paid for by PepsiCo

Kate Brady, Senior Director of Marketing Transformation and Head of Creative and Content Transformation at PepsiCo,

agrees that employees should feel empowered to constantly challenge themselves. “That way, you’ll always be learning something and pushing boundaries to be a better leader and a businesswoman,” says Brady. “Where there are obstacles, you can use your network to navigate around them. It’s why mentorship and sponsorship within an organisation are critical.”

Whiting says the mentorship and advice she received from various inspirational female leaders were invaluable to career growth. “They were always happy to support me,” she notes. “I want to have the same impact on other women in our organisation.” It’s one of the reasons why she sponsors an internal employee group ‘Thrive’, which runs events and networking sessions for female colleagues.

April Carr, Senior Director of Transformation and Chair of the North America Women of Color Employee Resource Group, has mentored many female colleagues during her 25 years with the organisation. “I’m always encouraging women to go for that promotion,” she says. “It warms my heart and my soul when they tell me: ‘Guess what? I got the role!’”

Developing a meaningful career with real business impact Carr’s path to senior leadership has not been without challenges.

Occasionally, she admits, she has been the only woman in the room. “It’s part of my purpose to transform those rooms,” she insists. “Thankfully, I’ve had some fantastic female leaders and allies who saw my potential and gave me the autonomy to lead and make change.”

It led to a fulfilling career that influenced the whole business. Carr’s team recently delivered the first AI-enabled app — with augmented reality capability — for the sales team at Frito-Lay. “That kind of innovation is possible because my team is full of talent from a beautiful array of backgrounds,” she says. “Diversity is the secret sauce, which is vital to the company’s sustainability and competitive advantage.”

Brady knows how exhilarating it can be to see a successful project come to fruition. “I get excited when I help find a solution and then embed it and scale it within the organisation to make a meaningful impact on how we operate,” she says. “To get to that place, you have to feel empowered to raise your hand when an opportunity arises.”

While Whiting, Carr and Brady emphasise that personal strength and initiative are pivotal to owning one’s career, they also underscore the significance of PepsiCo embedding inclusion in its company culture for success.

INTERVIEW WITH

April Carr Senior Director of Transformation, PepsiCo

WRITTEN

BY

Tony Greenway

INTERVIEW WITH

How to ensure economic autonomy for women and shift gender balance

Empower

women with economic autonomy by addressing barriers to full participation in the labour force and recognising the value of unpaid care work.

WRITTEN BY Macarena Sáez Executive Director of the Women’s Rights Division of Human Rights Watch

Empowering women means acknowledging their agency in decisions about work, family, health and all other aspects of life. To achieve gender equality, governments and the international community must identify and remove barriers hindering women’s autonomy, such as limited labour force participation and economic independence.

Women facing labour inequality

Despite a slight increase in women’s participation in paid work after the decline caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, we’re still unemployed and underpaid at higher rates than men. According to the International Labour Organization (ILO), in 2023, female participation in the labour market stood at 61.4% while male participation reached 90.6%.

Women’s employment is also concentrated in lower-paying areas like the care sector, which is undervalued partly because these jobs are more likely to be filled by women, and they include work traditionally performed by women without pay.

Women burdened in informal economy

Unsurprisingly, in most countries, more women than men work in the informal economy. Additionally, women carry out most of the unpaid domestic care work, including cleaning, cooking and caring for children or older and sick relatives. The ILO calculates that women spend about three times more time on unpaid work than men.

These responsibilities mean that the rigid schedules and lengthy time commitments that many jobs might demand create particular burdens for women, especially for single mothers who need both money and flexibility. However, informal jobs have downsides; one of the prominent characteristics is the lack of security — including protection from violence and harassment — and legal protections, such as minimum wages and access to social security.

In 2023, female participation in the labour market stood at 61.4% while male participation reached 90.6%.

Empowerment through policy consultation

To increase women’s economic autonomy, governments must recognise the economic value of unpaid care work. Governments also need to ensure that families, especially single-parent households, have access to childcare and care for other dependents so that all parents can participate in the labour force. Additionally, governments should increase labour protections for informal workers, so they can also enjoy their rights to social security and healthcare.

Most importantly, strengthening women’s autonomy requires consulting those most affected by these obstacles about how to address them. Care economy policies should be designed in consultation with the women who engage in care work and are most marginalised by its invisibility. Hopefully, there will be a time when unpaid care work will be equally distributed, and paid care work will be fairly compensated — regardless of gender.

How integrating gender perspectives advances climate solutions

Accelerate climate action with women’s leadership. Discover how diversity fosters resilience and sustainability in the face of a changing climate.

WRITTEN BY Moa Westman Gender Specialist; Social-Climate Specialist Environment, Climate & Social Office, European Investment Bank

As the climate crisis has intensified, it has become clear that enhanced diversity can speed up climate action and that well-designed climate solutions can promote social inclusion. Women’s leadership and greater diversity in politics, business and finance are crucial to accelerate climate action. Gender diversity helps build resilient, sustainable and inclusive communities.

Boosting the role of women in climate action

The goals of increased diversity and climate action are interconnected. More gender diversity on corporate boards is correlated with increased climate and innovation performance according to Bloomberg. Women-owned businesses are more likely to pursue greater energy efficiency and research also shows that female leaders are more likely to support climate action and sustainability.

Perhaps it is no surprise that the world’s most sustainable cities are led by female mayors. Yet, gender diversity on boards and in leadership teams in important sectors such as renewable energy is still lagging behind.

In February 2023, the European Investment Bank Group launched the Women Climate Leaders Network, aiming to leverage women’s private sector leadership in climate action and environmental sustainability.

Global Commitment Summit: closing the funding gap to end FGM/C

We need a Global Commitment Summit to help end female genital mutilation or cutting. Take action to end this human rights violation today.

WRITTEN BY Asenath Mwithigah CEO, Orchid Project

Female genital mutilation or cutting (FGM/C) is a human rights violation and a form of gender-based violence. It comprises all procedures that involve partial or total removal of external female genitalia or other injury to female genital organs for non-medical reasons.1

Female genital mutilation/cutting global prevalence

While often perceived to take place in Africa where prevalence is higher and there is more data, it’s a global phenomenon. Over 4 million girls are at risk of FGM/C annually. FGM is the leading cause of death in the countries where it is prevalent, with over 44,000 estimated excess deaths annually.2

Women bearing the brunt of climate impacts

At the same time as women leaders are accelerating climate action, in many contexts, women are disproportionately affected by climate change. Why? They do not have the same access to resources, financial independence and educational opportunities to be prepared and effectively adapt to the effects of the climate crisis.

In developing countries, women manage both natural resources and food security while being the primary caregivers. Equalising access to resources in for example the agriculture sector would see a gain of up to 4% in agricultural productivity — enhancing global food security and helping manage our soils, lands and natural resources more sustainably.

In the aftermath of extreme weather events and natural disasters, countries report an increase in violence against women while girls tend to be pulled out of school to help their families recover from such events.

Addressing the climate crisis with a gender-responsive approach ensures that the benefits of climate policies and programmes are distributed equitably, contributing to a more just and sustainable society. Women’s leadership and integrating gender considerations into climate strategies enhances the effectiveness and long-term success of initiatives addressing the impacts of the climate crisis.

Funding to end female genital mutilation/ cutting

Yet, funding remains a significant challenge. UNFPA estimates that $3.3 billion is needed to avert 24.6 million cases in high-incidence countries by 2030. However, between 2020–2030, only $275 million in development assistance will be spent. This leaves a huge funding gap.

While resources will need to come from multiple sources, including domestic funding, donor funding will continue to remain the largest source. The issue of funding is not new in global advocacy, but a concerted push for financial commitments is needed to achieve transformative results. For this, we need political leadership and a rallying call for action.

Global Commitment Summit critical

A Global Commitment Summit, hosted by political leaders and supported through donor funding, will be a pivotal moment to unite and pledge support to end the practice.

At Women Deliver 2023, more than 150 activists gathered, launching the Kigali Declaration on Closing the Funding Gap. This was part of the Global Platform for Action to end FGM/C-led efforts. The Declaration includes a call for the Summit and has been signed by 200 organisations. In support, Orchid Project rolled out a campaign called #TakeASeatForTheSummit, asking for the people with the resources to take a seat next to the people with the knowledge. Political will must evolve urgently from ambition to action and commitment.

Researchers and grassroots organisations have evidence of what works and where funding needs to be channelled. From prevention and protection to treatment, efforts would include community awareness programmes, school education, work with youth, health workers’ training and policy and law development to psychosocial support to survivors. However, to truly end this practice, we need a space where commitments are made — we need a Summit.

References

1. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/ female-genital-mutilation

2. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-023-38276-6

Empowering adolescent girls to boost economic growth in Africa

BLearn how investing in empowering adolescent girls can drive economic growth and gender equality to unlock massive potential in Africa.

y 2050, Africa will host a quarter of the global population, boasting the world’s largest and youngest workforce, primed for economic growth. Yet, a significant policy hurdle remains: empowering women and girls — half of Africa’s population — to surmount enduring obstacles and realise their full potential amidst efforts to enhance youth employment through education, private sector advancement and infrastructure investments.

Female adolescence critical for Africa

A lot depends on early childhood and adolescence — a critical transition when decisions and achievements can have lasting effects well into adulthood. This is especially true for girls whose opportunities can be closed off even before they have a chance to pursue them. On average, across African countries, half of 15 to 19-year-old girls are either out of school, married or parenting.

Adolescent girls in Africa are a heterogeneous group experiencing a range of life circumstances and challenges that vary by context. High fertility rates, early marriage, low levels of education and restrictive social norms and laws all prevent girls from reaching their full potential and, by extension, undermine African countries’ efforts to grow their economies.

At the World Bank, we are increasingly focused on this key group and finding innovative ways to improve all adolescent girls’ chances of reaching economic success in adulthood, whatever steep path they might be travelling on.

Evidence-based interventions empower girls

Several studies conducted by the Bank’s Africa Gender Innovation Lab have found that interventions can indeed influence the trajectories of young women in positive ways, even in challenging contexts. For instance, research we conducted in Tanzania demonstrated the impact of goal-setting activities for girls and engaging boys through sports to reduce intimate partner violence.

In Somalia, we learned that with the right training, we can transform gender norms and promote more egalitarian attitudes among both adolescent boys and girls. This evidence is being used to shape promising new regional investments, such as the East Africa Girl’s Empowerment and Resilience (EAGER) programme.

Gender equality for growth in Africa

EAGER is designed to advance human capital development by keeping girls in school, promoting economic inclusion for young women and strengthening institutions to champion gender equality. In its initial phase, the programme will enable over 2 million girls to stay or return to school and 160,000 women to increase their productivity in the labour market in Mozambique and Madagascar. Only with such holistic and ambitious approaches can we build an Africa where no child is left behind.

WRITTEN BY Michael O’Sullivan Senior Economist and Head of the World Bank’s Africa Gender Innovation Lab

WRITTEN BY Estelle Koussoubé Economist, World Bank’s Africa Gender Innovation Lab

Inspiring inclusion in finance: how mentorship and initiatives help women thrive

Join us in celebrating International Women’s Day 2024 and exploring the vital role of mentorship in UK finance. Help empower women for equality and success.

WRITTEN BY Anna Lane President & CEO, Women in Banking & Finance

On International Women’s Day 2024, themed ‘Inspire Inclusion,’ we highlight mentorship’s vital role in advancing women’s careers in UK’s financial sector. It’s a day to celebrate progress, acknowledge remaining hurdles and unite to drive gender equality.

Slow diversity progress in finance

The financial sector, a linchpin of the UK’s economy, contributing £275 billion and ranking as the fifth largest sector in 2023, is gradually awakening to the untapped potential of women. Despite some progress in gender diversity at the leadership level, the pace of change is frustratingly slow. The ‘broken rung’ metaphor still aptly describes the barrier to women’s advancement into leadership, highlighting the need for targeted support and development initiatives.

Empowering women in finance

Women in Banking and Finance (WIBF) leads the way, fostering connections and unlocking women’s potential in finance. Its mentoring programme, powered by dedicated volunteers, embodies the principle of ‘Together: Power and Progress.’ This initiative facilitates personal and professional growth and fosters a supportive and empowering culture — essential for navigating the intricate landscape of financial services.

Why mentorship is vital for women

Mentorship stands out as a cornerstone for career development within finance, as evidenced by research and

Why

the experiences of numerous women in WIBF. A supportive mentor guides mentees through industry challenges, advocates for them and unlocks otherwise inaccessible opportunities.

This one-to-one relationship, founded on trust and mutual respect, is crucial for addressing the ‘leaky pipeline’ phenomenon, where talented women prematurely exit their career paths.

However, gender parity extends beyond mentorship, encompassing a broader commitment to fostering inclusive environments that value women’s contributions and recognise their leadership potential. The ongoing gender pay gap and systemic biases that devalue women’s capabilities underscore the challenges that still lie ahead.

United for finance gender equity

This International Women’s Day 2024, the question remains: how can we collectively dismantle barriers and enhance equity in finance? Through united actions: advocacy, mentorship and policies promoting women’s leadership and addressing gender inequality’s roots.

While we celebrate gender equality progress in the UK financial services sector, we must also recommit to the enduring struggle for inclusion and equity. Initiatives — including WIBF’s mentoring programme and the collective endeavours of individuals and organisations — inspire inclusion and drive significant change. Mentorship, with a persistent focus on breaking down systemic barriers, will help ensure that women not only progress but thrive in the financial services industry.

workplace policies for women and treatment access are a national concern

Lack of women’s health awareness leads to career setbacks. Help break taboos, and advocate for equitable access to treatments with supportive policies.

WRITTEN BY

Katja Lundell

Senior Director – Global

Head of Pricing, Access and Communications, Theramex

Women’s performance — and organisation success — rely on effective policies. Sadly, there’s little awareness of women’s health at work. Lack of support has forced women out of their careers. For example, due to menopausal symptoms, 10% of women have quit their roles and 67% of women have been negatively impacted in their work.

Impact of supportive workplace policies

While impacting personal productivity, women leaving their roles or taking sick leave also impact the overall economic productivity of a country. Taboos surrounding women’s health conditions also add to the challenge. There are sometimes cultural, religious or other community-based considerations, which make women feel like menopause is taboo and that they can’t speak up.

Women in ethnic minorities are particularly affected, so companies must have policies supporting women regardless of ethnicity or socioeconomic status. This will enhance women’s health and the economy.

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DOP: 21/02/24

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Policies promoting women’s holistic health

HRT supply issues and medicine policy

HRT supply has been an issue for several years and, even though the situation has broadly improved, access to HRT remains a stark postcode lottery with huge regional disparity. The lottery of HRT access is likely exacerbated by a new deal agreed between industry and the Government. The deal, known as VPAG (voluntary scheme for branded medicines pricing, access and growth), requires medicine manufacturers to repay a percentage of sales to the Government.

Women in ethnic minorities are particularly affected, so companies must have policies supporting women regardless of ethnicity or socioeconomic status.

We are championing women to speak up at work. If your company does not have a policy, start the conversation, so women feel empowered to ask for the help they deserve. Workplace policies, including initiatives allowing women to control the temperature of their office or take leave for heavy bleeding, aim to support women’s wellbeing and ensure timely access to necessary treatments.

References

While industry recognises that we must pay our way, the structure of the new approach will put more pressure on HRT supply due to a jump in costs for companies to produce medicines. Ministers must grasp the implications of VPAG and ensure it doesn’t backfire by making it harder for women to access already limited stock of HRT.

Public and private organisations should prioritise women’s health to yield both population and economic benefits, achieved through supportive workplace policies and ensuring access to essential treatments.

1.Fawcett Society. Menopause and the workplace. 2023. Available at: https://www. fawcettsociety.org.uk/menopauseandtheworkplace Last accessed: February 2024. 2.CIPD. Menopause in the workplace. 2023. Available at: https://www.cipd.org/uk/ knowledge/reports/menopause-workplace-experiences/ February 2024.

WRITTEN BY

Tina Backhouse Cluster General Manager, UK & IE, Theramex

Unleash her power and celebrate her achievements this

International Women’s Day

Explore how businesses can address gender disparity in the tech industry, and celebrate women’s achievements year-round. Join the movement for equality today.

On each International Women’s Day, we honour the remarkable achievements of women in the tech industry. However, that should be a year-round commitment.

Gender gap persists in tech techUK is acutely aware of the stark gender disparity within the tech sector. Shockingly, in the past year alone, 43,000 women have exited the workforce to fulfil caregiving responsibilities within their families.

According to a study by PWC, three out of five women returning to the workforce will move to a lower-skill role, which immediately reduces their earnings by a third.

WRITTEN BY Nimmi Patel Head of Skills, Talent and Diversity, techUK

programmes, networking events and educational initiatives are empowering women to pursue technology-related careers.

Invest in women: accelerate progress

Tackling gender disparity requires us to confront and dismantle the numerous obstacles that women often face in the tech field.

According to 2022 UK Government data, the gender pay gap across the UK is 14.9%, in favour of all male employees.

Addressing gender barriers for inclusive tech

Tackling gender disparity requires us to confront and dismantle the numerous obstacles that women often face in the tech field. From implicit biases to workplace stereotypes, we must identify and address these challenges to foster a truly inclusive environment. Equally, we need to shed light on the progress being made.

Encouragingly, several initiatives have emerged to support women’s progression in tech. Mentorship

What we have found to be most successful is celebrating and sharing stories about women in the industry. By sharing these stories, we aim to showcase the endless possibilities and inspire more women to enter and persist in technology careers. techUK’s TechTogether campaign aims to do just that. By championing inclusion efforts and including allies in this conversation, we can contribute to building more equitable societies and dismantling systemic barriers to opportunity for all.

As we mark International Women’s Day, let’s not only celebrate the achievements of women in tech but also acknowledge the work that still lies ahead. Together, we can continue to break down barriers and empower women to thrive in the dynamic world of technology. The United Nations theme for International Women’s Day for 2024 is ‘Invest in women: accelerate progress.’ Sharing women’s stories is how we do this.