Advocacy Campaign on Women in Green Industry Green industry has the potential to deliver on both environmental and economic objectives of the economy and its long-term benefits
Green industry aims at mainstreaming environmental, climate and social considerations into the operations of enterprises. The greening of existing and the creation of new green industries has great potential to minimize harmful impact of climate change, environmental degradation and natural disasters on women’s livelihoods and food security. This may be considered as an entry point to achieve inclusive and sustainable industrial development, which is the core principle of UNIDO.
The campaign highlights that women are important agents of change and play an active and substantial role in the management and conservation of natural resources, hence a more equal inclusion of both women and men could propel green industry and lead to better development outcomes. The advocacy campaign on “Women in Green Industry” advocates the fact that enabling policy environment coupled with deliberate action by government, the private sector, and development practitioners among others, are necessary to utilize the full potential of women’s participation in green growth.
Who We Are The United Nations Industrial Development Organization is the United Nations’ specialized agency with the mandate to promote industrial development in the worlds developing and least developed nations. The Organization supports governments, businesses and other stakeholders in their efforts to meet the challenges of, and to remove the barriers to, their industrial development. To do so, UNIDO mobilizes knowledge and information, builds capacity, and facilitates the transfer of technology to enhance competitiveness and advance the adoption of climate change mitigation measures. UNIDO’s strategy is built upon three pillars:
Poverty reduction through productive activities Industrial development plays a significant role in achieving the necessary structural change to set the economies of poor countries on a path of sustained economic growth. Industry provides a seedbed for entrepreneurship, promotes business investment, fosters technological upgrading and dynamism, improves human skills and creates jobs, thus contributing to reduce poverty.
Trade capacity-building Enhancing the capacity of developing and transition economies to participate in global trade is often a necessary step towards economic growth. In a globalized world, the opportunities for enterprises in these countries to access international markets strongly depend on their ability to enter into global value chains.
Energy and environment
Sustainable industrial development requires measures to permit economic growth whilst minimizing environmental degradation. Such an objective can be attained through improved industrial energy management and efficiency, and a more sustainable use of resources. Access to affordable, reliable and low-carbon energy services also plays a critical role in enhancing productivity, creating business opportunities and reducing poverty.
Plan of Action The advocacy campaign on “Women in Green Industry”, intends to sensitize and invite all stakeholders to join hands for strengthening participation of women in green industry. The idea is to identify non-conventional business opportunities for women in the green sectors. UNIDO believes that as green entrepreneur women can offer meaningful employment to others that is economically rewarding, socially responsible, and environmentally beneficial. In addition, women entrepreneurs can find their niche by greening the existing products and services as well. In this regard, opportunities exist in green sectors of the economy such as clean technologies, energy trading, recycling and waste reduction. The campaign will promote green entrepreneurship for women by bringing together all stakeholders, to secure commitments and mobilize actions, in support of sustainable industrial models. This initiative will connect women professionals with a shared interest in green Industry for networking, peer support and exchange with access to success stories of women entrepreneurs and leaders.