The Jordan Chamber of Commerce joined the Women’s Empowerment Principles (WEPs) community by signing a Statement of commitment to the WEPs Principles. Companies, business associations, stock exchanges, and chambers of commerce and industry join the WEPs community to make a public statement of commitment to gender equality and women’s empowerment on a global platform. This global initiative was launched in recognition of the importance of promoting gender equality to enhance business performance and sustainable economic growth. The WEPs is an initiative by the UN Global Compact and UN Women offering guidance to businesses on how to promote gender equality and women’s empowerment in the workplace, marketplace, and community.
The WEPs network currently includes more than 6400 companies around the world, 82 of which are based in Jordan. The WEPs are informed by international labor rights and human rights standards and are used as the primary vehicle for corporate delivery on the gender equality dimensions of the 2030 agenda and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
This global initiative was launched in recognition of the importance of promoting gender equality to enhance business performance and sustainable economic growth. Evidence suggests that unleashing the full potential of women and girls could increase the global GDP by more than $12 trillion, with positive effects on enhancing labor productivity.
Mr. Nael Al-Kabariti, Chairman of Jordan Chamber of Commerce, said that Jordanian economist believes in the importance of empowering women, and aware of the high values of justice, fairness and providing equal opportunities for both genders in employment, skill refinement, career development, necessary training and creating a stimulate working environment for them.
Kabariti pointed out that Jordanian women, despite their modest participation in the economy, they were able to prove themselves and strongly presented in society by leading many positions in the private sector and running successful companies; stressing that the Chamber is keen to increase women's empowerment and provide them with all possibilities of success.
“Chambers of Commerce play an important and crucial role as advocates and promoters of the Women’s Empowerment Principles, by leading by example, and by encouraging the adoption of gender-responsive policies in private sector member companies in alignment with the Seven Principles.” Said the UN Women Deputy Representative in Jordan, Ms. Aisha Mukhtar.
Members of the Chamber of Commerce that will join the WEPs community will benefit and utilize the available WEPs tools and capacity-building training to support their gender-responsive journey and enhance their implementation of the WEPs; one of those tools is the WEPs Gap Analysis Tool (GAT), a user-friendly and confidential online platform designed to help companies evaluate current programs and policies to identify areas for improvement and opportunities, as well as set new goals for women’s empowerment.
With the support of the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA), UN Women works with companies in Jordan to redesign existing policies and programmes or to develop new policies and programmes to achieve women’s empowerment in the labor market.
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