“CSW 55 Priority Theme: Enhancing the Private Sector’s Capacity to Promote Gender Equality in the Workplace, Marketplace, and Community”

Yesterday, I attended a unique break-out session which unlike most of the other parallel sessions was not formatted as a panel session followed by questions and answers but rather as an interactive participatory workshop. This event entitled, “CSW 55 Priority Theme: Enhancing the Private Sector’s Capacity to Promote Gender Equality in the Workplace, Marketplace, and Community” focused on the 10 Women Empowerment Principles (WEP), Equality Means Business. The WEP are designed to help the private sector do what is necessary for promoting gender equality hence the title of this break-out. Since this was an interactive session I would like to take the opportunity to extend the participation in this session beyond those who were actually present. The facilitators of the session provided the participants with three questions which stimulated discussion as well as ideas for solidifying gender equality in the workplace. I will list the questions below and urge other to answer these questions by posting them on this blog.
1. Describe the major obstacles to women’s equal participation in the economic life in your country.
2. What do you see as priority actions and policies that can be taken by the private sector in your country?
3. How can you personally work to forward the WEP when you return home?
PLEASE PROVIDE YOUR INSIGHTS INTO THESE QUESTIONS!