Increasing capacity of SMEs to implement the Women’s Empowerment Principles

Increasing capacity of SMEs to implement the Women’s Empowerment Principles

January 2013 – October 2013

The project “Increasing capacity of SMEs to implement the Women’s Empowerment Principles in their companies” aims at getting managers, primarily women owners of small and medium-sized enterprises, acquainted with 7 principles of women’s empowerment, initiated by the UN WOMEN Offices and UN Global Compact, in order to support their implementation in those enterprises.

In Serbia, in 2012, 12 major corporations signed the declaration and committed to implement these principles in their enterprises. This project will make it possible for SMEs all over Serbia.

The Association of Business Women of Serbia will carry out activities of this project in cooperation with business women associations from 5 towns: Čačak, Valjevo, Niš, Kragujevac and Bački Petrovac. Representatives of these associations will be mentors to women entrepreneurs in their towns, and will help them in the course of the project duration to introduce some of the principles into their enterprises.

Women’s Empowerment Principles that will be introduced into SMEs all over Serbia are:

  1. Establish high-level corporate leadership for gender equality.
  2. Treat all women and men fairly at work – respect and support human rights and non-discrimination.
  3. Ensure the health, safety and well-being of all women and men workers.
  4. Promote education, training, and professional development for women.
  5. Implement enterprise development, supply chain and marketing practices that empower women.
  6. Promote equality through community initiatives and advocacy.
  7. Measure and publicly report on progress to achieve gender equality.

The project is financed by UN Women.