GIZ signs the United Nations Women’s Empowerment Principles

Gender equality for all is a key human right, but equality for women in the labour market is not yet a reality. The Women’s Empowerment Principles (WEPs) developed by UN Women and the UN Global Compact address this issue and advocate equality of opportunity.

The WEPs are a set of seven principles intended to empower women in business. They include equality of opportunity at the workplace as well as equal pay for equal work. Worldwide, more than 860 household corporate names have added their names to the initiative. The Chair of GIZ’s Management Board, Tanja Gönner, signed the document during a recent event on gender equality, making GIZ the eighth German company to commit to the UN Women principles.

The Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH has itself been pursuing these goals for many years. By signing the WEPs, GIZ has underlined its commitment to gender equality, both within the company and beyond. The number of women in managerial positions has risen steadily in recent years, accounting for around 37 per cent of managers in 2014.

The UN Women National Committee in Germany is an independent public-benefit organisation that supports the work of UN Women at national level. It promotes women’s empowerment and gender equality throughout Germany. In the words of Karin Nordmeyer, President of the UN Women National Committee Germany: ‘It is high time that women and men should be able to enjoy equal opportunities to realise their potential at work. This is not just a question of justice; it is a necessity for sustainable development in our economy and our society.’