Private businesses supporting survivors of violence

Representatives of 10 companies from different sectors gathered for a training on violence against women from the perspective of the employer. Participants discussed and shared ideas of what private sector employers can do to support survivors of violence.

Companies from construction, marketing, hospitality, telecommunications and other sectors participated in the training organized by UN Women within the framework of the United Nations Joint Programme for Gender Equality, funded by the Government of Sweden. The majority of the participating companies are part of the Working Group for Implementation of the Women’s Empowerment Principles, chaired jointly by UN Women and the Civil Development Agency (CiDA). Focusing on violence against women, the training aimed at raising awareness of private sector employers by identifying actions they can take to prevent and respond to violence, starting with their own staff members.

Two companies that are already supporting survivors of violence also shared their experiences: Adjara Group Hospitality, a hotel management company offering employment to survivors of violence; and PMO Business Consulting, a consultancy firm that organizes trainings in high-demand skills such as sales.

Elene Lomadze, representing the HR department of Adjara Group Hospitality, explained the company's newly established initiative: “We decided to start an employment programme to support survivors of violence so that they can become financially independent and start a new life, free from violence. Through UN Women, we got in touch with the NGO Amagdari, which helped us to identify women with qualifications matching our needs. When we did the first round of interviews, we realized that the candidates were highly experienced, and we decided to consider them for higher-level positions than we had initially anticipated.”

Equipped with more knowledge and inspiration on what companies can do to prevent and respond to violence against women, several companies expressed interest in further supporting the socioeconomic rehabilitation initiatives through trainings, business coaching and employment opportunities.