UN Women expanding its strategic partnership with the private sector

Within the framework of the Women’s Empowerment Principles, UN Women has maintained long-standing and close cooperation with the Georgian private sector. This partnership is still gradually expanding to incorporate gender equality through new initiatives and it is becoming even more strategic.

One core example of this cooperation is the memorandum signed on 6 April between UN Women and TBC, one of the largest Georgian banks. The document was signed by Kaori Ishikawa, UN Women Country Representative in Georgia, and the CEO of TBC Bank, Vakhtang Butskhrikidze.

Under the memorandum, UN Women and TBC will implement joint initiatives in various areas. These will include the professional development and employment of women, supporting women entrepreneurs, encouraging women and girls in information and communications technology, raising public awareness about gender equality and other related issues.

Following the adoption of the memorandum, Ms. Ishikawa spoke about the role that TBC, as one of the largest employers in the private sector, plays in achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals, including the targets on gender equality: “Since 2020, UN Women and TBC have been actively cooperating in the sphere of engaging women and girls in information and communications technology. I am confident that this memorandum will further deepen and diversify our partnership.”

TBC is already a signatory to the Women’s Empowerment Principles and as a company they pay special attention to gender mainstreaming and advocacy. The data from 2021 shows that women make up 68 per cent of TBC’s overall employees and 35 per cent of its top managers. Currently, TBC, together with UN Women, is implementing the pivotal “500 Women in Tech” project. This initiative aims to increase the involvement of women and girls in technology.

As Mr. Butskhrikidze noted, the commitment to women’s rights and gender equality is an integral part of TBC’s corporate culture: “The strategic partnership based on common values and vision between TBC and UN Women is a good example of how two organizations support women’s economic empowerment. I am sure we will implement many interesting and useful initiatives together.”

The memorandum is one part of the Women in Economic Empowerment component of the “Good Governance for Gender Equality in Georgia” project, which is supported by the Government of Norway.