Traditional gender stereotypes often exclude women from decision-making fields. Even where certain positions of responsibility are enabled, they are often restricted to less influential areas of governance. Providing aspiring leaders and allies with the necessary skills for empowerment is a crucial step to break the glass ceiling. To that end, accentuating efforts of capacity-building for women leadership lies at the core of UNITAR’s vision for the Agenda 2030. Earlier this year, the Institute’s work on Multilateral Diplomacy has lent an increased focus on efforts to maximise women empowerment skills. Its first e-workshop series featured a three-day e-workshop on women leadership, highlighting critical themes, such as female leadership, self-confidence, and drive for success. Given the success of this endeavour, UNITAR heightened its efforts in the past quarter, with two major events, the e-Workshop on Women’s Leadership, and its course on Women in Business and Management, delivered in partnership with the International Organisation of Employers (IOE).  

“The training is great, perfect and very useful.” – e-Workshop participant

e-Workshop on Women’s Leadership

Socio-economic factors can prove to be serious obstacles for women to develop essential leadership skills. UNITAR is committed to empowering women to have fair and equal access to all levels of decision-making. To further its mission, the Institute built on its prior experience to deliver the e-Workshop on Women’s Leadership, which took place during three consecutive half-days, between 9 – 11 November 2020. It aimed at promoting gender equality and women’s full and effective participation and leadership at all levels of decision-making. The activity was designed on the premise that focusing on women’s empowerment and gender has a massive multiplier effect. Indeed, capacity-building on women leadership strengthens peace and security, and promotes equal opportunities in society and the labour market, ultimately further contributing to achieve sustainable development in developing countries. 

“I am very grateful for this e-workshop. In my opinion, it is very well conceptualized and it has achieved its objectives.” – e-Workshop participant

The e-Workshop aspired to empowered participants with the opportunity to build essential personal leadership skills and qualities, to thrive in leadership positions. This provided participants with the following skills:

  • Addressing the power of perception; self and social awareness and emotional intelligence in identifying and owning one’s own strengths and skills; 

  • Identifying damaging cognitive and psychological biases, personal and professional confidence, and development;  

  • Acquiring vital leadership competencies to empower and influence: executive presence and effective communication methods (verbal and non-verbal);  

  • Determining primary skills for women in leadership and ‘breaking the glass ceiling’.  

 

UNITAR-IOE course on Women in Business and Management

The Women in Business and Management online programme aimed at strengthening gender equality implementation in the workplace by improving women's representation at the apex of corporate leadership. It further aimed to provide participants with valuable support in the development of external partnerships with other actors in the field of gender, women's leadership, and mentoring.  

“It was a great experience. I was provided the opportunity to learn from a different, challenging and ambitious environment, as well as discover useful knowledge and interests that I can give back to my own country. While some knowledge is embedded in business processes and relationships, I hope to create an implementation of continuous series of improvements, that will be of great benefit to myself as well as my organization”- Gender, Women’s Leadership and Mentoring participant.

In an innovative approach, participants learned how to use the power of positive psychology to change perspectives and behaviours, while managing their own motivational mechanisms. That endeavour allowed UNITAR experts to coach participants to the following skills:

  • Gaining personal and professional insight and confidence in your own leadership and mentoring role – about your strengths, challenges and opportunities as a leader and how you can shape your mentorship role and expand your impact;  

  • Addressing the importance of trust for successful leadership and mentorship and how gender plays a part;  

  • Acquiring a deep comprehension, based on evidence, about the nature, power of and diversity of motivation and how this impacts leadership and mentorship; 

  • Grasping international leadership in culturally diverse contexts: layers of diversity and gender as a sub-culture;  

  • Being able to execute the Communicating-Mentoring-Conflict Resolution (CMC) of Leadership and Mentorship in order to optimise your unique leadership style.  

“The e-workshop as my first one and first time participating was very useful to me and had empowered my knowledge. I will be able to share will others and become a strong Mentor in my country (Lesotho).” - Gender, Women’s Leadership and Mentoring participant.

There is evidently much work to be done for our societies to reach full gender parity, and women concordantly being provided with equal access to all levels of decision-making. UNITAR is proud to contribute to reaching further milestones to include and empower women to fulfil their aspiration with equal opportunities. The Institute looks forward to the implementation of the Women’s Leadership for Peace Programme in 2021.

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