Gender Equity and Entrepreneurship: The Role of BPW International (1930 - Present)

1. Gender Equity and Entrepreneurship: The Role of BPW International (1930 - Present) Dr. Yasmin Darwich International President

2. BPW develops the professional, business and leadership potential of women on all levels through advocacy, mentoring, networking, skill building and economic empowerment programs and projects around the world. Business and Professional Women Mission Statement

3. Develop women’s professional and leadership potential at all levels Equal Participation of Women and Men in Power and Decision-Making Roles BPW Primary Objectives

4. BPW endorses:theWomen's Empowerment Principles (WEPs)of UN Women & UN Global Compact. • Leadership Promotes Gender Equality • Equal Opportunity, Inclusion and Nondiscrimination • Health, Safety and Freedom from Violence • Education and Training • Enterprise Development, Supply Chain and Marketing Practices • Community Leadership and Engagement • Transparency, Measuring and Reporting

5. Women's Entrepreneurship: The Problem • One-third of global businesses: woman-owned • Women-owned businesses: small to micro • Women's untapped productivity: up to 50% Barriers: • Discriminatory laws (property, inheritance, business customs) • Limited access to financial institutions • Limited productivity time per family constraints ILO Women's Entrepreneurship Development [WED], 2014

6. (continued) • Men 3x more likely to have employees • Average earnings of self-employed women up to 60% lower than that of men • Gender-oriented cultural norms, stereotypes, and resulting lack of role models • Time constraints (family, social obligations) • Nature of women's networks less business-oriented = labor productivity 5-30% less than that of men OECD 2014 Report on Female Entrepreneurship

7. Advantages of Women's Entrepreneurship • Women also create jobs, innovation, and contribution to GDP, the same as male entrepreneurs – thus potentially doubling national and global economies! • Women are MORE likely to reinvest profits in education, family, and community – thus, have a greater effect on the betterment of society! Forbes, 2013

8. Critical to the Solution: Women's Business Networks for Education, Connections, Support

9. Encouraging Young Entrepreneurs Young BPW

10. BPW Regions Fastest Growing: Africa and Mideast

11. Methodologies / Best Practices Leading Advocacy Leading Empowerment Leading Entrepreneurship Leading Equality Mentorship Taskforces and Projects

12. Some BPW Projects • Business Incubator: Online Training & Mentoring • Equal Pay Day Campaigns (EPD) • Mentoring • Women on Boards / 2020 • Sylvia Salazar Salazar Nursing School, La Paz, Mexico • BPW Quality School, Karachi, Pakistan • Project 5-0 • Red Belt Initiative • Personal Empowerment Programs (PEP) • BPW Success Teams

13. BPW and UN Advocacy • Consultative Status (through ECOSOC) since 1947 • Lobbied for formation of Commission on the Status of Women • Submitted numerous written, oral statements re: women • Awarded UN Peace Messenger Certificate, 1987 • Representative Esther Hymer recognized by UN, 1997 • Currently: 21 members serving as UN Representatives • In: UN offices of Geneva, New York, Vienna; Regional offices (UNECA, UNECE, UNESCAP, UNESCWA, UNECLAC); UNESCO, UNICEF, ILO, WHO, UNCTAD, UNIDO, FAO, UN DPI; Council of Europe; European Women’s Lobby, and especially, UN Women.

14. BPW Partners

15. Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Art. 26:2 • ”Education shall be directed to the full development of the human personality and to the strengthening of respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms. It shall promote understanding, tolerance and friendship among all nations, racial or religious groups, and shall further the activities of the United Nations for the maintenance of peace." • The declaration was proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly in Paris on 10 December 1948. • Yesterday, 67 years later, we celebrate the Human Rights Day.

18. Making a Difference through Leadership and Action.

19. Thank You!