Ban wants barriers against women's economic empowerment removed

New York, US (PANA) - UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has called for greater efforts to remove barriers that hinder women’s full participation in the economy, citing lack of access to jobs, markets, credit and property as some of the impediments.

''The meaningful participation of women in business from the inclusion of women-owned businesses in supply chains, to having significant representation of women on corporate boards also translates into stronger performance,” Ban said at an event at the UN headquarters on gender equality for sustainable business Tuesday.

Ban joined nearly 200 business leaders and representatives from civil society, governments and the UN to mark the second anniversary of ''Equality Means Business'', an initiative of the UN Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women) and the UN Global Compact that provides a road map on how business can empower women in the workplace, marketplace and community.

PANA reports that the theme of this year's event is: ''Gender Equality for Sustainable
Business.''

The UN chief said ''we cannot achieve sustainable development without buy-in from business – from leading global corporations to small- and medium-size enterprises, from investors to entrepreneurs, nor can we achieve sustainability at a corporate or a global level without empowering the world’s women.''

Also speaking. Georg Kell, the Executive Director of the UN Global Compact, said despite increased efforts, corporate sustainability and gender equality concerns often remain disconnected.

''More and more companies now recognize that business can maximize its contribution to sustainable development by prioritizing and integrating gender equality and women’s empowerment as key components of corporate sustainability,'' he said.

On her part, Ms. Michelle Bachelet, UN Women’s Executive Director, emphasized that countries and companies with higher levels of gender equality enjoy faster growth and better performance.
-0- PANA AA/SEG 7Mar2012