“Kazakhstani entrepreneurs: WE AGREE!”

On September 19, 2012 UN Women together with Federation of Trade Unions of Kazakhstan and Union of Women entrepreneurs of Kazakhstan conducted a round table on improving mechanisms of gender equality promotion in entrepreneurship. The main goal of the event was to present to the participants of the round table "Women Economic Empowerment Principles", developed in the framework of the international consulting process involving multiple parties guided by UNIFEM (UN Women since 2010) and UN Global Agreement. Another objective of the round table was to discuss approaches to introduction of norms and standards encompassed in the Principles to management policies of Kazakhstan’s enterprises. In the course of the discussion the participants (i.e. MPs; entrepreneurs of Astana and Karaganda cities; representatives of the Federation of Trade Unions of Kazakhstan) have highlighted constantly increasing level of corporate, social and ecological responsibility of Kazakhstani enterprises. As a result, it seems very important and actual to promote and introduce the Principles. Discussants made special focus on the need for analyzing compliance of their policies of management with norms and standards of the Principles, followed by development of measures for integrating Principles into the spheres, covered during the analysis, including gender equality promotion as one of the priorities of social partnership. Kazakhstani entrepreneurs have also recognized information campaigns as a very important component in disseminating gained experience and monitoring implementation of newly developed policies of management.