Outcome ARG_D_2.1

More women business owners and enterprises implement a gender equality agenda aligned with the WEPs

In 2021 the Win-Win programme (UN Women, International Labour Organization and European Union) ended, consolidating its contribution to a cultural change in the business ecosystem. The almost 1000 women that strengthened their capacities and skills as business leaders and entrepreneurs, created networking spaces, such as the Red MIA (Women of the Argentine Industry) ; empowered their businesses and opened new markets and promoted initiatives between the public and private sectors. Some of these initiatives are dialogue tables which led to the development and implementation of gender responsive procurement policies in 5 Provinces (Rio Negro, La Pampa, Neuquén, La Rioja, and San Juan). UN Women and ILO influenced processes related to the removal of barriers promoted by Women’s and business associations such as the creation of institutional spaces or areas of gender equality and diversity in business chambers and employer organizations. One of the most important outcomes in this area has been the increased in the number of women in t he Board of Directors of the Industrial Union of the Province of Buenos Aires (went from 12% to 33%). Over 70 new companies sign WEPs in 2021, totalizing 236 companies so far. 55% of companies that signed WEPs have completed an Action Plan on Gender Equality, and there was an 58% improvement in the average performance between the time the companies signed WEPs and 2021. The accompaniment and training of the Program allowed the WEPs companies to incorporate innovative practices in those dimensions where they had lower performance, thus initiating a cultural change with a multiplier effect on the entire organization and in the community. Example of that are the 4 groups of rural women cooperatives that elaborated business plans to increase their capacities to access finance and are now preparing pitches with HSBC executives. The study "Advertising and stereotypes: A high-risk relationship" made with Interbrand, was launched in 2021 and disseminated widely by UN Women and partners. Due to the interested aroused, Argentina has been placed in the pipeline for launching the national chapter of the Unstereotype Alliance in 2022 with the Argentinean Chamber o Advertisers as partner. Last, UN Women made important steps for the sustainability of this line of work, signing agreements with 5 institutions (Provinces of Río Negro, Chubut, Córdoba and San Juan and the Chamber of Medium-sized Enterprises - CAME) for the replication of the Virtual Training for Businesswomen and Entrepreneurs of Latin America and the Caribbean. All 5 partners will continue implementing the virtual school in 2022

More women have decent jobs and/or their own sources of income, start-up and/or manage companies, cooperatives and social economy organizations in a sustainable way, including young, rural, indigenous and vulnerable women

One of the most important barriers for women and LGBTI+ to participate in the economy and the labor market is the rigid structure of the economy horizontally segregated. In 2022 the Ministry of Public Works advanced in the removal of barriers for women and LGBTI+ to participate in the Construction sector (one of the most male dominated activities in Argentina with only 4% women) through a national resolution to eliminate sexist language in all the documents, tenders and other related communications created and disseminated by the organism. The resolution is part of the efforts to gender mainstreaming in the area that the Ministry is carrying out with UN Women’s technical assistance. Another important outcome has been the agreement signed among the Ministry of Public Works, the Chamber of Construction (CAMARCO) and the Union (UOCRA) to increase joint efforts to include more women and LGBTI+ as workers in the sector. The removal of women and men’s stereotypes is key for changing the structure of the labor market. Thus, in April 2022 the Argentina National Chapter of the Unstereotype Alliance was launched, making it the third in Latin America, and the twelfth National Chapter in the world. With this formal launch 9 partners (large advertisers from the private sector, advertisement chambers, advertising agencies and gender in advertising specialists) are playing a key role in the adoption of collective action to remove barriers in the private sector through the elimination of stereotypes. During the reporting period 33 additional companies signed the Women Empowerment Principles (WEPs), making 240 signatories in total in Argentina published in www.weps.org. A total of 1896 people from the private sector strengthened their capacities to address and promote gender equality in their companies through access to equal opportunities, gender-sensitive procurement processes, communication and eradication of unconscious biases. The WEPs community kept their interest and motivation throughout the 10 monthly workshops and specific interactions to complete their gender action plans to ensure women's equitable access to services, goods and resources. Adopting the WEPs is a continuous journey for many companies in Argentina. For example, by joining the WEPs community in 2019, Arredo was able to adopt Cuidar Cuidando in 2022, an integral policy that offers 180 days for caring regardless gender and type of family.