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About the Forum
The United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), in cooperation with the OPORA Russia Committee on Developing Women’s Entrepreneurship, will host, on the opening day of SPIEF, a one-day international forum entitled ‘Increasing the Contribution of Women to Economic Growth and Prosperity: Creating an Enabling Environment’.
Date: 23 May 2018
Venue: ExpoForum Convention and Exhibition Centre, conference hall F3The joint UNIDO–OPORA event will provide a global perspective on the key challenges involved in scaling up successful models of women’s economic empowerment and entrepreneurship, and the solutions available. The event will facilitate the sharing of experience between high-level government representatives and members of the international business community, women’s entrepreneurship advocacy groups, and business networks. Three sessions will address fostering smart and innovative business models through women’s economic empowerment; the intersection of policy-making and business, and tools to empower female entrepreneurs to succeed in global markets. In addition, a separate session on ‘Doing business with UNIDO’ will be organized for representatives of the business community attending the event. Most importantly, the Forum is expected to generate practical recommendations for harnessing the underutilized potential of women in economic development, in particular with the support of international partners like UNIDO working in cooperation with the private sector, business associations, and civil society. Likely to be discussed are the creation of a global talent pool of female leaders, the development of advanced e-learning platforms for women in business, and concrete international and national capacity-building projects for women in business.
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Programme
Time Topic 08:30–10:00
Arrival of participants and welcome coffee
10:00–10:30
Welcome speeches
Broadcast10:30–11:00
Video screening: UNIDO Women’s Economic Empowerment
11:00–12:30
Panel session I: Fostering smart and innovative business models through women’s economic empowerment: Success stories from the region and beyond
BroadcastThis session will feature best practices and solutions in innovative business models that support women’s economic empowerment. Presenters will outline the typical challenges women entrepreneurs face in today’s business environment and talk about what helped them to overcome barriers and succeed in their endeavours. The audience will have an opportunity to learn from the issues and success stories presented, which will have a particular focus on innovative undertakings. Participants will also gain insights into the challenges and opportunities associated with increasing women’s economic empowerment through business leadership. The case studies presented will have a specific emphasis on UNIDO’s recent interventions in the field and prominent practical examples from the Russian Federation of advancing sustainable and inclusive business models in innovation. The following open discussion will focus on key questions, such as:
- Why are women key agents of change and what is their contribution to ‘smart economics’?
- Which innovative business models work best to support women’s economic empowerment?
- Which transformative actions are needed to advance women’s economic empowerment and overcome existing barriers?
- How do UNIDO’s projects facilitate the promotion and capacity-building of women entrepreneurs in innovation?
- The role of UNIDO and its partners: how can global alliances and networks for women’s economic empowerment be formed?
12:30–14:00
Lunch break
14:00–14:30
Presentation on doing business with UNIDO: Introduction to UNIDO procurement
BroadcastThis short intermediate session targets Russian and international companies attending the event who will learn about the opportunities for ‘doing business’ with UNIDO through participation in UNIDO procurement. Other interested participants are also invited. The session serves mainly to inform potential partners on how to approach procurement under UNIDO projects and will allow participants to interact with UNIDO procurement staff. In addition, it touches briefly on the UNIDO gender progressive procurement initiative.
14:45–16:00
Panel session II: The intersection of policy-making and business: harnessing the economic potential of women for growth and prosperity
BroadcastThe second panel will enable a dialogue between policy-makers and practitioners, allowing an exchange of views on the benefits of women’s participation in the modern economy. Furthermore, policy-makers and private sector representatives will discuss various prerequisites for creating an enabling policy and business environment for women entrepreneurs. Policy-makers will be given the opportunity to share their experience of coming up with policy responses to the evolving challenges presented by global markets influenced by technological change and increasing diversity. Representatives from the private sector will have a chance to share insights and vision regarding the impact of the existing policy environment on their daily business and to recommend possible solutions from their perspective.
- What do we mean by creating an enabling environment for women’s economic empowerment?
- Which policies need to be in place to accelerate women’s economic empowerment?
- How can the economic potential of women be harnessed in the context of the digital economy to deliver prosperity and societal benefits?
- What is the role of policy-making in enabling business activities in the modern economy?
- What is the role of financial institutions and business support institutions in supporting women’s economic empowerment?
16:00–16:30
Coffee break
16:30–17:45
Interactive session III: Tools to empower women entrepreneurs to succeed in global markets – dialogue with successful businesswomen
BroadcastThis session will be organized as an interactive dialogue between the audience and a testimonial in the field of women’s economic empowerment. The audience will learn more about specific innovative tools and models for women entrepreneurs to succeed in today’s world of challenges and numerous opportunities based on the actual life stories of successful businesswomen. The audience will be encouraged to ask questions and actively participate in the discussion.
- How can women’s entrepreneurial activities be scaled up?
- How do we take these from the local level to the national economy and beyond?
- What concrete measures (e.g. utilizing UNIDO’s global setting and platforms for creating a female talent pool of leaders; establishing e-learning platforms for women in business; establishing female business leaders’ networks with support from the private sector) should be taken to foster women’s economic empowerment?
17:45–18:00
Closing remarks
During the panel sessions, simultaneous interpreting in Russian and English will be provided.
Advance registration is required for participation in this event.
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REGISTRATION AND CONDITIONS OF PARTICIPATION
If you are interested in attending the Forum, please complete an application form by 10 May 2018. All fields marked with an asterisk in the application must be completed.
Applications for participation will be considered by the Forum organizers and, if approved, the person who submitted the application will be sent an information letter with details to log in to their personal web office – an individual section for each participant stored in a secure place on the Forum’s website.
The Forum organizers may deny invitations to applicants without explanation.
The Forum organizers ask participants who have received an invitation to confirm their participation in their personal web office. Each participant must sign a contract, which will serve as confirmation and a guarantee of participation in the Forum.
Payment for participation
The cost of participation is RUB 5,900 (including VAT).
Participants should enter their payer information, select a payment method, and create an agreement in the Payment section of the personal web office, then print and sign it, and email to their personal manager.
As soon as a personal manager receives a signed copy of the agreement, the participant will be able to create an invoice or pay by bank card in their personal web office.
Payment for participation must be made within five business days of signing the contract. The payment date shall be regarded as the date on which the funds are deposited in the contractor’s account. Participants may check whether the funds have been received via their personal web office, or by calling their personal manager.
The registration fee may be paid prior to 17 May 2018.
Participant badges for the International Forum ‘Increasing the Contribution of Women to Economic Growth and Prosperity: Creating an Enabling Environment’ do not grant the right to take part in SPIEF on 24–26 May 2018. Conditions for participation in SPIEF 2018 can be found here.
SPIEF 2018 participants may attend the International Forum ‘Increasing the Contribution of Women to Economic Growth and Prosperity: Creating an Enabling Environment’ free of charge. No additional registration is required. You can access the Forum by presenting your SPIEF 2018 participant badge.
