UN Women Empowers Ukrainian Women Entrepreneurs at EXPO 2023

On October 27, nearly 150 women entrepreneurs gathered in Lviv, Ukraine, for the Women's Entrepreneurship EXPO 2023 satellite event. The event was organized by UN Women in partnership with government and business sector partners with the goal of fostering collaboration, information sharing, and exposure for women-led projects.

The long-term relationship between UN Women and Sweden in furthering gender equality in Ukraine was emphasized by Kasper Andersson, Deputy Head of Mission, Embassy of Sweden. The event acted as a venue to highlight women's business accomplishments and to promote gender equality in the corporate sector.

Participants had the chance to display their products, attend sales and promotion workshops, and participate in networking events to make business contacts. The Ukrainian Ministry of Economy, represented by Deputy Minister Tetiana Berezhna, highlighted financial options for Ukrainian firms, including incentives for veterans and their wives.

Valeriia Ionan, Deputy Minister for European Integration at Ukraine's Ministry of Digital Transformation, stated that women made up 51% of the 36,892 individual entrepreneurs registered in 2023. Despite this encouraging trend, women entrepreneurs continue to confront barriers to global business growth.

Kateryna Levchenko, Government Commissioner for Gender Policy, underlined the importance of addressing societal norms and standards that prevent women from fully utilizing their resources. The impact of the full-fledged conflict on women's employment and financial resources was also examined, with Julia Broussard, Deputy United Nations Women Representative in Ukraine, emphasizing the significance of inclusive economic growth for the country's rehabilitation.

The Women's Entrepreneurship EXPO 2023 satellite event showcases UN Women's, government, private sector, and international partners' joint efforts to empower women entrepreneurs and achieve gender equality in Ukraine.