LinkedIn, UN Women To Create Job Opportunities For 2000 Women

LinkedIn, the online professional network, announced a three-year regional agreement with UN Women, a United Nations agency dedicated to gender equality and women’s economic empowerment, for $500,000 (3.88 crore).

According to LinkedIn, the project will begin with a pilot in Maharashtra to develop digital, soft, and employability skills in 2,000 women and provide them with a variety of career-building possibilities through job fairs, mentorship sessions, and peer-to-peer networks.

Given that 54.6 percent of men in Asia have internet access compared to 41.3 percent of women, addressing gender-responsive technology policymaking in the Asia-Pacific area was critical.

According to the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), the gender gap in Asia increased from 17% to 24% between 2013 and 2017. In an increasingly digital society, women and girls often do not have the same access to school, or the same types of education, as men and boys. As a result, they may have lower digital skills and literacy, and hence fewer economic prospects. In reality, in the last two years, COVID-19’s disproportionate influence has simply increased the opportunity gap for women and girls.

“As more businesses and professionals recognize the rewarding impact of gender-equal workplaces, we have the unique opportunity to help women become more employable and entrepreneurial in today’s digital era. By bringing women closer to the right skills and resources, we aspire to create a more equitable and all-inclusive talent landscape,” said Ashutosh Gupta, India Country Manager, LinkedIn.

LinkedIn and UN Women will collaborate to close this gap, with the goal of assisting the region and the world in achieving increased gender parity in the workforce.

After the 15-month experiment in India, UN Women and LinkedIn will use the lessons gained and evaluative input to improve the programs as needed, before expanding them to other Asia-Pacific nations, according to LinkedIn.