Women in Leadership: Lessons from the United Nations

When the United Nations was founded in 1945, women were not at the table in great numbers. Yet from the beginning, women leaders were present, persuasive, and determined to shape the agenda for peace and equality. Eight decades later, women’s leadership has become one of the UN’s defining goals…an unfinished but urgent priority.

Women Leading at the UN

Today, women hold key leadership positions across the UN system. They head agencies, shape policies, and drive initiatives that touch lives around the globe. UN Women, established in 2010, stands as the most visible expression of this commitment, ensuring gender equality remains a core part of international dialogue. From climate negotiations to peacekeeping missions, women leaders are demonstrating that progress is possible when women’s voices are heard and their decisions respected.

The UN’s own data reminds us there is more work ahead: while gender parity has been achieved at the highest levels of leadership, the pace of change is uneven. Women’s leadership isn’t just about the numbers. Women’s leadership is about influence,impact, and inclusion.

What this means for NFBPWC

As an affiliate of BPW International, NFBPWC has consultative status with the UN through ECOSOC (United Nations Economic and Social Council). That means our members aren’t bystanders. We are active participants in the global dialogue. By learning form the examples of women in leadership at the UN, we can model leadership, bring local expertise to global spaces, and build confidence in our own voices.

• Model leadership at every level: from club chairs to national presidents, our leadership mirrors the values of the UN (diversity, equity, and shared responsibility).
• Bring local expertise to global spaces: our projects on health, climate, entrepreneurship, and advocacy are directly connected to the issues debated at the UN.
• Build confidence in our own voices: if women at the UN can shape treaties and resolutions, NFBPWC members can influence our communities, workplaces, and networks.

How You Can Participate Now

You don’t need to be a UN representative to be part of this story. Here are steps everyone can take this month.

• Watch women in action: Visit UN WebTV and seek out sessions where women leaders take the podium. Notice how they frame arguments, build coalitions, and set agendas.
• Practice leadership locally: Bring what you see to your club or committee. Use it as inspiration for how you moderate a meeting, present an idea, or guide a project.
• Share the story: highlight women leaders at the UN on your own social media or in your networks. Visibility inspires others to step up.

Call to Action

This month, as we spotlight Women in Leadership, look to the United Nations not only as a symbol of global cooperation, but as a source of inspiration. Women at the UN aren’t waiting for permission to lead…they are leading. So should we.

To get involved with NFBPWC’s United Nations efforts, email unchair@nfbpwc.org – or president@nfbpwc.org.

Together, we can ensure that women’s leadership is not the exception but the expectation, at the UN, in our communities, and within NFBPWC.

By Barbara Bozeman, President, NFBPWC

UN Women Ignite the Power of ONE “ONE Woman - ONE Community - ONE Nation: Building a Sustainable & Inclusive World Together”

To celebrate United Nations Day, October 24th, and the UN’s 80th anniversary, it is my pleasure to share ONE story of how UN Women, the lead UN entity on gender equality, ignites our collective power for the economic empowerment and full participation of women in the workplace, marketplace, and community around the world. This journey emboldened by UN Women celebrates the MANY women building an inclusive and gender just world.

Members of the NFBPWC know well, the power of attending the annual UN Commission on the Status of Women (UNCSW )and BPW International (BPWI) Leaders’ Summit in New York. I will never forget the Canadian Global Champions with Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, Executive Director, UN Women (second from left).

awe-inspiring rush; the first and every successive time I entered the United Nations. As a member of ECOSOC  –  an accredited non- governmental organization (NGO), BPW members can attend events and discussions that further the Commission on the Status of Women’s (UNCSW) landmark “agreements” including the Beijing Declaration  and  Platform  for  Action and the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW).

Developing a deep understanding of the language used and commitments made by Member States to the Agreed Conclusions of the sixty-fifth session empowers women to confidently engage with policy makers to shape national policy.

The big AHA moment

It was, however, at a BPWI Leadership Summitt featuring the 2010 UN Women and UN Global Compact Women’s Empowerment Principles (WEPs) that the proverbial lightbulb went on. When BPWI President Liz Benham introduced the Women Mean Business tag line, Doris Hall the National President and I (then serving as the BPW Canada Secretary and Communications Strategic Advisor) immediately saw the game changing potential of the WEPs.

The role that work and economic empowerment play in promoting self-efficacy and quality of life has been well documented across my professional career in a diverse range of occupational sectors. That day the stars aligned and set the course to harnessing the power of a passionate BPW network, UN Global research and development, and insights from lived workplace experiences.

WOMEN MEAN BUSINESS

The WEPs launched a women’s empowerment journey that would break open decades of stalled progress through fresh dialogue with legislators. Simultaneously, we developed a team of Women’s Economic Empowerment Advocates within the BPW Canada Network. Cultivating a broadened understanding of the business case for the Women Mean Business tag line, saw the national narrative began to shift to valuing the diverse ways women contribute to the National Economy.

UN WOMAN: a grassroots force for change

The empowering force of UN Women continued to influence our journey. Seed funding provided by Foreign Affairs Canada supported the UN Women Empowerwomen Knowledge Gateway.

To support the Planet 50-50 by 2030 campaign, the UN Women empowerwomen platform, was used to launch the Global Community Champions for Women’s Economic Empowerment (WEE) Challenge.

The WEE Challenge was the tipping point in creating a custom Canadian WEPs awareness campaign. A Canadian WEPs Rally and insights from the BPW Women’s Empowerment Advocates garnered the attention of BPW International President (Freda Miriklis), who coordinated an exploratory meeting with the UN Women and Global Compact WEPs team. President Doris Hall and I shared our rationale and vision for an expanded WEPS strategy. With 98% of the Canadian economy comprised of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) there was a clear need to promote the benefits of the WEPs beyond CEOs of large corporations. The UN WEPs Team supported our WEPs Canada strategy and off we went.

Officially being named a Global Community Champion for Women’s Economic Empowerment and having the opportunity to serve as a mentor for the next cohort of WEE Changemakers remains a humbling lifetime hallmark. I owe it to the synergy of ideas sewn by these changemakers for the genesis of the:

The Canadian Coalition to empower women

The CCEW (Canadian Coalition to Empower Women), spearheaded by BPW Canada, promoted the WEPs with businesses of all sizes and government at all levels, including nonprofit, labour, and business professional organizations. On the cusp of the global pandemic we moved beyond awareness, to showcasing how Canadian WEPs signatories benefited from applying the WEPs principles in their organizations. Today, the Global UNWEPs include businesses of all sizes and business and professional organization such a BPW are invited to sign on to the WEPs.

Women’s empowerment pivot

Although COVID initially disrupted progress, the Generation Equality Forum (GEF) convened by UN Women during the pandemic, with funding secured from the Government of Canada Women and Gender Equality  (WAGE),  and  the  COVID  Response  and Recovery Fund, would see our journey accelerate and pivot to a Women’s Empowerment IDEAS4GE roject. The IDEAS4GE project, is but ONE of 57 hundred approved Generation Equality – Commitment Maker Advocacy Initiatives.

Ideas for gender equality

Stakeholders and diverse partners came together in hybrid events across Canada. They generated inclusion, diversity, equity, and access (IDEAS) to advance women’s economic empowerment and gender equality in the workplace, marketplace, and community. Participants invited to be IDEAS4GE Solution-builders used these ideas to co-create a series of impactful solutions.

This is but ONE journey of BPW Members working in partnership for a more gender-just world, ONE Woman, ONE Community, and ONE Nation at a time.

Enjoy the Journey!

Sheila CrookGlobal Community Champion for Women’s Economic

Empowerment