Stephanie Dei, National Coordinator with UN Women
Stephanie Dei is a National Coordinator with UN Women, Non-Executive Director with DaMina Advisors and VP Finance on the Board of Organization of Women in International Trade – Toronto Chapter. She holds a degree in Political Science from Carleton University and a Masters degree from the University of London. She aims to spread the word of gender equality and women’s economic empowerment globally.
Stephanie always knew she wanted to work with the UN and make a difference
When it came time to decide how she would get there, she and her dad decided that a degree in political science would be a great pathway.
A go-getter from the start, she co-founded Reconnect GH (WWW.RECONNECTGH.COM ), while completing her Masters in London, UK. Reconnect GH is an organization designed to connect young professionals in Ghana and the Diaspora with leaders in Ghana for development opportunities. The organization was committed to building connections that would ease resettlement of Diaspora at a time when many young Ghanaians abroad were returning home.
In 2018, Stephanie’s dream to work with the UN turned to reality with a click on Facebook. An alum posted the job opening with UN Women in Canada and after reading the terms of reference, she knew she would be a great fit for the role.
The UN Women’s WE EMPOWER Programme
As the National Coordinator for the WE EMPOWER programme, Stephanie helps to plan and run activities for the year, work with the public sector, private sector and civil society to advance gender equality in the private sector and encourage companies to join the Women’s Empowerment Principles (WEPs). She works with the European Union delegation in Ottawa, UN Women headquarters in New York and the International Labour Organization in New York to implement the programme in Canada.
The WE EMPOWER programme is a joint initiative of the European Union, UN Women and the International Labour Organization that focuses on responsible business conduct in G7 Countries. This program focuses on gender equality and women’s economic empowerment in the workplace, marketplace and community. As part of the WE EMPOWER programme, the WEPs are used to help companies implement a diverse and sustainable workplace.
The Women’s Empowerment Principles (WEPs) offer guidance to companies on how to promote gender equality and women’s empowerment in the workplace, marketplace and community. Jointly established by UN Women and UN Global Compact, the WEPs are informed by international labour and human right standards. The WEPs are grounded in the recognition that businesses have a stake in, and responsibility for gender equality and women’s empowerment.
The WEPs (https://www.weps.org/)are:
High-Level Corporate Leadership
Treat all women and men fairly at work without discrimination
Employee health, well-being and safety
Education and training for career advancement
Enterprise development, supply chain and marketing practices
Community initiatives and advocacy
Measurement and reporting
With more than 3000 companies already signed up, momentum continues to build as more companies make commitments to support women in the workplace, marketplace and community.
The Power of Connections
Stephanie insists that the power of connection is important – there is much to learn from shared experiences. When Stephanie is traveling and meeting women from around the world, she hears of different challenges they face and how they have overcome them. What is amazing is that one women’s challenges can be very similar to another woman – despite the geographic distance between them. Being able to connect these women to share their experiences and stories of triumph helps women discover new ways of overcoming, it is a uniquely beautiful thing.
Even in the energy sector the power of connection is pushing the industry further. Stephanie says that there is lots of opportunity for women to impact the energy sector. Diversity in the workplace goes in tandem with creating a sustainable energy industry. WIRE is doing great work promoting diversity in the workplace and supporting women in the energy industry.
Past and Present Feminist Experiences
Stephanie sees her husband’s grandmother as one of her greatest role models. Living in Ghana prior to independence, the grandmother was one of the families first feminists! A poet, a midwife, wife and a mother, she was committed to women’s empowerment in a very traditional society.
Many years later, Stephanie sees her life eerily mimicking the grandmother - with a strong dedication to work, family and a deep concern for women’s economic empowerment. As displayed in this blog, Stephanie has been and continues to be involved in multiple ventures while raising a family. Stephanie honestly mentions, that yes, she does get overwhelmed sometimes but she considers the challenges the grandmother overcame, sees her as a feminist advocate, and knows that she too can overcome these challenges.
Gender Equality is Everyone’s Responsibility
No matter what role you play in the ecosystem, Stephanie encourages people to use their voice to advocate for a better future and more equal society for all. One thing Stephanie knows is that we all have a role to play in creating a more just, equitable and fair society. Gender equality is everyone’s responsibility.
Please support UN Women and their WE EMPOWER programme through the ongoing #WECommit campaign. The WE COMMIT campaign is a call-to-action for private sector companies, enterprises and employers’ organizations, stock exchanges and wealth management funds to deepen their commitments to gender equality and sign the WEPs. The campaign also calls upon allies of gender equality and women’s empowerment that may not be eligible to sign the WEPs to help demand gender-responsive business practices and conduct through WEPs implementation.
Readers are encouraged to join the WECOMMIT campaign here
https://www.empowerwomen.org/en/who-we-are/news/2020/07/say-wecommit-today