ITC and ITU team up to empower women staff (en)

The International Trade Centre (ITC) and the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) along with their Gender Champions are joining forces to step up efforts to create opportunities and encourage personal and professional growth for women staff. The Joint ITC-ITU Mentoring Programme for Women comes in response to United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres’s declared goal of reaching gender parity across the United Nations (UN).

The Pilot Mentoring Programme kicked off in June 2018 and addresses a number of issues aimed at strengthening the capacities of female staff. Connecting junior staff with senior colleagues across the two organizations, the Mentoring Programme will boost women’s management and leadership competencies; strengthen technical competencies and programmatic knowledge; address specific work-related challenges, and ensure that women receive appropriate assistance for their career development.

Gerard Lynch, ITC Director for Programme Support, said: ‘The Mentoring Programme will help strengthen staff satisfaction, productivity and knowledge management, and contribute to the development of a better trained and engaged workforce. Doing the Mentoring Programme in partnership with ITU is a win-win situation for ITC and will help promote mutual learning and stimulate staff development across the two UN organizations.’

Doreen Bogdan-Martin, Chief of Strategic Planning and Membership (SPM) at ITU, said: ‘The ITU/ITC Joint Mentoring Programme represents a great example of partnership between two agencies engaged in strengthening women’s leadership across the UN system.’

Primarily used to support staff development at ITC and ITU, the Mentoring Programme for Women will also be used as a tool to attract new talent by demonstrating real efforts in creating equal opportunities. Above all, by ensuring gender diversity across ITC and ITU, the Mentoring Programme will help both organizations achieve their development goals.