UN Women Pakistan honours 17 award recipients for advancing gender equality

KARACHI: The biennial Women’s Empowerment Principles (WEPs) Awards in Pakistan recognize businesses and leaders advancing gender equality across their value chains. The 2026 awards feature 17 winners and runner-up recognitions across seven categories, selected from 52 applicants nationwide, ranging from major corporations to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

The 2026 Pakistan WEPs Awards were organised by UN Women Pakistan in partnership with Derien and Soorty, with GEO as the media partner. The awards celebrate initiatives that promote inclusive leadership, strengthen gender-responsive business practices and expand economic opportunities for women across Pakistan.

Speaking at the award ceremony, Jamshed M Kazi, UN Women Pakistan Country Representative said, “The true measure of business success is not only what companies produce, but whose lives they transform and whose futures they make possible. When women can lead without barriers, work with dignity, access markets on equal terms and shape the decisions that affect their lives, businesses do more than advance gender equality—they help redefine the economy itself. The Pakistan WEPs Awards celebrate those turning this vision into practice and challenge the entire business community to move beyond commitments on paper towards change that women can experience in their everyday lives.”

The Chief Guest at the award ceremony, Syed Nasir Hussain Shah, Minister for Local Government said, “Women’s economic participation is vital to Pakistan’s social and economic progress. Recognizing businesses that promote equal opportunities, inclusive workplaces and women’s leadership sends an important message that gender equality is a shared responsibility. By working together, government, businesses and development partners can help create an enabling environment in which women can participate fully and contribute to the country’s development.”

Keynote speaker, Nishat Fatima, Chief Executive Officer, South Air highlighted, “Businesses have a vital role to play in advancing gender equality by ensuring that women have equal opportunities to contribute, grow and lead. Empowering women is not only the right thing to do but it also strengthens organisations, drives innovation and contributes to a more inclusive and prosperous Pakistan. The WEPs Awards celebrate those making this commitment a reality.”

The ceremony celebrated visionary business leaders and initiatives advancing gender equality in workplaces, marketplaces and communities. It recognized organizations pioneering gender-inclusive policies, integrating gender perspectives into their products, services and value chains, strengthening inclusive procurement and building partnerships that support women’s empowerment. The awards also highlighted the role of technology and artificial intelligence in advancing gender equality and recognized SMEs taking meaningful steps towards more inclusive business practices.

The national winners will be considered for the regional 2026 Asia-Pacific WEPs Awards, alongside national winners from other countries in the region, subject to regional eligibility and confirmation of the final arrangements. The regional ceremony is scheduled to take place and be broadcast on 1 December 2026 via the UN Women Asia-Pacific YouTube channel.

The Women’s Empowerment Principles (WEPs), developed by UN Women and the UN Global Compact, provide guidance to businesses on advancing gender equality and women’s empowerment in the workplace, marketplace and community. The global WEPs directory lists more than 13,400 companies, reflecting growing private-sector engagement in gender equality and inclusive business practices. More than 190 companies in Pakistan have joined this network, according to figures provided for this release. Their commitment supports efforts to create equal opportunities, foster partnerships and innovation, and advance gender equality, corporate responsibility and sustainable socio-economic growth across Pakistan and the Asia-Pacific region.

The 2026 Pakistan WEPs Awards recognize recipients across seven categories, with a total of 17 winner and runner-up recognitions.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2026