Innovating equality: The Post as an engine of digital empowerment

To mark International Women’s Day 2023 celebrated under the global theme “DigitALL: Innovation and technology for gender equality”, the UPU convened a cross-sector panel of digital empowerment leaders to share best practices and address some key related questions.

The Post is transforming itself. From letters to parcels, from correspondence to e-commerce, from physical to digital – these profound multi-dimensional transformations call for in-depth cultural changes and, first and foremost, a transformation of the perspective towards the one that is more open and inclusive. Multiple studies have proven that a diverse workplace free of discrimination and stereotypes is more conducive to innovation and creativity. This makes the inclusion of women in postal digital transformation processes not only a necessary condition for the Posts’ market leadership, but a pure matter of survival.

 
At the same time, for the Post as one of the key socioeconomic players, advancing digital transformation through gender equality and vice versa goes far beyond being an equal opportunity employer. Leveraging their traditionally strong role in digital financial services and digital inclusion, Posts have a vast potential to facilitate the digital empowerment of women and girls in their communities through related study and career programmes, awareness-raising campaigns, programmes for women-led start-ups and MSMEs, and innovative investment-generating projects.
 
With digitalization and equality going hand in hand, there is clearly a niche for the postal sector to act as a catalyzer of both. Whether postal organizations already possess a strong digital inclusion record, or they are just embarking on this journey, the Universal Postal Union (UPU) is dedicated to supporting them on this core social mission. To mark International Women’s Day 2023 celebrated under the global theme ““DigitALL: Innovation and technology for gender equality”, the UPU convened a cross-sector panel of digital empowerment leaders to share best practices and address some of the key related questions, including:

1. How can Posts use gender equality to meet their digital transformation goals?
2. What are the various ways that the Post can support women and girls in the technology sector and help them succeed?
3. How can Posts help encourage women-led innovations?
4. How can postal digital services be used to promote gender equality and women’s empowerment society-wide?

The interactive online discussion in English and French featured a diverse panel of speakers from the ICT sector, the UN, and the Post, a special address by the UPU Director General and a Q&A session with the international audience.
 
Moderation:

Susan Alexander, Sustainability Services Programme Manager, UPU
Ian Kerr, Voice Mail podcast host, Postal Hub Podcast host & founder of the Decarbonising Delivery initiative
 
Opening remarks: Masahiko Metoki, Director General, UPU
 
Panel:

• Wendy Eitan, Director of E-Commerce and Physical Service Integration, Universal Postal Union (UPU)
• Christine Sund, Senior Advisor, Regional Office for Africa, International Telecommunications Union (ITU)
• Vanessa Chocteau, Director of Transformation and Start-up Co-Innovation, La Poste France, Director General, Docaposte Institute 
• Rose Vambe, Entrepreneur, Fashion Designer, Founder and Owner of Ashava Designs (Zimbabwe)​

If you need additional information, have questions or suggestions regarding this or other events, please contact us at communication@upu.int.

The recording of the event is available to watch online through this link. A presentation by Vanessa Chocteau (La Poste) can be downloaded below in English.