UN Women Pakistan and foodpanda Pakistan collaborate for the promotion of workplace safety and gender equality for women

Date:

Sharmeela Rassool, Country Representative, UN Women Pakistan and Munteqa Peracha, Managing Director, foodpanda exchanging the signed agreement to promotion of workplace safety and gender equality for women. Photo: UN Women/Hassan Abbasi
Sharmeela Rassool, Country Representative, UN Women Pakistan and Munteqa Peracha, Managing Director, foodpanda exchanging the signed agreement to promotion of workplace safety and gender equality for women. Photo: UN Women/Hassan Abbasi

Islamabad, Pakistan — UN Women and foodpanda Pakistan have reached a mutual understanding for the cooperation and promotion of gender equality in the workplace through initiatives undertaken to address and implement strategies pertaining to gender-responsiveness and an environment devoid of discrimination and harassment.

The agreement was recently signed in foodpanda’s office where both organizations pledged to implement capacity-building initiatives to empower women at all positions, thus acknowledging their rights as also specified by the UN Women Empowerment Principles (WEPs). foodpanda Pakistan being the signatory of these principles has policies in place regarding the promotion of women’s rights and well-being at the workplace which highlight it as an equal opportunity employer.

“Given the fast-paced world that we are living in today, it is imperative that we assimilate in the organization while acknowledging the rights and needs of our female counterparts and ensure an all-inclusive workplace,” said Muntaqa Peracha, Managing Director, foodpanda Pakistan. “No economy can thrive without the contribution of women and here at foodpanda Pakistan, we are committed to advancing the agenda of empowering our female stakeholders at all levels. This includes entrusting them with decision making powers, placing them in key leadership positions, and designing an environment conducive to their professional growth.”

A team photo at the signing ceremony. Photo Credits: foodpanda
A team photo at the signing ceremony. Photo Credits: foodpanda

“Women’s economic empowerment lies at the heart of this partnership” said Sharmeela Rassol, Country Representative, UN Women Pakistan. She added “foodpanda has caused a positive disruption in society through its dignified approach to the food delivery profession. By creating an enabling and inclusive environment, women’s inclusion in the fleet of riders is an exemplary effort to enable women to break stereotypes at one hand and earn a respectable living at the other hand.”

The private sector has emerged as the promoter of sustainable social development while having a positive impact on communities and the society at large, thereby promoting their economic growth and prosperity. The Sustainable Development Goal 5 specific to gender equality addresses the need of ending all forms of discrimination against women and empowering them that would eventually have a multiplier effect for sustained development. The Global Goals and the WEPs aim at uniting the public and private sectors, and civil society to expedite gender equality and women’s empowerment in the workplace, marketplace and community.

For media inquiries:

Anam Abbas
Communications Officer, UN Women Pakistan | Email: anam.abbas@unwomen.org

About us:

UN Women is the United Nations entity dedicated to gender equality and the empowerment of women. A global champion for women and girls, UN Women was established to accelerate progress on meeting their needs worldwide.

With over 20,000 restaurant partners across the country and millions of food deliveries every month, foodpanda is Pakistan’s largest e-commerce and online food delivery company. foodpanda provides self-employment income opportunities to thousands of home chefs and delivery riders to earn a successful living as and when they choose to.