UN Women Launches WEPs Action Lab to Advance Women’s Leadership in Tech in the Philippines 2025

UN Women, in partnership with the Australian Government’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), invites applications from companies in the Philippines to join the first WEPs Corporate Action Lab (CAL) cohort focused on “Accelerating Women’s Leadership in Technology.”

Why this Initiative?

The Philippines has made notable progress in gender equality, ranking among Southeast Asia’s leaders in gender parity. However, women’s representation in executive roles—especially in high-growth sectors like technology—remains significantly low. Globally, women occupy only 12.4% of C-suite positions, and systemic barriers continue to limit their progression.

To bridge this leadership gap, UN Women’s WEPs Corporate Action Lab (CAL) will support a select group of Philippine companies (the WEPs Changemakers) through a structured 6–9 month program focused on innovation, co-creation, and the development of workplace solutions that promote women’s advancement in tech.

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What is the WEPs CAL?

The WEPs CAL is the flagship initiative of the Gender Action Lab (GAL): Innovation and Impact for Gender Equality, designed to support companies in identifying organizational challenges and co-creating innovative solutions to promote gender equity. Through a cohort-based, peer-learning model, UN Women will work alongside businesses to implement customized strategies to elevate women in leadership—especially in the technology sector.

Key Benefits for Participating Companies

• Technical guidance and mentorship from UN Women experts

• Cohort-based learning with peer companies and industry leaders

• Tailored roadmap development to advance gender equality in the workplace

• Access to the WEPs Gender Gap Analysis Tool and curated learning resources

• Global and regional recognition for your commitment to gender-inclusive leadership

• Networking with innovators, experts, and potential solution providers

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Focus Area: Women’s Leadership in Technology

This first Philippines-based WEPs CAL will center around preparing women for leadership roles in the tech sector, addressing systemic drop-off points and career progression gaps.

Potential solutions companies may explore include:

• Mentorship and sponsorship programs for mid-career women

• Succession planning to improve gender representation in leadership pipelines

• Flexible work policies that address work-life balance challenges

• Standardizing gender metrics and public reporting on corporate commitments

• Workplace culture reforms that break down unconscious bias and structural barriers

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Eligibility Criteria

UN Women is seeking applications from companies based in the Philippines that are:

• Committed to gender equality and interested in advancing women’s leadership

• Operating in or intersecting with the technology sector

• Willing to co-create and pilot new solutions with support from UN Women

• Ready to engage in a 6–9 month cohort-based learning experience

Note: One application per company. Please ensure your organization meets the eligibility requirements before applying.

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Timeline

• Applications open: 9 June 2025

• Application deadline: 11 July 2025 (11:59 PM GMT+8)

Click here to apply

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About the Gender Action Lab (GAL)

Launched in 2024 by UN Women and the Australian Government, GAL promotes private sector-led innovations and concrete action to build inclusive economies across Asia-Pacific. The WEPs CAL serves as GAL’s leading platform to help companies implement transformative change through design thinking, knowledge exchange, and gender-responsive leadership development.

For more opportunities, visit opportunitiesforyouth.org.