ASTANA, Kazakhstan

On 19 June, In Astana, Kazakhstan, UNRCCA participated in the opening event of the Central Asia Women Leaders’ Caucus (CAWLC) under the chairmanship of Kazakhstan in 2023. The event was focused on coordinating the WLC’s priorities and plans for 2023 and included a special session on the role of women of Central Asia in innovation and technology development. Hosted by the Deputy Chairperson of Majilis and the current Chair of the CAWLC, Ms. Dania Espaeva, the event gathered representatives from all Central Asian States, female political leaders as well as prominent female tech entrepreneurs and civil society.

Presenting the WLC’s plans for 2023, Ms. Espaeva, apart from the priorities promoted by the previous   WLC chairmanships, proposed to expand the CAWLC’s scope of activities to gender-based violence and the role of women in innovation and technologies.

In his video address, Assistant Secretary-General for Europe, Central Asia and the Americas in the Departments of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs and Peace Operations and the UNRCCA Officer-in-Charge, Miroslav Jenča, called on the CAWLC to further step up its effort to promote participation of women in peacebuilding processes, following up the decisions of the chairmanships of Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan in CAWLC in 2021 and 2022 respectively. He also encouraged the platform to explore avenues for engaging with women of Afghanistan. Noting the CAWLC’s contribution to positive political dynamics in the region, he stressed the key role of the platform in promoting implementation of the Global Women, Peace and Security Agenda across Central Asia.

The session dedicated to Women in Innovation Technology development saw presentations and exchange of ideas on most creative and fast-growing women-led tech startups from all Central Asian States.

The event concluded by adopting the Final Document, including recommendations on promoting empowerment of women in the field of technology development and innovation in Central Asia.

The event marked the continuous relevance of the CAWLC – the network of prominent women leaders of Central Asia, supported by UNRCCA, UNDP and UN Women since its establishment in December 2020. 

Read more about the Central Asia Women Leaders’ Caucus: https://unrcca.unmissions.org/women-leaders-caucus.