TASHKENT, Uzbekistan, November 5. UN Women and
ACWA Power Uzbekistan have signed an agreement to promote women’s
empowerment, the first collaboration between a UN agency and a
private company in Uzbekistan, Trend reports.
Within the framework of a 12-month partnership, ACWA Power will
allocate $50,000 to support initiatives under UN Women’s Women’s
Economic Empowerment (WEE) programme.
The initiative aims to enhance women’s participation in
education and the workforce through gender equality training,
leadership development, and the introduction of a pilot Gender
Equality Curriculum at Shirin College. It will also encompass
capacity-building activities focused on the prevention of
gender-based violence and the organization of a national Women’s
Empowerment Forum.
Launched in Uzbekistan in May 2025 to advance the country’s
gender equality and women’s empowerment objectives, the programme
will be jointly implemented with UN Women, providing technical
expertise and training, while ACWA Power, the largest investor in
Uzbekistan’s renewable energy sector, will oversee implementation
and financing.
This collaboration aligns with Uzbekistan’s national reform
priorities, including the Strategy for Achieving Gender Equality
until 2030 and the National Programme for Increasing the Activity
of Women in Economic, Political, and Social Life (2022–2026). Both
aimed at ensuring equal opportunities and greater representation
for women in education, governance, and the economy.
“Partnering with UN Women allows us to advance concrete
initiatives that promote safer workplaces, fairer opportunities,
and stronger representation of women in Uzbekistan,” said Jon
Zaidi, Country General Manager of ACWA Power Uzbekistan. “By
investing in training, curricula, and leadership development, we
aim to help embed practices that benefit institutions, companies,
and communities alike.”
“This partnership demonstrates how private sector engagement can
accelerate progress on gender equality,” said Ceren Guven Gures,
Head of the UN Women Central Asia Liaison Office and Representative
of the UN Women Kazakhstan Country Office. “With ACWA Power’s
support, we will expand opportunities for women and strengthen
protections in education and the workplace.”
The agreement underscores the evolving relationship between
international organizations and the private sector and highlights
how these strategic partnerships can accelerate Uzbekistan’s reform
agenda.
ACWA Power is a Saudi-listed company and the world’s largest
private water desalination company, and a leader in the global
energy transition. Registered and established in 2004 in Riyadh,
Saudi Arabia, ACWA Power employs over 4,000 people and is currently
present in 15 countries in the Middle East, Africa, Central Asia,
and Southeast Asia.
