WOMEN CAN DO ITSerbia 2006-2007

Group for emancipation of women HORA – Valjevo Association of business women PAZ – Novi Sad

The Association of women SANDGLASS – Krusevac

CURRENT SITUATIONParliamentary elections – 21. January 2007.

20.4% of women in the Parliament (100% more women in the Parliament than after the last elections)

– out of 26 members of government 4 are women

Gender sensitive Constitution

We have:

•Council of the Serbian government for GE

•Council of the Parliament of Serbia for GE

•Provincial Secretariat for labor, employment and gender equality

•Regional Department for Gender Equality

•The Provincial Ombudsman

We still have no laws on gender equality

The national action plan for women hasn’t been accepted yet (prepared drafts)

MAIN ACTIVITIES

6 two day base WCDI seminars

3 two day WIF seminars

5 two day WILC seminars

4 one day WIM seminars

1 two day WIM seminar

15 workshops

33 local actions (round tables, public forums, street campaigns etc.)

TOT seminar and Evaluation seminar

RESULTS

Directed attention to the problem of the status of women in media and the media portrait of womenContinued the debate on the use of gender-sensitive language in the mediaStarted talks on gender budgeting in local communities.Realized the GOTV campaign – increased voter turnoutImproved the cooperation with the GE organizations and media associations, and networking and cooperation of women active in the LCIncreased interest in the program – The WCDI trainers held 5 base seminars for union women and 1 for the members of DS

650 direct beneficiaries of program250 direct beneficiaries of workshops150 direct beneficiaries of forums600 direct beneficiaries of local actions

RESULTS

More than 400 participants in the GOTV campaign in 38 towns, 3000 direct post mail2 “Women and media” round tables4 weekly and 1 monthly paper analyzed for gender content9 media houses and one media association (ANEM) signed the Codex on gender-sensitive reporting

Seminar participants organized:4 forums10 street actions4 initiatives for a gender-sensitive analysis of the budget

Increased the visibility of women and the program:Published more than 100 articles on the WCDI program

FUTURE

• Sustainability of the WCDI program

• Securing support for future programs

– Developed a strategic plan until 2010.

• Monitoring of the effects of education, upholding the signed documents, spreading of ideas and the woman's network at a local level

• Additional trainer education

– Started the process

• Instigating voluntary engagements of the participants in spreading the ideas – by participating in the GOTV campaign and the local actions

94% of women are prepared and ready to take a more active role in the community

WCDI will be promoted at EXIT’07 festival.