|
Launch Conference “Support to Women and Men Equal Opportunities Commissions at Local Government Units” Project
Providing Equal Opportunities in Local Communities
National Conference on equal opportunities at local self-government units was held Thursday, 4th of June, 2009 as launching event for the project “Support to Women and Men Equal Opportunities Commissions at Local Government Units”. Its objective was to highlight the importance of incorporating the gender mainstreaming concept at local level, along with the implementation of the National Action Plan of Gender Equality adopted by the Government. The Equal Opportunities project is designed to provide assistance through two components: to address capacity and training needs of municipal Equal Opportunity Coordinators; and to address needs of Equal Opportunity Commissions established at local level by the means of trainings and development of Local Gender Equality Action Plans.
Mr. Xhelal Bajrami, Minister of Labour and Social Policy in his opening speech stressed the necessity of “including women and men at all levels of decision making processes”. In addition, Mr. Bajrami, presented the existing equal opportunities’ legal framework and as structure and mandates of the established gender machinery at local level: Equal Opportunities Coordinators and Commissions. Mr. Bajrami, particularly stressed the responsibility of the Commissions “to develop Local Gender Equality Action Plans, that would define citizen needs in the municipalities and identify specific needs in particular; and would set accordingly goals and activities for their accomplishment, through the development of annual work programmes”.
“In a close collaboration with the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy – Sector for Equal Opportunities, by providing technical assistance and training to the gender machinery at the local level, the project will support further clarification of their mandates; enhance their capacity for coordination of gender equality policies and improve understanding and implementation of the concept of gender equality and gender mainstreaming in local policy development” – emphasized Ms. Ann – Marie Ali, UNDP Resident Representative a.i in her welcome speech.
The project objectives, activities and key outputs were presented thoroughly by Ms. Aferdita Haxhijaha – Imeri, UNDP Programme Officer – Social Inclusion. “The key elements, outputs of this project are: Functional gender based networks among local government units and with MLSP –Sector for Equal opportunity created; Gender related expertise in country enhanced; Strengthened capacities of municipal administration to understand and mainstream gender through EOC coordinators; Improved understanding and strengthened capacity of the municipal counselors’- members of the EOC and major municipal counterparts to implement gender mainstreaming into all working sectors; Local gender equality action plans developed/updated for all municipalities” - stressed Ms. Aferdita Haxhijaha – Imeri, UNDP Programme Officer – Social Inclusion in her presentation.
The renowned International Consultant engaged within the frames of the project Ms. Anne – Marguerite Appel delivered a presentation on “Gender Mainstreaming at Local Level: The importance of incorporating the principle of equal rights and opportunities in local policy”. In particular, Ms. Appel discussed lessons from decentralization processes and effective strategies to enhance equal rights and opportunities at local level such as: affirmative action at local council level, increased responsiveness of local administrations to the concerns of women and marginalized groups, gender sensitive and participatory budgeting, internal democratization of political parties and others. Additionally, Ms. Appel provided an overview of the assessment methodology and tools to be applied for the development of Capacity and Training Needs Assessment for Development of Training Curriculum aimed at Equal Opportunity Coordinators and Commissions at local level.
In terms of preliminary conclusions and recommendations, Ms. Appel pointed out that “not all Commissions and Coordinators are in place and mandate and competencies are not always clearly defined”. She stressed the “great diversity among municipalities in terms of key areas, gender awareness, experience, participatory budgeting and citizen participation”. Hence Ms. Appel discussed the “overall need to further clarify gender equality and equal opportunity principles among councilors and municipal administration” as well as the “need to build and maintain institutional memory and enhance sustainability of Commissions’ work and efforts”.
During the event, the project Web Based Platform was elaborated as a means to foster broad consultation process with relevant partners and additionally reach the broader public. Following the presentations, discussion was developed on The Role of Gender Mechanisms in the Local Economic Development.
|
