WOMEN COOPERATE in the Baltic Sea Region by Małgorzata Tarasiewicz
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n the recent years two interesting gender projects aiming at improvement of women’s situation have been initiated in Gdańsk. One is implemented by the Network of East-West Women and the other by Gdańsk Entrepreneurship Foundation. Both projects have the honorary Within the framework of the project non-governmental patronage of the City of Gdańsk. organizations and institutions The project “South Baltic Area – Domestic Violence organize seminars and study against Women Free Zone” implemented in Gdańsk, Ka- visits, which lead to exchange liningrad, Kretinga and Karlshamn is answering a need for of information and experience. “South Baltic Area – Docooperation and exchange of good practices on opposmestic Violence against ing and preventing domestic violence against women Women Free Zone” Seminar between civil society organizations, local governments in Kretinga, December 2009 and institutions, like police or crisis intervention centers. It is estimated that every fifth woman in the area of the South Baltic has been subjected to domestic violence. Hence the workshops and use assistance of a mentor who is an experienced project is answering an urgent need, especially that in the postbusinessman or a businesswoman. communist countries, there are not enough shelters for victims of This is a second project directed to women implemented by the domestic violence, crisis centers and support centers for women. Foundation. The first one, called DIONE (which also used the menOne of the main objectives of the project is creation of a network toring method) aimed at women who needed support at first stagof NGOs, politicians, representatives of local government, business es of establishing and running their own companies, mainly in the and media in the South Baltic Region that would help oppose viofield of technology or other fields of knowledge-based sector of lence against women and support its victims. The project is funded economy. The project “Mentoring of Women in Business” is funded by the South Baltic Cross-border Cooperation Programme of the Euby Fund for Non-governmental Organizations supported by Norweropean Regional Development Fund. gian Financial Mechanism and the European Economic Area FinanAt the same time Gdańsk Entrepreneurship Foundation is supportcial Mechanism. ing women who want to become entrepreneurs. The Foundation is implementing a project entitled “Mentoring of Women in Business” www.neww.eu MORE www.mentoring.gfp.com.pl which aims at provision of assistance to women who are starting their own business. The participants of the project can take part in
EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES IN KRISTIANSAND by Toril Hogstad
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en years ago a national index on the level of gender equality in Norwegian councils revealed that Kristiansand Council’s score was very poor. Consequently, directed by senior political and administrative leaders, the council started to improve equal opportunities and in 2003 the council adopted the strategy that embodied the council’s important roles: in the political arena, as an employer, a service provider and as the region’s largest council. Political parties were encouraged to recruit more women and to nominate them for safe seats. The council refunds child care expenses for politicians attending political meetings. Today the aim of each sex being represented by a minimum of 40% on political bodies has almost been achieved. With 6,000 employees, Kristiansand Council is the largest regional employer. More than two thirds of the staff are women who mostly work in the care sector, but the council is working on recruiting more men into this area. Another aim is to achieve a better ratio between the number of women managers and women workers. Kristiansand Council has implemented several measures to make the home-work balance easier for council employees with, for example, flexi-time, leave of absence and home office solutions. In Norway parents have almost a year’s paid leave after the birth of their child, which can be extended for a year or two with unpaid leave. For children under 12 benefits extend to a paid leave when looking after sick children and accompanying children to new kindergartens and schools. However, part time work is very widespread among female employees, although it means lower wages, reduces career possibilities and a lower old age pension. The challenge is that very few fathers reduce their work time, and many part time women employees want full time positions. Several projects aim to increase the possibilities of women working full time. In 2009 Kristiansand moved into the top 25% of Norwegian councils for equal opportunities.
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BCB 2/2010
Toril Hogstad, Kristiansand City Council E-mai: toril.hogstad@kristiansand.kommune.no