In December 2004 was launched a 15-month partnership project funded by the European Commission with the name Labor Market and Entrepreneurship Overcoming Gender Stereotypes. The leading partner is AFAEMME, an international network of Mediterranean businesswomen organizations working for ensuring gender equality in economic life. Main partner is KARAT Coalition while WAD is the national partner for Bulgaria.

Main objective of the project:

• develop the capacity of the gender equality and businesswomen organizations to promote efficient gender equality in the economic life and advance their influence on the economic policy.

Priority themes are:

• gender equality and equal opportunities in the fields of employment and entrepreneurship, promoting changes in gender roles and overcoming gender stereotypes mainly in the 10 new EU member states and 2 candidate countries;
• promotion of active partnership of the gender equality and businesswomen organizations and develop their capacity to intervene in decisions on economic policy;
• increased awareness and understanding among decision-makers and media on gender stereotypes in the field of economics;
• improved general economic status of women (both earning their incomes as entrepreneurs or employees).

Target groups are:

• gender equality and businesswomen organizations;
• national governments,
• women institutes and social partners;
• European decision-makers and media;
• EU bodies (European Commission, DG Employment and Social Affairs, Parliamentarians, etc).

Project activities:

• 12 national studies from the new EU member states and candidate countries;
• 1 global report on awareness-raising measure and experience's transfers;
• developing a strategy of transnational cooperation of two regional networks;
• two workshops for extensive discussion and developing strategies and actions;
• one large-scale European Conference in Brussels to present and disseminate the results of the studies on the Community level;
• developing and maintaining website on the women in the labour market and women's entrepreneurship, updating information and progress re: EU gender policy in this field;
• editing of Fair Play magazine;
• European Press releases and article for women.

Expected results:

• increased capacity among the gender equality and businesswomen organizations' capacity to conduct analytical and empirically sound gender assessment on the impact of EU standards on women's opportunity in labour market and entrepreneurship;
• increased monitoring of governments' implementation of adopted gender equality standards and equal opportunity and
• improved understanding on the gender-differentiated implications of EU accession, as well as states' capacity and/or political will to monitor and implement newly adopted gender equality standards and EU Employment Strategy.

Sponsor: European Commission