The goal of this three year project is to support adoption of gender sensitive peace and development policies in the area of Western Balkans, through regional exchange of experience, knowledge and best practice.

In the first year of the project implementation, 35 activists from the region have analysed all the previous work of female nongovernmental sector, and concluded that these women were the first ones to cross state, ethnic and entity borders and to establish communication and cooperation between different national and ethnic groups in this region. In 2008, the focus was put on the election process and media support to women candidates. In 2009, we are planning to organise three, one-day workshops entitled “Strengthening Capacities of Politicians in the Local Communities”, in order to provide female politicians, who have been elected into the local authority, but also those who are planning to run for public positions in the coming period, with knowledge and skills needed for successful work and realisation of ideas in the institutions of public authority, but also to give them opportunity to get to know each other, which would facilitate their future work and experience exchange. We are also planning to hold a workshop on public speaking and media presentation skills, aimed at familiarising participants with the media work, so that they could turn media into allies in promotion of their stands.

The project is funded by Dutch Organisation ICV PAc Christi.