Balkan Women Business Asociations Meet in Istanbul to Discuss Future Cooperation- November 20, 2005
Bucharest, Romania; November 20, 2005 - Representatives of women associations from Albania, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Greece, Hungary, Kosovo, Macedonia, Montenegro, Romania, Serbia, and Turkey, will gather for the Conference of the Balkan Women Business Associations on December 2-3, 2005, in Istanbul, Turkey.
The conference is an essential step in the project concerning the creation of the regional coalition of women business associations in the Balkans, developed by Center for International Private Enterprise - Romania (CIPE) with funding from National Endowment for Democracy (NED).
The vision of this new project is to create a Balkan region in which women's roles and contributions to the economy and politics are recognized, women are treated as equal partners working to solve policy barriers and to create stability in the socio- economic environment. The project aims to create a network of women's business groups in the region that can actively promote a legislative agenda aiming to improve both the status of women entrepreneurs and the overall business environment.
The Conference of the Balkan Women Business Associations provides the setting for women organizations to network, to share experiences and best practices, and to find common ground for future cooperation. The women's level of involvement and ability in shaping public policies in the Balkan countries was the subject of a Needs Assessment Survey conducted by CIPE Romania. The results, in terms of present status and need for further technical assistance, will be presented during the conference by each country's representative. This will give starting point for discussion concerning a working plan that will address each country's needs, setting a project wide technical assistance and advocacy strategy that will lead to a future model of cooperation among women associations in the region.
CIPE Romania has already supported the creation and development of the Coalition of Women Business Associations in Romania (CAFA), an entity who has become a viable partner in the public-private partnership in Romania.
The conference will gather approximately 75 participants, representing 24 women business associations from 12 countries in the Balkan region. Kagider Women Entrepreneurs Association from Turkey is assisting CIPE Romania in organizing the event.
The Center for International Private Enterprise (CIPE) is a non-profit, non-governmental American organization founded by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce in 1983 in the belief that economic freedom and political freedom are intertwined.
Over the last 20 years, CIPE has supported more than 800 local initiatives in more than 95 developing countries to organize business associations and involve businesspeople in policy advocacy, institutional reform, and responsible governance.
The Center for International Private Enterprise Romania started its activity in 2000 with a project to support business association development in the information technology, manufacturing, and tourism sectors, funded by USAID-Romania. CIPE also worked with multi-sector and women's associations, as they had members in each of the target sectors. Under this three-year program, CIPE was responsible for a number of activities including technical assistance for institutional development, support for public policy advocacy initiatives, information for targeted associations through forums, think tanks, and conferences, grants, creation of investment opportunities, and volunteer experts program.
In 2004, with financial support from National Endowment for Democracy, CIPE started a program dedicated to the creation and the development of the Coalition of Women Business Associations in Romania (CAFA).
The Coalition of Women's Business Associations (CAFA) was officially launched in Romania in January 2004, as a demand-driven initiative, gathering together nine founding member organizations. CAFA has developed into an informal alliance of Romania's leading women business associations who want to promote their interests in the Romanian business and political environment.
Over the past year CAFA has developed the hallmarks of a successful coalition, building a legislative agenda and advocating for specific business interests that would improve the whole business environment in Romania. CAFA now has 18 members, has become a viable partner to authorities in policy matters, and has gained recognition throughout the broader business community as an effective advocate for its members' interests
For more information on CIPE activities, please visit the websites:
www.ciperomania.org
www.cafa.ro
The conference is an essential step in the project concerning the creation of the regional coalition of women business associations in the Balkans, developed by Center for International Private Enterprise - Romania (CIPE) with funding from National Endowment for Democracy (NED).
The vision of this new project is to create a Balkan region in which women's roles and contributions to the economy and politics are recognized, women are treated as equal partners working to solve policy barriers and to create stability in the socio- economic environment. The project aims to create a network of women's business groups in the region that can actively promote a legislative agenda aiming to improve both the status of women entrepreneurs and the overall business environment.
The Conference of the Balkan Women Business Associations provides the setting for women organizations to network, to share experiences and best practices, and to find common ground for future cooperation. The women's level of involvement and ability in shaping public policies in the Balkan countries was the subject of a Needs Assessment Survey conducted by CIPE Romania. The results, in terms of present status and need for further technical assistance, will be presented during the conference by each country's representative. This will give starting point for discussion concerning a working plan that will address each country's needs, setting a project wide technical assistance and advocacy strategy that will lead to a future model of cooperation among women associations in the region.
CIPE Romania has already supported the creation and development of the Coalition of Women Business Associations in Romania (CAFA), an entity who has become a viable partner in the public-private partnership in Romania.
The conference will gather approximately 75 participants, representing 24 women business associations from 12 countries in the Balkan region. Kagider Women Entrepreneurs Association from Turkey is assisting CIPE Romania in organizing the event.
The Center for International Private Enterprise (CIPE) is a non-profit, non-governmental American organization founded by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce in 1983 in the belief that economic freedom and political freedom are intertwined.
Over the last 20 years, CIPE has supported more than 800 local initiatives in more than 95 developing countries to organize business associations and involve businesspeople in policy advocacy, institutional reform, and responsible governance.
The Center for International Private Enterprise Romania started its activity in 2000 with a project to support business association development in the information technology, manufacturing, and tourism sectors, funded by USAID-Romania. CIPE also worked with multi-sector and women's associations, as they had members in each of the target sectors. Under this three-year program, CIPE was responsible for a number of activities including technical assistance for institutional development, support for public policy advocacy initiatives, information for targeted associations through forums, think tanks, and conferences, grants, creation of investment opportunities, and volunteer experts program.
In 2004, with financial support from National Endowment for Democracy, CIPE started a program dedicated to the creation and the development of the Coalition of Women Business Associations in Romania (CAFA).
The Coalition of Women's Business Associations (CAFA) was officially launched in Romania in January 2004, as a demand-driven initiative, gathering together nine founding member organizations. CAFA has developed into an informal alliance of Romania's leading women business associations who want to promote their interests in the Romanian business and political environment.
Over the past year CAFA has developed the hallmarks of a successful coalition, building a legislative agenda and advocating for specific business interests that would improve the whole business environment in Romania. CAFA now has 18 members, has become a viable partner to authorities in policy matters, and has gained recognition throughout the broader business community as an effective advocate for its members' interests
For more information on CIPE activities, please visit the websites:
www.ciperomania.org
www.cafa.ro
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