The Regional Coalition of Women Business Associations Program (2005-2007)

The goal of this project (with funding from the National Endowment for Democracy) was to create a network of Balkan women business associations able to foster economic cooperation and to promote public policies that will improve the status of women entrepreneurs and the business environment, both at local and regional level.

The countries included in the project were Albania, Bosnia Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Greece, Kosovo, Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, Romania, Turkey and Hungary (as a mentor in the EU accession process).

PROJECT STEPS

Identifying major associations

  CIPE Romania selected the associations to be included in the project based on an organizational analysis that matches the major functions and activities of a business association to the international best practices in association management.

Evaluating the advocacy process and the level of involvement in public policies development

In order to assess the specific needs of the businesswomen in each country included in the project, CIPE distributed a questionnaire to the business associations' members and then extracted the conclusions that would be used in planning future advocacy activities. Click here to read the conclusions.

The Advisory Board

The Advisory Board assisted CIPE Romania in developing the strategy for the regional project. The members were : Meltem Kurtsan, President of Women Entrepreneurs Association (KAGIDER) in Turkey; Nina Noeva, President of International Association of Professional and Business Women in Bulgaria; Maria Grapini, President of Association of Women Entrepreneurs in Timis County, Romania; Cornelia Rotaru, President of Association for Women Entrepreneurship Development in Romania; Budimka Mickovic, Director of Women Business Service within the Center for Entrepreneurship and Economic Development in Podgorica, Montenegro; Sanja Popovic-Pantic, President of the Association of Business Women of Serbia.

Regional Conference of Women Business Associations in the Balkans- 1st edition

The conference was held in Istanbul (Turkey), on December 2-3, 2005. The eighty participants from 12 countries discussed about a working model within the regional network and about the options for the structure of the future regional coalition.

They also established the mission and goals of the new entity. Click here to read about the mission and goals.

The 4th edition of the 'Women of Success' CD

Since its first edition in 2002, the main function of the CD was to show that success is possible at any business level and to offer some models for the women entrepreneurship. More than 100 women nominated by women business associations were showcased in the three national (Romanian) editions of the CD. The 4th edition, launched at the Istanbul regional conference, portrays 71 members of the Balkan women business associations.

Advocacy training

Fifty members of women business associations from Albania, Bosnia Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Greece, Macedonia, Romania, Serbia and Turkey received training in public policy advocacy in the two seminars organized by CIPE Romania in Belgrade (Serbia- October 2006) and Sofia (Bulgaria- December 2006). Besides the presentations on advocacy campaigns, public consultations procedures and coalition building, the seminars' agenda included working sessions dedicated to refining the goals of the future coalition and finding an efficient organizational structure.

Regional Conference of Women Business Associations in the Balkans- 2nd edition

Organized in Bucharest (Romania) between March 30 and 31, 2007, the conference gathered the founding members of the Coalition of Women Business Associations in the Balkans who elected their representatives and set up a working structure that will ensure the functioning of this informal entity. Click here to read about the working structure.

RESULTS

CIPE Romania's regional project is a convergence point for the most representative women entrepreneurship support organizations. This project allowed them to know each other better and to set up an entity that would facilitate a better cooperation among the associations and among their members. This means joint programs to support women entrepreneurship and business partnerships for the businesswomen, members of the associations involved in this project.

Consequently to taking part in this project, the Women Entrepreneurs Association in Turkey (KAGIDER) decided to initiate the creation of a Turkish coalition of women business associations in order to have a stronger and articulate representation in the dialogue with the public authorities.

Also, KAGIDER found among the other associations participating in the regional project two partners, the International Associations of Business and Professional Women in Bulgaria and the Association for Women Entrepreneurship Promotion (Romania), for an EU funded project.

Out of the 26 women business associations initially involved in the project, 17 decided to form the Coalition of Women Business Associations in the Balkans. At the second regional conference (March 30-31, 2007; Bucharest, Romania) these associations established the structure of the Coalition, the responsibilities of the Board and of the working committees.

Click here to see more pictures from the events organized during this program.

CIPE conference marks 20 years after the fall of the Berlin Wall

CIPE Regional Office Director attends MEDA Women Entrepreneurs' Forum

CIPE Regional Office Director Facilitates Serbian Association of Managers' Board Retreat

RCOM Invited to Provide Advocacy Training to the Macedonian Chamber for Information and Communication Technology (MASIT)

CIPE Offers Internship in the U.S. to Young Romanian Chamber Professional

Balkan and Caucasus Regional: Training of Trainers

Developing Advocacy Skills and Competencies for Armenian Business Associations

Barbara Barrett Visits the Coalition of Women Business Associations in Romania (CAFA)

Strengthening Business Support Organizations in Azerbaijan

Romanian ICT Coalition’ Efforts in Advancing Public Policies Promoted as Best Practices in the Eastern Europe Region

Public-Private Dialogues for Competitiveness Reforms in Bosnia Herzegovina

Strengthen Business Support Organizations in Bosnia-Herzegovina, Serbia and Romania Program (2007-2008)

The Regional Coalition of Women Business Associations Program (2005-2007)

Coalition of Women Business Associations in Romania Program (2004-2005)

Romanian Business Associations Development Program (2000-2003)