In the ACED premises in Banja Luka on 13 July 2012, was held the first meeting for the establishinig of GARD Working Groups in the Republic of Srpska . This meeting is part of the regular activities carried out within the framework of ACED GARD project ” Empowering women in rural areas ” ( eng . GARD – Gender Agenda and Rural Development- Empowerment of Women in Rural Society ) , funded by the European Union .
In a very constructive work , in addition to a representative network of PROGRESS and agencies ACED – GARD project implementers in BiH , the meeting was also attended by representatives of :
Ministry of Agriculture , Forestry and Water Management
Ministry of Public Administration and Local Self Government
Ministry of Tourism and Trade
Ministry of Transport and Communications
RS Chamber of Commerce
Gender RS
Faculty of Agriculture Banja Luka
University Enterprise Center Banja Luka
Achieved objectives of the meeting :
Introducing the participants with the activities GARD project ;
Defining the role of GARD working groups to strengthen women’s associations in rural areas in the Republic of Srpska ;
Exchange of information on activities of RS institutions focused on rural development in the RS through the support of women’s associations ;
Analysis of institutional mechanisms to support women’s associations in rural areas in the RS ;
Talk about the status , plans and needs of the network progress and cooperation in the framework of the GARD project.
Participants concluded that activities GARD project offers opportunities for more intensive cooperation of NGOs and institutions in Republic of Srpska , which should contribute to the empowerment of women in rural areas , not only in RS but also beyond . Further work is expected to officially form a working group for the RS and plan activities to build capacity of the network progress within GARD project .
B/H/S