National consultative meeting on the topic “Improving the position of women in rural areas”

On December 14, 2017, a national consultative meeting on the topic “Improving the position of women in rural areas” was held in Belgrade.

The meeting was attended by representatives of women's associations (Fenomena, Rakija iz rakije, Majka Angelina…), UN Women, representatives of organizations involved in rural development, as well as representatives of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management and the Ministry of Demography and Population Policy.

The meeting was organized within the framework of the project "ALTER - Active Local Territories for Economic Development of Rural Areas" funded by the European Union, as part of the activities “Establish direct cooperation and dialogue between CSOs and public institutions in order to influence policy making and create concrete changes in sustainable socio-economic rural development”. The project is implemented at the national level by the Network for rural development of Serbia.

The meeting presented the problems of women in rural areas, which were recorded in direct discussions in the field, as well as concrete proposals for overcoming these problems. Representatives of women's associations presented their organizations and projects that contribute to improving the position of women in rural areas through association, entrepreneurship and education.

Representatives of the Ministry of agriculture, forestry and water management presented measures to support women through local agriculture and rural development plans, a national program and IPARD. Representatives of the Ministry of demography and population policy presented pilot programs to support women in rural areas in order to improve the population situation in rural areas.

At the meeting it was concluded that only multi-sectoral cooperation of all stakeholders can contribute to creating stimulating support measures for women in rural areas and improving their position.