Gender Task Force

SPOT REPORT

The Gender Task Force, under Stability Pact Working Table One, had its second meeting on April 26, 2000 in Zagreb, Croatia, hosted by the Croatian Government and the OSCE Mission to Croatia. Government and non-government representatives from Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Serbia (FRY), FYRoMacedonia, Hungary, Montenegro (FRY), Romania and Slovenia were present, with the meeting chaired by GTF Chair, Sonja Lokar (Slovenia) and GTF Co-chair Lone Dybkjaer (Denmark).

Opening statements were given by Zeljka Antunovic, Deputy Prime Minister Republic of Croatia, Ambassador Bernard Poncet, Head of Mission, OSCE Mission to Croatia, and Ambassador Robert L. Barry, Head of Mission, OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina. Ms. Lone Dybkjaer, MEP, gave a keynote speech on women's participation in the EU and its relevance to Southeast Europe. Sonja Lokar, GTF Chair and Executive Director of the CEE Network for Gender Issues, gave a presentation of GTF accomplishments since the Inaugural Meeting of the GTF in November 1999.

Country Representatives made presentations of the work done in their respective countries, which was notable for the amount of work done with next to no financial resources. Many countries set up local GTF advisory boards, and FYRoMacedonia established a Women's Lobby made up of 400 prominent women activists. "Women Can Do It" women's political empowerment programs have begun or are ready to begin in Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Hungary, and Serbia (FRY).

A common theme amongst those present in the meeting was "Elections can't wait". Elections on the local, city, and national levels are expected or planned for 2000 in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Montenegro, FYRoMacedonia, and Slovenia. Other Stability Pact Countries have elections scheduled in early 2001. Hence, GTF representatives are continuing activity despite the lack of funds to date.

The Principal Deputy Co-ordinator of the Stability Pact, Donald Kursch was a special guest in the Zagreb Meeting and gave a report on the outcomes of the March Stability Pact Funding Conference. Though the process of matching pledges to projects is still ongoing, Mr. Kursch was able to confirm that the Gender Task Force's projects received considerable attention from a variety of donor countries and agencies. Those four regional projects were prepared on the basis of National Plans and regional priorities compiled in December and first presented in January 2000 to Stability Pact Working Table One.

The second meeting of the GTF was followed by a GTF Advisory Board meeting which included representatives of International Organisations active in the field of Gender Equality, as well as, Governmental representatives from supporting countries. Follow up will include immediate outreach to countries that have made pledges. The Clearinghouse Office of the Gender Task Force in Sarajevo was announced to open in mid-May thanks to a donation from the Kingdom of Denmark. Improved information flow within the Region and better links to the Stability Pact structures are expected results. OSCE confirmed its commitment to give its full support to the GTF throughout Southeast Europe.