Gender Equality in Western Balkans: Politics or Policy?

Final RAD seminar in 2014 to take place in Sarajevo

Regional Academy for Democracy ends its program in 2014 with the seminar devoted to practices of gender equality and gender mainstreaming in Western Balkans countries.

In the many debates we led on what exactly may be considered policies of consensus in this particular region, “the story of gender” emerged. It seems that common understanding exists between the elites in a sense that improvements in this particular area of policy come at little cost; while benefits, translated to voter support, may in fact be huge. Plus, these changes – when implemented, which is a big if at times – paint a different image of politicians as modernists, who are not opposed to civilizational change.

In order to discuss the issue at hand properly, we need to understand and delimit concepts – one of equality and another of mainstreaming; and then go through a reality check, one that concerns Bosnia and Herzegovina; and another, taking into consideration all the obstacles women face once they have entered politics.

As it is already customary with RAD, we will devote attention as well to internal developments in our host country; our RAD alumni panel will therefore pose the question of BIH perspectives one month after the elections.

The RAD program for 2014 will officially close with the presenting of certificates, signed by Secretary General of the Council of Europe, Mr. Torbjorn Jagland, and Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council, Goran Svilanovic. For this solemn occassion, our special guests will be H.E. Mr. Ruggero Corias, the Ambassador of Italy in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Ms. Mary Ann Hennessey, Head of the Council of Europe Office in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

We are greatly looking forward to what promises to be an exciting final event.

The final agenda of the event may be accessed HERE.