Local Projects and Transnational Experience Exchange

The main focus of the project is the implementation of local projects and transnational
experience exchange on local strategies, methods and projects results. The mainstreaming of
results and products of "Sister Cities Going Gender" takes place at theFinal Results of the
project "Equality in European Towns", organized by Council of European Municipalities and
Regions (CEMR), in Brussels in the beginning of 2005.

In order to build up a network of European cities supporting the implementation of Gender Mainstreaming in favour of democratization of decision-making processes in the long run, further partner cities which already have established good gender practices are going to be contacted and asked to present their experiences and models at the two working meetings of "Sister Cities Going Gender".

Local Projects

Each partner city and NGO develops local pilot projects in the field of Gender Mainstreaming:

- Frankfurt, Germany: Democratization of procedures of political decision-making and
decision-making bodies by introducing Gender Mainstreaming as a compulsory tool
into the community

- Rotterdam, Netherlands and Rome, Italy: Transparency with regard to the unequal
mechanisms of distribution of community budgets by introducing gender budgets in
exemplary areas

- Venice, Italy: Empowerment of women in community administration and in communal
politics by empowerment trainings

- Torino, Italy: Transparency with regard to the career mechanisms and the structural
obstacles for men and women in reaching leading positions by a comparative analysis
in the administration, in the profit and in the non-profit sector

- Verein Autonome Österreichische Frauenhäuser, AÖF, Vienna, Austria: an expertise on
the danger of decreasing positive action programs for achieving an equal participation
of both genders in processes of decision-making in the course of the implementation
of Gender Mainstreaming

- Transnational Project: Council of European Municipalities and Regions, CEMR, Paris, France: "Equality in European Towns"

Methods to be used

"Sister Cities Going Gender" recognizes the introduction of the strategy of Gender
Mainstreaming in community administrations and policy as a methodological approach. It
makes the structural obstacles for the representation of women in leading positions
transparent and develops solutions with long-lasting effects for a stronger participation of
women.

The local projects of "Sister Cities Going Gender" provide a mix of methods of approaches with different aims: changing the structures in politics and administration (e.g. gender budget) and approaches which support positive action for women supporting their empowerment to reach leading positions (trainings, expertise). This approach thus understands Gender Mainstreaming as a double strategy to achieve an equal participation of women and men in positions of decision-making.

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