Lithuanian Center for Equality Advancement received the grant from EAST-EAST program for the Training and Conference DEVELOPING INNOVATIVE GENDER EQUALITY STRATEGIES: FAMILY-FRIENDLY POLICIES, which will be held in Vilnius, Lithuania, from 14th to 17th of November, 2006.

DEVELOPING INNOVATIVE GENDER EQUALITY STRATEGIES: FAMILY-FRIENDLY POLICIES

This project covers three main activities, namely, study visit to Siauliai municipality, workshop New Masculinity – Strategies of Building Men’s Sensitivity for Gender Equality and international conference Reconciliation of Family and Work: Findings, Obstacles and Lessons.

I. Study visit to Siauliai municipality, November 14, 2006.

Civil servants of Siauliai municipality had the possibility to obtain trainings on gender mainstreaming in municipal work. Since 2005 the municipality developed the daily work of its administration by implementing gender mainstreaming. This is the first pilot municipality in Lithuania. Its know-how experience would give practical insights to East-East program participants.

II. Workshop New Masculinity – Strategies of Building Men’s Sensitivity for Gender Equality, November 15, 2006

Success of gender equality policies strongly correlates with the active involvement of men.  Developing a new image of a man as a care-giver makes a great impact on general idea about the reconciliation of family and work. These issues become related to both women and men and assist in solving many social problems. Therefore, the workshop will provide multicultural platform to discuss Scandinavian experience in making changes of hegemonic masculinity perception and developing gender sensitive, non-violent and care-giving masculinities. Workshop will be conducted by a leading psychologist Goeran Wimmerstrom from Sweden, who covers the topics on effective strategies to engage men in active parenting and family and greatly reduce violence against women.

III. International conference Reconciliation of Family and Work: Findings, Obstacles and Lessons, November 16-17, 2006.

This international conference is a part of the larger project “Modern Men in Enlarged Europe II: Family Friendly Policies”, financed by European Commission. The project covers four countries, namely, Denmark, Iceland, Lithuania and Italy, and addresses the issues of gender inequality in labor market and cultural, institutional and ideological obstacles which reproduce gender stereotypes in partner countries regardless of their advancement in gender equality legislation and policies. It seeks to demonstrate that family and work reconciliation may serve as an alternative tool to promote gender equality strategies in private and public spheres. More information about the project is on the project website www.dadcomehome.org

The international conference will present and discuss the results of quantitative survey and qualitative research conducted in four partner-countries (Denmark, Iceland, Lithuania and Italy) and demonstrates the positive contributions of reconciliation of family and professional life for individuals, employers and society. It will present different welfare systems and cultural/family tradition backgrounds of the partner-countries that influence social, institutional and individual conditions and suggest different approaches to deal with this issue in cultural diverse surroundings.

The conference will show the best practices of father’s reconciliation strategies to create gender equality at home and mechanisms at political, institutional and individual levels that facilitate to balance gender roles. It will point out and disseminate information on positive changes in resolving certain social problems, namely, strengthening family union, developing highly productive business and building secure society of healthy and loyal citizens.

Lisainfo:

Eestist oodatakse osalema ühte tööandjate esindajat. Sõidukulud kaetakse Avatud Eesti Fondi Ida-ida koostööprogrammi poolt. Osalemisoovist palume teatada enne 6. oktoobrit täidetud registreerimisvormiga e-posti teel: kristi@ettk.ee