Cross-border Cooperation Project – CBC job gender and age equalizer

Cross-border Cooperation Project – CBC job gender and age equalizer

10.05.2024

As part of the project Bridging the gender and age gap on the labour market through capacity building and promotion of new job opportunities in cross border region CBC job gender and age equalizer, which is financed from EU funds within the IPA II cross-border cooperation program Serbia – North Macedonia, an opening event was held in Vranje today, where the activities planned to be implemented during the project were presented. In addition to representatives of local self-government, institutions, entrepreneurs, civil society organizations, the conference was also attended by training participants.

After the introductory speech by Tijana Milovanovic, president of the Association of Business Women Vranje, which is a partner in the project, and owner and director of the company “Ukras”, Dragana Panajotovic, executive director of the Association of Business Women in  Serbia, which is the leading organization, spoke about the IPA program, as well as the project within the program. The project lasts from September 2023 to March 2025 and is implemented by four partner organizations: from Serbia ABW Serbia and ABW Vranje, from North Macedonia MIR and Pravedni i profesionali.

The project aims to increase the participation of women, young and vulnerable groups of women in the labor market, through the introduction of innovative pilot support measures. Eight different activities are implemented within the project, in parallel in Serbia and North Macedonia:

– Trainings on gender stereotypes

– Training for professions in so-called “male” industries, including ICT, metalworking and construction

– Visits to employers in the field

– Mentoring support

– Conclusion of public-private partnerships

– Awareness raising campaign against gender stereotypes, including promotional video and podcasts

– Creation of documents with recommendations

– Visibility and cross-border networking, including a study visit of project participants from Serbia to North Macedonia

Trainings and a part of the activities in Serbia are carried out in the Pcinj district.

After the presentation of the project, a panel entitled “Gender and age gap in the labor market: problems and support for women, young people and vulnerable groups of women for greater participation and competitiveness in the labor market” was held, with a large number of speakers from different structures. The moderator of the panel was Dragana Panajotović, and the participants were:

-Natasa Manasijevic, President of Trgoviste municipality

-Lydia Virag, organizer of adult education, National Employment Service Vranje

-Milan Stojkovic, Director of “Milutin Bojic” Secondary Vocational School Trgoviste

-Ivana Genov, professional associate – pedagogue at the Vranje Technical School

-Jelena Djukic Pejic, editor of the Media Research Center Nis

-Tijana Milovanovic, who spoke from the perspective of the President of ABW Vranje and an entrepreneur

-Adrijana Mancic, a young entrepreneur from Pirot, participant of several trainings at ABW Serbia.

At the conference and panel, many interesting and useful data and conclusions were heard, and in addition to the exchange of information and familiarization with the ideas of the project itself, the participants of the event had the opportunity to get to know and network with each other.