OSCE Office promotes economic empowerment of women with meeting in south-eastern Belarus

HOMEL, Belarus, 19 October 2010 - An OSCE-supported roundtable meeting that aims to promote economic empowerment in Belarus was held today in Homel, a city in south-eastern Belarus.

The meeting, supported by the OSCE Office in Minsk and organized by the civil society organization Women's Independent Democratic Movement and regional authorities, focused on how social partnerships can help women start and run businesses.

The meeting was part of efforts to support Belarus' work under the OSCE Action Plan for the Promotion of Gender Equality. This plan sets forth several priority areas that OSCE participating States should address to achieve gender equality, including in the economic field.

"Women have traditionally played a major role in the Belarusian society. With the development of market-oriented businesses and entrepreneurship in Belarus, women can make an even more significant contribution to the growth and diversification of the country's economy. This also promotes women's participation in the social and political life, and contributes to sustainable democratic development and stability," said Jandos Asanov, Deputy Head and gender focal point at the OSCE Office in Minsk.

The OSCE Ministerial Council in 2004 adopted a decision that calls on OSCE participating States to promote equal opportunities for women in the economic sphere.