Strengthen Women in the EU Enlargement Process

The importance of co-operation in the Baltic Sea region is growing in the enlarging European Union and the UBC Women's Network aims to strengthen women in this process. The seminar arranged with the help of Siauliai City Women's Association (SMA) aims to give information about the possibilities for feminine organisations to finance their activities through projects using available funds. The seminar is a meeting point for UBC women active in decision making and NGOs. Specially invited are women from the UBC cities in Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Russia. During those days the forthcoming program of the UBC Women's Network is to be discussed, too.

UBC Women's Network takes part in the preparation of two mayor events in 2003 -The Third Baltic Sea Women's Conference on WoMen and Democracy and the III Baltic Sea NGO Forum Northern Dimension -Human Dimension? Strengthening of Civil Society in the Baltic Sea Region.

The Conference on WoMen and Democracy will take place on 13-14 February 2003 in Tallinn, Estonia. The main organizer of the Conference is the Ministry of Social Affairs of Estonia. About 600 representatives of the public institutions, the research community and NGOs from the Baltic States, Nordic countries, Russia, Poland, Germany and the USA are expected to attend the conference. The patron of the Conference is the First Lady of Estonia Mrs. Ingrid Ruiitel. The Conference will address the following four main topics: women in power and decision-making, women and economy, violence against women and women and media. For more information please visit the website www.sm.ee/women/ or contact the Project Manager of the Conference Ms Kati Ellandi, e-mail: kati.ellandi@sm.ee.