Kaunas-Active Women for Equal Opportunities

Lithuania, like other socialistic countries, was characteristic of the especially high economic activity of women in 1945-1999, which was assured by carrying out the purposeful policy of "general employment"and the social policy.

After 1990, the role of women in the labour market started to diminish. The level of women's employment in 1991 -1995 reduced even by 18.6 per cent (from 99.0 to 80.4%), and of men - by 4.5 per cent (from 79.9 to 75.4%).

The Women Employment Information Centre of Kaunas is a public organization working with women and for their sake. Opened in 1994 on the initiative of Kaunas Municipality and Labour Organization, its mission is to improve the status of women in Lithuania, solving the issues of their employment, establishment and development of business, encouragement of the leadership of women, as well as the influence of public policy upon the problems of equality.

Since 1994, the agency of employment, information and re-qualification has been open at the Centre. Here, skilled consultants render services to the unemployed women free of charge, organize the personnel selection for free, mediate in the employment process, keep relations with employers, inform women about events, courses, possibilities of volunteering in the Centre or other nongovernmental organizations.

Women are directed to the Centre by the local Labour Exchange, Social Division of Kaunas, and other social partners. The Employ- ment Agency of the Centre helps women to get a job as baby-sitters, nurses, assistant-workers, accountants, insurance agents, etc.

There are also organizations working against violence in families (Women's Crisis Centre), divorce traumas (Women Help Women), etc. The „MILDA" Club (Women Initiative for the Growth of Democracy in Lithuania) was established in December 2002, seated at the Women Employment Information Centre of Kaunas. Its aim is to form a positive image of a woman-politician and to seek for the equal opportunities of genders in politics.

The club of business women „The 21^st Century" was opened in 1996. It unites 30 full-fledged members and associates. Its mission is to create the environment favourable for business women in Lithuania, improving the image of a business woman, seeking better laws and state programmes to encourage female business. The club keeps close relations with business-women of Estonia, Latvia, Finland, Kaliningrad and St. Petersburg regions.