News, Announcements & events
Female entrepreneurship in rural areas, a valuable tool in achieving the objectives regarding gender equality and the green social economy
At the level of the European Union, female entrepreneurs represent approximately one third of the self-employed persons, and the percentage is the same in rural areas.
Even if the number of women occupying positions of associates or shareholders in small and medium-sized enterprises has increased slightly recently, the gap in terms of the number of female and male entrepreneurs is still a large one in Romania, where only 36.84% are women.
The difference is even more significant in the rural communities where, due to the lack of education, limited opportunities, traditional social roles, the poverty rate, to name just a few of the obstacles, the number of women to develop their own business is much smaller.
The European Commission’s policies contribute to gender equality becoming a reality in the EU countries, and the steps in this direction involve, along with the awareness of the problem and of the importance that women have in the economic and social development of rural communities, also promoting a more active role for them and supporting them for the establishment and administration of private economic structures.
The process of empowering women cannot be attained, however, only by providing financial support. Entrepreneurial education plays an extremely significant role, through which future female entrepreneurs can acquire knowledge and develop the necessary skills in this regard, using digital and social economy models.
At the same time, considering the provisions of the European Green Deal, it is essential that the entrepreneurship developed in the rural environment allows the transition towards a social and green economy.
The Women’s Empowerment through GREen Social ENtrepreneurship - WE GREEN project acts towards two major directions leading to a sustainable Europe - gender equality in rural entrepreneurship and greening of the rural economy.
The expected results of the project – an inspirational package, the development and implementation of a capacity building program for formal and non-formal educators working with women in rural communities and a guide for all stakeholders, contributes to the achievement of the objectives regarding gender equality and green social economy at national and European level.
The #WEGREEN project is funded by ERASMUS+ and implemented by Diesis Network, BK CON, SYNTHESIS, Primorska University, Mladi ambasadori and the Center for Not-for-profit Law.
Story Makers: Many Voices Many Lives Article
Story Makers: Many Voices, Many Lives is an Erasmus+ project that aims to empower youth workers to use the power of storytelling in their work with socially excluded kids. The initiative was created in response to rising concern about the increasing gap between young people who participate in social, civic, and cultural life and are confident about obtaining work and others who have little prospect of having a satisfying life and risk exclusion or marginalization.
Click the link below to read the full article and to find out more about the Story Makers Pilot Workshops!
Generation Z Reading Club Newsletter #1
Generation Z Reading Club promotes reading and ensures access to quality, unbiased, youth-friendly information on vital themes to make young people critical and responsible information consumers and producers. If you are interested in finding out more how the project is aiming to achieve this, click on the link below to read their first newsletter!
UNROOT - Newsletter Vol.2
Unroot is an Erasmus+ project with partners from Austria, Cyprus, the Netherlands, Greece, and Belgium. Unrooting Violence tackles societal norms to avoid gender-based violence. The consortium held its first in-person, transnational project meeting in Maastricht in June 2022, where they planned the first result of the project, the preparatory phase, in which rural community service providers will be invited to join the project by participating in focus groups to research GBV education in their vicinities.
Find out more about the progress and the objectives of the project in the second newsletter linked below.
Let’s Green, Digital and Animate Rural Inclusive Territories (Up Rural!) has begun!
Up Rural! is an Erasmus+ funded collaboration between 7 partners across 6 countries - Ireland, Romania, Italy, Greece, Cyprus and Spain.
Rural areas across Europe face similar challenges, demographic change, connectivity, low income and limited access to services while at the same time there are a number of opportunities in relation to the environment, food production and unique cultures.
This project aims to create a lasting impact in local communities by raising awareness on the environment, just transition and the transition to a green, digitalised and sustainable Europe. Read more about the project and the kick off meeting in the article below!