The aim of the project was to empower female-led business associations by assigning CESO Volunteer Advisors who intensively worked with them to strengthen their organizational capacities. Namely, three Volunteer Advisors provided technical assistance to Macedonian female-led associations, working in the sphere of advocacy for female entrepreneurship, gender equality and empowerment of women by providing increased opportunities for employment. The Advisors focused on helping the organizations improve their services for their members and guiding them how to handle their needs and requests, in order to build stronger female entrepreneurs’ community.
STEM education and career – a challenge for girls and young women (WomenInStem) is a project that will promote careers (professions) in the STEM fieldс (science, technology, engineering and math) with a main focus on young girls / women. Through a campaign to promote STEM careers by women with successful careers in this field, it will encourage and empower young girls to make their own choices. In addition, the project will provide research on the main barriers faced by young students to develop a desire and aspiration for career development in the STEM areas. Based on the research findings, measures will be proposed to reduce the main barriers (in the family, school, society, etc.). The ultimate goal is to raise the awareness of young girls about STEM careers, increase the number of potential students in higher education institutions in the STEM areas, reduce and stop the brain drain, as well as modeling staff that is in high demand in the labor market with skills, experience and demand.
STEMΞquality is a project that will promote education and professional careers in the STEM field (science, technology, engineering and math) of girls/young women. That will enhance the career opportunities for young women, reduce gender inequalities and will increase women empowerment. The early age differences and choices have a long-term effect on the women’s transition from education to labor market, on their careers and professional development, on wages (adding to the persisting gender wage gaps), but also to the general gender equality and economic and social position of women in the society. The project aims at closing the current gender gaps in the share of women and men STEM graduates among the population. The interventions (activities) within the project should increase the aspiration of young women for STEM education and career, mitigate stereotypes in the society about the gender roles and female- and male-jobs. The gender stereotypes are deeply rooted in the society and start from an early age so that young girls are being raised as to seek security, find a job preferably in a “female” occupation (health, social work, education, or public administration) and not to “dream big”.
The project would be implemented on the territory of two neighboring countries, North Macedonia and Serbia. The proposed initiative will contribute to improving the environment in North Macedonia and Serbia for sustainable socio-economic development and greater use of the potential of young women.
