Forum 2000 collaborated with the Western Balkans Fund to prepare the “Unstoppable” regional conference on women and leadership, which took place from 20 to 23 February 2023 in Tirana, Albania. This event was supported by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan and the International Visegrad Fund.
At the suggestion of Forum 2000 and its ICDR Women's Working Group, a panel on "Women as a Catalyst for Democratic Change" was included in the program. The following speakers from our network participated in the conference:
- Marta Lempart, All-Poland Women's Strike (Strajk Kobiet)
- Magda Jakubowska, Res Publica & Visegrad Insight
- Monika Kočiová, Center for International Private Enterprise
- Dominika Vondráčková, Youth, Speak Up!
- Veronika Skoupá, Forum 2000
This multi-structured and empowering conference provided many benefits to promoting gender equality in all levels of government, the private sector, and nongovernment agencies. The conference included a multitude of topics across the human rights spectrum, enhancing knowledge and strengthening the network of professionals coming from Western Balkan and Visegrad Group countries, also uniting diverse stakeholders, researchers, stories and case studies from all over the region in parallel sessions while offering many networking opportunities. Among the priorities mentioned during the conference are: including young people in the debate, which can bring new perspectives and approaches, leadership that emphasizes empathy and respect, equal treatment regardless of age or gender, systematic changes regarding maternity/paternity leave and other legal arrangements, educating both men and women on gender equality, and more.
More information can be found in the press release here.
