1.

How does economic empowerment of women enhance stability in fragile and transition
contexts?
As part of the World Bank and IMF Civil Society Forum, WIP is co-hosting a session which will address
the role women play in peace-building processes with particular attention given to access to finance,
participation in food security and nutrition activities, and access to influence governance and decision
making arenas.

2. "The bold ones - high-impact female leaders who transform politics"
High-impact female leaders stand out on many aspects: they contribute more to society politics to a
great extent. This gives them outsized importance for society and the economy. But what do they do
that outshines the rest? What makes them leaders? And will female leaders be the ones to rebuild trust
of citizens in political decision making? The WIP discussion will provide insights of outstanding female
politicians from different continents. All participants are invited to share their individual impact stories.

SOURCE: IPSOS Strategic Marketing: GENDER EQUALITY IN SERBIA 2014
- Presence of women MPs by parliament and government mandates 2002-2014
Women %
Convocation Parliament of Serbia Government of Serbia
2002 12.4 21.1
2004 10.8 11.8
2007 20.4 6.3
2008 20.4 17.4
2011 22 16.7
2012 33.6 14.3
2014 34 20

Although most citizens believe that men and women should be equally successful in most occupations,
men are preferred at least slightly on all of them, or citizens are more likely to believe that men would
do a better job than women would. Notable is correlation between premiumness of position and the
degree of preference of men, or share in the population if the opinion that men would be better for the
position than women. And, moving towards lower functions, from president of state and prime
minister, then president of a political party, municipality and parliament, to the positions of ministers,
deputy ministers, secretary of state and MPs, the share of those who believe that men would do a
better job decreases. So, citizens of Serbia still believe that it would be optimal that men were at higher
positions with more responsibilities, but also powers.
Many citizens of Serbia perceive that man and women as equal in terms of quality of work done in the
Parliament of Serbia as MPs (67%), while 15% of citizens believe that women are doing a better job than
men are, and 11% believe that women are not better than men.
Characteristics of women that make them suitable as MPs: their abilities (10%), responsibility (10%),
honesty, fairness (9%), commitment to work, sacrifice (7%), and humanity (8%). However, most citizens
indicate decrease of discrimination as an argument for choice of women MPs, or alloewing women to
show what they can do (20%).
According to the perception of the citizens of Serbia, of areas that women politicians dedicate most
attention to:
- Social care of vulnerable groups (38 women/5 men)
- Suppressing domestic violence (31 women/ 3 men)
- Developing healthcare system (26 women/ 3 men)
- Taking care of the young (25 women/ 3 men)
- Developing educational system (22 women/ 4 men)
- The environment (20 women/3 men)
- Improving life standards (20 women/ 17 men)
- Suppressing violence in schools (17 women/ 5 men)
- Suppressing poverty (13 women/ 5 men)
In addition citizens are considerably more likely to believe that men would be more successful in solving
problems in the following areas: safety and defense, fight against crime, suppressing drug trafficking,
fight against corruption, development of agriculture, economic recovery and job creation and updating
of judicial system. On the other hand women are perceived as more successful in areas traditionally
associated with the role of women (social care of the vulnerable groups, care of the young and
pensioners, environment, fighting poverty, developing tourism in Serbia)
SOURCE: Participation of women in decision-making processes at local level in the Republic of Serbia,
Ministry of Labor, Employment, Veteran and Social affairs, 2014
The topic of gender equality is marginalized both in theoretical considerations, and in politics as an
activity. Therefore, women politicians, who opt for gender equality as a value they strongly advocate,
get discredited. A similar situation happens in theory inter-party organizations (mostly forums of
women) who are, just like their leaders, marginalized in the political parties. In that sense, womens
forums, although intended as a step towards womens empowerment and gender mainstreaming in the
policies of political parties, become a space of ghettoization of women and womens issues. Very
often these organizations are engaged in humanitarian work, and have little or no influence on the
policy of the parties.
Among the main obstacles for women in politics, were identified: prejudice against women, lack of
empowerment of women and the lack of formal procedures in the parties and the institutions.
Local women leaders who are recognized in the community, increase the confidence in women
regarding decision making, can serve as models to other women and contribute to their empowerment,
and can also give support to other women, to support and to increase the participation of women in the
political life in local community and wider.