AMBASSADOR MEETS NGO REPS ON WOMEN'S ISSUES IN

UNCLAS VILNIUS 000064 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PHUM KWMN XH LH BE SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR MEETS NGO REPS ON WOMEN'S ISSUES IN KAUNAS ¶1. Summary: Representatives of NGOs working on women's issues in Lithuania stressed to the Ambassador on January 27 in Kaunas their view that, "women's rights are human rights." These groups are mainly funded on a project to project basis, and promote women's equality, social support, and networking in business, politics and academia. They strongly welcomed the USG,s commitment on global women's issues and the appointment of Ambassador-at-large for Global Women's Issues Melanne Verveer. End Summary. ¶2. NGO Participants: Women's Employment Information Center (WEINC) - Jurate Puidiene, Director WEINC - Eligijus Dzezulskis-Duonys, Board Member WEINC/Women's Politicians Club (MILDA) - Dania Dobiliene, President WEINC/Women's Entrepreneur's Club (XXI cent) - Ale Jurgaitiene, President Social Innovation Club - Audrone Kisieliene, Vice Director Social Innovation Club - Andzelika Lilaite, Staff Member Lithuanian University Women's Association (LUMA) - Ausra Pleseckiene LUMA - Ada Azaraviciene -------------- WOMEN'S EMPLOYMENT INFORMATION CENTER (WEINC) -------------- ¶3. WEINC, established in 1994, is one of the largest women's issue NGOs operating in Lithuania. It is funded on a project to project basis from local and national government agencies, the European Social Fund, and some foreign governments, notably Finland. Its goals are to improve the status and equality of women in Lithuania through job training, such as computer and English language skills, and opportunities for networking/mentoring. WEINC has an international reach. In recent business networking/mentoring events, the WEINC through its satellite NGO Women's Entrepreneur's Club (XXI cent) invited participants from both Belarus and Russia (Kaliningrad),as well as some Nordic countries. ¶4. Another WEINC satellite NGO, Women's Politician's Club (MILDA) seeks to get a consensus on policy toward women's issues across the political spectrum. It also works to involve more young women in the political process. One of the current goals of this organization is to get men the right to take paid paternity leave. ¶5. WEINC leaders characterized the current GOL as having a "so-so" attitude on women's issues. Progress is hindered by a lack of resources and also an overall weak system of supporting NGOs. The WEINC is currently organizing a Women's Day Conference March 8 in Kaunas and is looking for VIPs from the international community to attend. Ambassador volunteered to attend and also give a speech outlining the current U.S. policy on women's issues. -------------- SOCIAL INNOVATION FUND (SIF) -------------- ¶6. SIF, established in 1994, works primarily on gender equality and empowerment issues both in Lithuania and in neighboring Belarus and Russia (Kaliningrad). In the last few years SIF has gotten much of its funding on a project to project basis from the European Commission. SIF was active in drafting the report on UN Convention of the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) implementation in Lithuania. SIF is actively looking for international partners to work together on women's issues in developing countries. -------------- --- LITHUANIAN UNIVERSITY WOMEN'S ASSOCIATION (LUMA) -------------- --- ¶7. Originally established in 1929 and re-established in 1991, LUMA coordinates women's issue clubs in universities around Lithuania. It is currently based in Kaunas (the headquarters moves to a different city every six years). LUMA is currently focusing on getting university women -- both students and faculty -- involved in environment and health issues. DERSE