Initiatives promoting women's empowerment and gender equality in Armenia will be enhanced by incorporating successful international experiences and policies. This is possible thanks to the study visit to Sweden organized by UNFPA Armenia in May 2023 as part of the "Future Today: Empowering Women, Youth, and Children for Deepening Democracy in Armenia" project, funded by the European Union. The new members of the network formed within the "Future Today" project, WINNET Berd, WINNET Vanadzor and WINNET Gyumri representatives, participated in the visit. WINNET Armenia network has nine women's resource centers in the country aimed at supporting women's economic and political development in Armenia.
"The study visit to Sweden unveiled successful strategies in empowering women and fostering women's social entrepreneurship. With this knowledge, the WINNET network will be able to enhance its impact and contribute to empowering women in Armenia. We trust that this will pave the way for new initiatives, resulting in the empowerment of women in Armenia and the genuine realization of gender equality," highlighted Eduard Israyelyan, "Future Today" Project Manager at UNFPA Armenia.
In Malmo, the delegation had a packed agenda, including meetings with local partners such as the IKF-International Women's Association, Coompanion, and representatives from the Social Services and Employment Agency of the City of Malmo. These meetings explored cooperation and support models between the public sector and NGOs. Additionally, discussions were held with FemNet, WINNET Sweden, and JUS (formerly WINNET Skane) to present the activities of both WINNET Armenia and WINNET Sweden and discuss potential collaboration.
Ruzanna Torozyan, the President of the "WINNET Armenia" Network of Women Resource Centers, described the visit as an invaluable opportunity for newly affiliated network members.
"The visit facilitated knowledge exchange, exploring innovative approaches, and sharing best practices among participating members. Notably, the experience sparked excitement and inspiration among the representatives of our centers, igniting their creativity and introducing new ideas that can significantly enhance the quality of our work."
WINNET Armenia network members explored social enterprises run by Yalla Trappan, an organization that supports migrant and vulnerable women in the community. The hosts showcased their activities, business models, funding sources, and collaboration with the local government in providing vocational training for unemployed women. The study visit provided an opportunity to observe a similar social enterprise model at the Rag2Rug sewing workshop that targets textile waste, unemployment issues, and traditional craftsmanship. At this workshop, foreign-born women use waste textiles to weave new products such as rugs and cushions.
In Stockholm, the participants met with ForumCIV, an organization that supports civil society in over 70 countries, and learned about the Swedish Partnership Programme and various international funding opportunities, including in Armenia. The team also had the chance to visit the Swedish Parliament to explore the Swedish government's support priorities. At the Swedish Institute, potential cooperation opportunities were discussed. The Swedish Institute expressed commitment to support Armenia through scholarships and project implementation. The Swedish Institute plans to open a call with cooperation projects in the autumn of 2023. The Swedish Institute colleagues advised starting from the seed funding and ensuring a Swedish-based organization can be partnered for the new project.
"I was especially impressed by the meeting held at the Swedish Institute, as well as the models of social entrepreneurship. I am sure that in the future, we will adapt and apply them in our region as well, which will greatly benefit our women and girls," said Hasmik Ghalumyan, President of "WINNET Berd" social foundation.
The Department for Eastern Europe and Central Asia of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Sweden presented its gender equality priorities within Sweden and concerning foreign countries, along with funding opportunities for Armenia. At the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA) unit, the participants learned about SIDA's current projects in Armenia and explored possibilities for cooperation.
To follow up on the study visit, WINNET Armenia plans to draft a proposal with Swedish partner organizations and apply for seed funding from the Swedish Institute. They also intend to contact the SIDA focal point at the Swedish Embassy in Armenia to discuss further cooperation opportunities. In October 2023, both the Swedish Institute and Forum CIV teams will visit Armenia separately, and meetings are scheduled to explore partnership opportunities and conduct visits to UNFPA partners in the regions.
This publication was produced with the financial support of the European Union. Its content is the sole responsibility of UNFPA and does not necessarily reflect the views of the European Union.
Mari Mkhitaryan/UNFPA
Photos: UNFPA
