This is a new tool of the SCO Ukraine to acknowledge the best performing initiatives in addressing gender inequalities and empowering women and men in the particular fields of projects interventions. The best cases of the period 2012 – 2014 were presented for consideration.

Three projects, in particular the Energy Efficiency in Vinnytsia, the Resource Efficient and Cleaner Production Centre and the IOM project Prevention of Human Trafficking through Community Mobilization (two lasts are located in Kyiv) received the Gender Award certificates and special prizes.

The Energy Efficiency Project located in Vinnytsia got a set of wooden and other modern toys for the children playing room “Smile” at Vinnytsia “Transparent offices” (providing administrative services at the Vinnytsia City Council). The Vinnytsia City Council is a partner of the project and jointly they put efforts to promote energy saving approaches among citizens of Vinnytsia. While the parents look for consultations by the specialists of the “Transparent office” the children get professional care in the playing room under supervision of the social workers.

Another two projects located in Kyiv, namely the Resource Efficient and Cleaner Production Centre (RFCPC) as well as the IOM project Prevention of Human Trafficking through Community Mobilization were invited to a city tour in Kyiv with a special focus on the role of women and men at different stages of city development from the historical, political, economic and cultural point of view. The teams of the both projects discovered a lot of interesting facts about their lovely city and had the opportunity once more to discuss about the roles and inputs of both genders in a daily life and at the crucial key points in the history.

After this first exercise, the SCO Ukraine planes to continue to award the best initiatives aimed at promotion of gender equality and special achievement in outstanding performance and role models in Gender Equality and mainstreaming within the Swiss Cooperation Programme in Ukraine.

For more information please follow the links:

1. „Transparent Office” in Vinnytsia got a Gender Award – only in Ukrainian

2. IOM helps tackle gender inequalities in Carpathians

3. Chronik-Fotos – only in Ukrainian

Around hundred young people – students, activists – participated in the meeting with Swiss politician Mr. François Lachat, First President of the government of the youngest Canton of Jura in Switzerland.

The event was organized by the Bohdan Hawrylyshyn School in partnership with Swiss Cooperation Office Ukraine and the Embassy of Switzerland in Ukraine.

Welcoming speech was presented by Dr. Dr Bohdan Hawrylyshyn, Head of the Bohdan Hawrylyshyn Charitable Foundation. All the participants were also greeted by Dr Christian Schoenenberger, Ambassador of Switzerland to Ukraine and Mr Holger Tausch, Director of the Swiss Cooperation Office Ukraine.

Mr. François Lachat is a politician with significant experience. At his time he was a Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee (FAC) of the Swiss Parliament, Co-founder & former vice-president of the Assembly of European Regions (AER), Head of the Swiss delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE). During his speech, Mr. Lachat shared his knowledge and experience in finding consensus in controversial political and local conflicts peacefully, showing it on the example of Canton of Jura.

For Ukraine Swiss experience in conflict solving could be of great importance, especially at the current situation. This was demonstrated by the youth that was asking serious questions and provoking hot discussion.