The “Winnet Armenia” Network of Women’s Resource Centres is implementing the “Budget for All” project in the scope of a grant allocated by the “Commitment to Constructive Dialogue” project.
In 2008, with the support of the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) and at the initiative of the Yerevan Office, active women in communities, with the purpose of women’s economic and political strengthening in the Syunik Region, opened the “Meghri Women’s Resource Centre” and “Kapan Women’s Resource Centre” non-governmental organisations, as well as the Women’s Development “Resource Centre” Foundation in Goris. These NGOs afterwards united their efforts in the scope of the Network of Syunik Women’s Resource Centres.
In 2014, this network became an official member of WINNET Europe (European Association of Resource Centers for Women – WINNET Europe) and re-organised as “WINNET Armenia” Network of Women’s Resource Centres (hereafter: WINNET Armenia) in order to increase women’s role and competitiveness in different areas at local, regional and community levels.
Since the day of its establishment, the efforts of WINNET Armenia have been aimed at the development of women’s resource centres and the creation of new centres in different marzes and regions of the Republic of Armenia. In 2014, WINNET Armenia had three new member organisations in Sisian, Yeghegnadzor, and Ijevan. The OSCE Office in Yerevan and the European Endowment for Democracy Fund greatly supported the enlargement of the network. WINNET Armenia continuously raises funds for its development, strengthening its members and enlarging the network.
The network has implemented a number of initiatives in the field of women’s economic enhancement. Thus, women’s business clubs have been created in the scope of the “Women’s Economic Enhancement” project. These clubs have developed women’s entrepreneurial and business skills, their competitiveness has been increased in the job market. In the scope of different initiatives, the trainings organised have been targeted at the development of women’s professional skills, as well as business skills, the skills of writing CVs and cover letters, the basics of job interviews, public communication and leadership skills.
The mission of the network is women’s empowerment in Armenia and Eastern Partnership countries through creation and development of women’s resource centres at community, marz, national and regional levels.
The vision of the network:
At the stage of establishment of transitional economy and democratic institutions, women’s economic and political empowerment requires:
- Increasing women’s competitiveness in economy and politics, including development of capacities in accordance with the market requirements;
- Gradual enlargement of women’s employment opportunities, including through development of social entrepreneurship based on the available local foundation;
- Forming and boosting a favourable policy environment for increasing opportunities of combining enhancement of women’s participation in the job market and family care, including through development and implementation of economic and social policies and programmes based on women’s needs;
- Increasing and mobilising women’s economic and civic activeness, including through the establishment and expansion of cooperation between women and their groups aimed at the promotion of their economic and public interests;
- Increasing the efficiency of initiatives aimed at social changes, including through regular monitoring and evaluation of the efforts of women’s resource centres;
- In Armenia and other Eastern Partnership countries, increasing the role and influence of the network, strengthening the capacities of resource centres and their network, including through the development of HR capacities of resource centres, expansion of property and financial means of centers and the network, development of social entrepreneurship infrastructures, design and implementation of mid-term and long-term realistic and efficient projects, recognisability of the network in Armenia and in the region and enhancement of international relations, including through membership in WINNET Europe.
The strategy of the network (in Armenian)
