ODIHR helps ensure women's voices are heard in South Caucasus and Central Asia

"It is important to let people see that gender issues are not separate from the overall political picture or from human-rights issues," says panel member Mira Karybaeva from Kyrgyzstan.

The panel is made up of activists from women's organizations across the region, with whom the ODIHR has been co-operating for a number of years as part of its programme to increase women's participation in democratic processes.

Exchanging experiences and expertise

"All of our countries have similar histories, similar problems, similar laws, and we have had different levels of success. With the gender expert panel, we can educate each other, and learn from each other's experiences," explains Galina Petriashvili of the Georgian journalists' association GenderMediaCaucasus.

The members of the 12-strong panel have a range of specialist areas, and include university professors, economists, journalists and education experts. As the focus of the activities they are engaged in varies from country to country, members can benefit from the work done by their regional counterparts.

In Georgia, panel member and economics professor Charita Jashi has been involved in projects to increase women's economic participation, working with leaders from a network in the regions set up with the help of ODIHR, and developing manuals on entrepreneurship. Panel members from Azerbaijan are now hoping to benefit from her experience to develop activities on women in business, including micro-credit initiatives.

"The panel is very important from a number of different angles," says Zulfiya Tukhtakhodjaeva, of the Association of Non-Governmental Women's Organizations in Uzbekistan. "We exchange policy documents which can be used at our own national level.

"For example, the strategy document on increasing women's participation in policy-making processes developed at the large-scale meeting of women's organizations in Kyrgyzstan in spring 2003. We create joint plans of action, and share recommendations and materials. It is also an opportunity for us to disseminate information and present an objective picture of what is happening in our own country."

Building strong national networks

This regional forum of experts has only been possible because of the development of strong networks at the national level. The ODIHR has put many years of effort into helping build women's NGO networks and coalitions, and providing them with training in leadership skills. The fruits of this work are now beginning to show, as panel member Zulfiya Kochorbaeva, of the Social Technologies Agency in Kyrgyzstan explains:

"Our first contact with the ODIHR was back in 1999 when, as a women's NGO, we identified women to participate in some of its mini-seminars on women's leadership. At that time, the participants had little or no experience of gender issues. Then, with ODIHR's support, we set up a national network of women's organizations called Women Can Do It. Our network now has over 50 member organizations and has been gaining in strength over the past five years.

"We promote women for key positions such as in local self-government councils, women's local councils and the electoral commission, and support women in political parties. Following the last parliamentary elections in March 2004, where not a single woman was elected, we successfully lobbied for the creation of a special presidential representative to parliament on gender issues. This is the first case where a representative from a women's NGO has been promoted to such a high government position."

Getting women into public office

Similar results have been seen in Uzbekistan from successful coalition-building, where organizations have come together with the shared goal of gender equality at the decision-making level. "We were able to speak loudly enough, with one voice, to get our proposal for a 30 per cent quota of women on political party candidates lists accepted for the 2004 elections," says Tukhtakhodjaeva.

"The result of these elections was an increase from 8 to 18 per cent of women in parliament. We have already started preparing for the next elections in five years' time. We need to build women's confidence, and train them professionally, but we also need to get the commitment of all actors to promote women's participation in governance. We need to stop women being afraid of public office."

Influencing the political process

Changing ingrained attitudes is a gradual process, but the ODIHR's network-building from the grassroots up has resulted in a high-level regional network that can have real influence on governments and wider society.

As Jaishi points out, "A few years ago, the voices of NGOs were not heard by the government. In Georgia we have passed this stage. Now our recommendations are taken into account. We are able to influence the political process."