Roma women activists in Ukraine learn about establishing women-to-women mentor networks at OSCE course

As part of its multi-year project to establish women-to-women mentor networks in the OSCE region, the OSCE Secretariat’s Gender Section organized a training course on 16 and 17 November 2016 in Kyiv for fifteen women activists from the Roma community in Ukraine.

The course was conducted by the Serbian non-government organization, the European Movement, and brought together participants from different parts of Ukraine, including youth activists and members of human rights organizations.

During the training course, participants learned about the concept of mentor networks and the practical steps involved in establishing a mentor network. They were introduced to the joint road map created by the OSCE and the Danish NGO KVINFO as a “how-to” manual for creating a mentoring network.

The course aimed to help participants understand that having a mentor can be a powerful tool to remove socio-economic barriers women face in fully participating in public life and in reaching their full potential. Experts highlighted that mentoring encourages the constant development of knowledge and abilities, which can translate into career progression and personal growth. 

The training course was made possible through contributions from Japan and the United Kingdom.