At the same time, gender-based violence and trafficking remain challenges for the Estonian society. Calls for proposals to strengthen gender equality and tackle gender-based violence are now open.
Estonian society has historically been marked by traditional values towards family and gender equality. Today, Estonian women earn on average 28% less than men, making up one of the highest gender pay gaps in Europe. Women are also underrepresented in decision making bodies and experience difficulties combining work and family responsibilities. Possibilities for flexible working arrangements are limited, and awareness amongst citizens and professionals on gender equality is generally low. The programme “Mainstreaming Gender Equality and Promoting Work-Life Balance” is established to promote gender equality in Estonia and offer support in balancing work, family, and private lives.
Promoting gender equality and work-life balance
A call is now open for activities that promote gender equality and work-life balance in the Baltic country.
The call will support projects to develop and implement sustainable and high-quality systems to promote gender equality, including for example training programmes for public officials, integration of gender equality in undergraduate degree programmes and mentoring programmes for women in leadership positions. Under this area, two or three grants will be allocated, distributing €550 245.
Under the area promoting work-life balance, supported activities should develop and implement knowledge-based actions for employees and employers in order to promote a family and employee friendly working environment. Under this area €340 000 will be distributed.
Combating domestic and gender-based violence
Gender-based violence and trafficking remain grave challenges for the Estonian society. Domestic violence is widespread but tends to go unrecognised, and a lack of specialist knowledge and research on the issue limits the government’s possibility to tackle the problem efficiently. Trafficking in human beings is increasingly becoming an area of concern, with Estonia being a source, transit, and destination country for women subjected to forced prostitution, and for men and women subjected to conditions of forced labour.
Under the current call for proposals under the gender-based violence programme, projects that aim at decreasing and preventing gender-based violence and trafficking in human beings are supported. Central in both calls are activities contributing to awareness-raising towards the wider general public and risk groups, including victims and specialists in the field.
Who can apply?
Public or private entities, commercial or non-commercial and non-governmental organisations, established as legal entities in Estonia as well as inter-governmental organisations operating in Estonia are all considered eligible applicants. Partnerships between Estonian and donor state organizations are encouraged.
Cooperation with Norwegian partners
Both programmes have Norwegian partners that contribute to the implementation of the programme and facilitate contact with potential Norwegian project partners.
Norwegian Directorate of Health is the a donor programme partner in the domestic and gender-based violence programme and the Norwegian Ministry of Children, Equality and Social Inclusion is partner in the gender equality programme.
More information about the calls
- More information about the call for proposals under the gender equality programme can be found here.
- More information about the call for proposals under the gender-based violence programme can be found here.
The deadline for both calls is 26 August 2013.