Key Activities:
- Creation of social clinics
- Training on how to apply for a grant
- Training of trainers – designed coalition to design and write projects – wrote 2 books for Training of trainers.
-
Informational campaign to prevent trafficking in rural areas
- Training in rural areas for teachers, librarians, methods
-
For Canadian Government, edited and published guide book on Budget and public participating in budgeting for members of parliament.
-
Health: Seminars for Doctors and self-exam of breast for women. However, mammograms are not in use to diagnose breast cancer, although they are available in hospital for use by oncologists.
- Organize every 2 years in September: Baikal Women’s Forum
- Work with other business organizations in event management and marketing
- Design social projects, linking all resources available in Russia and globally to WBA’s
-
Work with Trade Unions on new structures for Health care
- Regional Administration/Committee in Cultural areas/NGO’s
- Cooperation with neighbor on Lake Baikal, Buratyia and the Buratyia and Mongolian Women’s Business Associations.
- Masha Moschova, member of Angara Board, formed Baikalia formed 8 years ago and is now the largest tour operator in Baikal; in 2007 with 2,500 incoming tourists mainly from Moscow, St. Petersburg, Buratyia, Slovakia, promoting extreme tourism, development of social economy of Olkhon Island (beautiful beaches) on Lake Baikal. However, there are conflicts between the development of tourism and chemical plants/nuclear waste in the region.
| A C T I V I T I E S
| P R O B L E M S
| S U C C E S S E S
| | Combating transnational Trafficking in RF & Irkutsk
| Employment discrimination
| Advocacy Campaign to list Crimes Against Women as official crime in Russia
| | Implementing Gender Studies and Expertise
| Most of expertise in gender issues is outside of Russia;
Government and police structures refuse to accept existence and extent of the gender issues
| In 2002 Angara published “2002-2010 Program of Gender Development for Siberian Federal Districts, first manual on Gender and Society published in Russia, funded by Canadian Embassy in Moscow
| | Profiling Women Leaders through Gold Fund and Director of Year Content
| Image of women as “handicapped”
| New paradigm such as Best Director and Gold Fund
| | Developing Linkages for NGO’s with other NGO’s, Business and Government
| Tax base decreased due to out of region owners
| Development of Civil Society Council for NGO’s for City of Irkutsk
Irkutsk Oblast Committee for Budget Transparency
| | SME development through coalition with Chamber, City Government, Oblast Government & RF contacts
| Monopolies, lack of local resources, corruption
| Credit Unions, new SME’s in non-monopolistic sectors, such as tourism
| | Anti-Corruption Initiatives
| Informal Economy, monopolies, administrative controls
| Advocacy, membership on Councils/Committees; become expert witness
|
Some Examples of Angara Partnerships/Coalition Members/Network
1. Partnership with Irkutsk Chamber of Commerce on Municipal Budget Reform:
An example of the linkages and coalition with the business community is the strong relationship and joint project participation Angara has with the Irkutsk Chamber of Commerce. A totally new project was jointly developed, and new mechanisms put in place which helps women business leaders and is a strong anti-corruption effort. Angara and the Chamber created a Committee made up of economists, management and scientific experts to analyze the Oblast Budget, open to the citizens for the first time. In 2005 this was organized so that Irkutsk citizens could come together with Parliament members and go over in details the Oblast budget details, the plans and the actual disbursements.
This budget transparency process of municipal reform was developed 4 more times until 2008. The process taught WBA’s and NGO’s how to organize a project, how to evaluate social budgets and social plans and partnerships. The public/private Committee that was formed was also able to look and compare with budgets from neighboring Regions
2. Partnership with Angarsk Entrepreneurial School:
Angara helped form the private Angarsk Entrepreneurial School and Consulting Company in 1991, Irina Muraviova, Director. Angarsk is a one hour drive from Irkutsk and the site of many chemical plants and an oil refinery. The Vice Director of the School is on Angara’s Board of Directors. School includes incubators for business, small courses, seminars and incubators on how to start business, finance courses, how to write business plans (ranging from $300-$3,000, depending on complexity). The school is a vital partner to the City of Angarsk Administration, encouraging women managers, training for social evaluation projects and a key member of the Public Council for the City.
The leaders of the School consider themselves “builders of Civil Society” which is recognized by the City and all members on Women’s Day Recognition with many thank you letters, awards and a sense of recognition from City leaders and Angarsk citizens. Their major problem is that many of the well trained specialists leave the local community after educational and training is completed. Women are in the large majority in SME’s in Angarsk, have a fair amount of representation in mid-sized businesses and are very poorly represented in large and multinational businesses.
3. Anti-Corruption Coalition (2003-2008) led by Angara and Irkutsk Chamber based on interview with Chamber Vice President Anatoly Petrovich Sterbov
This effort has drawn support from several international donors (CIPE and MSI) investigating administrative barriers, business development with participation by youth, environmental women leaders. Part of this effort has led to the improved evaluation of land in the Oblast. The mission of the Chamber is now: “…to consolidate and coordinate regional businesses in Irkutsk and decrease risks for businesses in Irkutsk.”
4. Partnership/Network with the Ust-Ilimsk Women’s Business Association
An example of one of the partner organization in the coalition of Angara is called the Businesswomen of Ust Ilimsk (Northern Irkutsk Oblast) headed by Tatiana Riaboshapka, whose organization works on the slogan of “Woman: Help Yourself.” This rural WBA deals with problems of corruption, problems women merchants have (such as purchasing of cash registers), problems with the timber/wood industry.
5. Partnership with the City of Irkutsk on Council of NGO’s:
Angara has been working for many years with the City of Irkutsk’s Office of Management and Outreach to NGO’s, to create, train and nurture a Council of NGO’s of City Irkutsk. The Director of this City Office describes Angara as “…an example of Modern Russia with stable decision making process and well trained Board of Director as experts.” She claimed that this process of public discussions has helped build civil society in City of Irkutsk and has increased democratic reforms. The City Mayor and Angara has helped designed the City Plan/Strategy until 2020 as a model for NGO involvement and partnership. Angara experts helped train NGO’s to apply for City grants, fund raising, build the triangle of business, government and NGO’s (political parties, national cultural organizations, charity groups, women’s and youth associations, environmental organizations, etc.)
Angara and the City Office jointly designed the program, goals, employed new technologies in interactive/brainstormed training. They helped design a monthly luncheon meeting on the first Wednesday of the month between City leaders (Mayor, Deputy Mayor and Department heads) with the Council of NGO’s. They worked together to improve the NGO law. They have cooperated in formation of a cultural center and both participate as leaders of the Angara Baikal Economic Forum held every other September.
6. Director of the Year Contest
This is one of the best and most creative projects that Angara has found to encourage women’s entrepreneurial development. It was started by the Angara Board President, Albina Shirobokova in 1998. Angara identifies and decides on candidates from Irkutsk Oblast/Region to be honored by Oblast officials and also successful candidates for the all Russian contest. Candidates are divided by sector. This effort raises the status of women directors and managers – just one example was a woman who, against all odds and by herself, built a hospital for Russian veterans in her rural community.
|
