1. ProjectEuropean Federation of Mentors for Girls and Young Women Situation of girls and young women promotion and mentoring in LatviaZonta International District 21 Sweden & Latvia Area Director, Ex-president of International Zonta Jelgava ClubProf. Dr.hab.oec. Baiba RivzaInternational meeting October 15 -18, 2008, Graz

2. International Zonta Jelgava Club Zonta International is a worldwide organization of executives inbusiness and the professions working together in advancing the status ofwomen. Nearly 33,000 members belong to more than 1,200 Zonta Clubsin 68 countries and geographic areas. International Zonta Jelgava Club was founded in 1997 with aim topromote the activities of Zonta International in Jelgava city and region.The main tasks of organization are: To improve the legal, political, economic, educational, health, andprofessional status of women; To work for the advancement of understanding, goodwill, and peacethrough a world fellowship of executives in business and the professions; To promote justice and universal respect for human rights andfundamental freedoms; To be united internationally to foster high ethical standards, to implementservice programs, and to provide mutual support and fellowship forwomen 3. Percentage of women in Latvianpopulation Total in the country 54 % Urban population 55 % Rural population 52 % 4. Situation on girls and young womenpromotion in Latvia Dominant structure traditional choice of educationand carrier:- Health and social care (85% of all employees)- Service branch (83,3%)- Education (78,4%) Women are less paid, except public administration(average salary of women is only 81,5% of averagesalary of men) Awareness of gender equality is in scientificcommunity (highest proportion of women scientists inEurope) 5. Situation on girls and young womenpromotion in LatviaStill strong role of stereotypes 10 women from 100 are full members of theLatvia Academy of Sciences 18 women from 100 are members of theParliament 17% of all professors are women 34% of all entrepreneurs are women, worsesituation is in rural areas about 20% from allentrepreneurs 6. Relative share of women & men ina typical academic career100 Women 9089 Men 80 80 70 60 636055 5045 40 3740 30 20 20 10110StudentsPhDAssistant Associate Full prof. graduates prof. prof. 7. Percentage of total number of womenin the fields of studiesTeaching sciences and teacher education 84 Humanities78 Social sciences 65Natural sciences and mathematics 36Engineering and technologies21 Agriculture44 Health, health and social care84 Utilities56 0 204060 80 100 8. Women in entrepreneurship 34% of all entrepreneurs in Latvia are women Worse situation is in rural areas about 20% from allentrepreneursMain reasons: Lack of family support - women as the main responsible for housework and/or children Willingness to avoid risks Problems with social system and child care system Male club/traditions/stereotypes especially in technical fields Missing knowledge about accounting Lack of financing Low self-esteem 9. Support for Latvia womenfrom EU structural fundsThe gender quality aspect as horizontal objective is includedthroughout the Latvia Development Plan 2007 2013, primarilywithin the priority Development of Human Resources andEmployment, e.g.: Output indicators and baseline data are broken down bygender to monitor gender gaps and to measure progress ingender equality Additional points in the selection criteria will be assigned tothose projects which contribute to gender equality Gender balance in Monitoring and Steering Committees willbe encouraged 10. Organizations involved in girls andyoung women promotion International Zontu Jelgava Club Latvia Rural Women association NGO Ldere NGO Marta NGO Gender equality society NGO Business women society Many NGO and women clubs in Latvia regions 11. Mentoring programs for ruralwomen in Latvia Mentoring programs for rural women in Latvia supported throughINTERREG III B project FEM: Female Entrepreneursmeetings in the Baltic Sea region and FIVE-O project Zontaand Soroptimist International clubs mentoring program forrural womenMain aims of the program were: To help the Mentees to develop their business related goals; To get the entrepreneurs into active women entrepreneurs networkand to start cooperation with each other; To ensure sustainability of enterprise in starting phase; To provide professional guidance, new knowledge; To exchange experiences, to avoid some mistakes. 12. Activities Selection of Mentees and Mentors Seminars and meetings for Mentees and Mentors Composing and concluding agreements between Menteesand Mentors Dissemination activities of mentoring program Special training and common coaching and networkingevents for Mentors and Mentees Questionnaire of 103 exitsing and potential Mentees and 62existing and potential Mentors all regions of Latvia Development of Mentoring manual Monitoring and evaluation of mentoring cooperation(interviews with Mentees and Mentors) 13. Mentoring pairs and groups In total 27 mentoring pairs and 3 groups (10 pairs and 2 groups inZemgale, 7 pairs and 1 group in Vidzeme, and 5 pairs in eachLatgale and Kurzeme) 14. Main results All interviewed mentors and mentees are satisfiedand gratify about cooperation. Most of the mentorsemphasis win win principle which means thatthey are also winners in this situation Almost all pairs and groups meet each other once aweek or frequently communicate by phone; But allemphases meaning of face to face meetings Mentees as positive aspect of mentoring mentionedguiding method that allows the mentee come tosolution by herself (also sustainability of mentoringresults that for example differs from trainingcourses, one day seminars, etc.) 15. Qualitative resultsself - esteem and securityindividualsense satisfaction 11%17%information, new ideas22% develoment,growth andcontacts andexperiencenew28%cooperationpossibilities22% 16. Quantitative resultsincreased turnower of enterprises 4increased educational 3 and qualification level business partners 4submitted andsupported projects 5founded individual 1enterprise founded LLC 5 received loans3 Business plans5 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 17. Other results Created data basis of existing and potential women mentors and mentees inrural regions 4 FEM Mentors of the event Mentor of the Year 2006 receivedrewards (Nelda Bailte, Zeltte Kaviere, Eleonora Maisaka, Vija Ancne); 2Mentors of of the event Mentor of the Year 2007 received awards Astrda Vtola mentor for micro-credit group in Iecava and InaraVasilevska pair mentor in Preili (Latgale region); Mentoring is included in the National plan for development of Latvia forthe years 2007. 2013 as one of the priorities in creating new competitiveenterprises, creation of unite and efficient support system for businesslaunching (mentor consultations, finance supporting first seed grants", netsupporting, seed grants, micro credits, investments guarantees, risk capitalfunding, resource centers etc.). Developed mentoring manual in order to support and give concrete adviceto them who plan and are running mentoring projects, especially the co-ordinators and others involved in practical mentoring. 6 scientific articles and 12 presentations in seminars and internationalconferences in Latvia, Finland, Denmark, Poland, etc. 18. Our main activities with our Project in 2008 Event Young Women Public Affairs involve essaycompetition Essays of society-active girls on March,2008 Theme - young women and girls role and problems inthe society. The girls described activities which havebrought the benefits for their region, main events andunderstandings from their own experience and alsowomen problems in society and possibilities for carrierdevelopment. In final event participated representatives of InternationalZonta Jelgava club and Rotari club, chairman of JelgavaCity council, Jelgava State Secondary school, SpidolaSecondary School and others. 19. Our main activities in 2008 Visit in the Parliament of Republic of Latvia on 11th April, 2008for winners of Irina Maksimova, Liene Bergmane and Anna Katlaga and theirEnglish teacher Skaidrte Bukbrde. Premises of the Parliament were observed andinformation about its operation and history were found out. Also, in thisvisit, future plans of the girls were discussed regarding their carrier choice, theirachievements and possible cooperation in different projects. Winners of essay competition Irina Maksimova, Liene Bergmane and Anna Katlaga, March, 2008 20. Our main activities in 2008 Meeting of Zonta International District 21 Sweden & Latvia Area onApril 12, 2008 (Presentation of FIVE-O project Zonta and SoroptimistInternational clubs mentoring program for rural women) Meeting in the Latvian Parliament on May 19, 2008 Challenges ofwomen NGOs in implementing Latvian National Development plan 2007-2013 (prof. B.Riva) Latvian Zontians scholarship for talented and hard working Latvian girlswho do not have the chances to continue their higher education due to the poorfamily economy. On the 15th February 2008 Latvian Zontians meeting it wasdecided that the Latvian Zonta Clubs annual scholarship will be granted inthe amount of 1000 lats (100 lats a month from September to June) to MadaraMeviete from Kalnciema Secondary School. The scholarship will beadministrated through the Vtols Foundation (Vtolu fonds), a non-profitorganization founded in 2002. Experts meeting for mentoring of young women and girls existingsituation and future development on July 9, 2008 in Skaistkalne (about 20participants; presentation of project European Federation of Mentors for Girlsand Young Women and new ideas for national workshop) 21. Our main activities in 2008Experts meeting on July 9, 2008 in Skaistkalne 22. Our main activities in 2008 Rural women summer schools in 2008- On July 22-23 in Vidzeme, Valka (about 30 participants)- On July 23-24 in Latgale, Ludza (about 80 participants)- On August 5-6 in Vidzeme, Csis (about 100 participants)- On August 15-16 in Kurzeme, vande (about 30 participants)- On August 15-16 in Vidzeme, Alksne (about 50 participants)- On August 20 in Vidzeme, Valmiera (about 100 participants)- On August 22-23 in Latgale, Jkabpils (about 30 participants)Presentations on girls and young women in sociaty, mentoringprograms and project European Federation of Mentors for GirlsAnd Young Women (lectors prof. B.Riva, as.prof. M.Krzmtra,E.Konstantinova) 23. Rural women summer school in Vidzeme,Valmiera on August 20, 2008 24. Rural women summer school in Latgale, Jkabpils onAugust 22, 2008 25. National wokshop on September 4- 5, Jelgava23 participantsPresentations of the representatives of project lead partner - Project Office for Innovative Social Policy Gerlinde Hacker and Doris HasenschwandtnerPresentation of International Zonta Club Jelgava - the overall situation of girls and young women mentoring in Latvia.Presentations of two young girls Irina Maksimova and Madara Meviete - about their experience within activities organized by International Zonta Jelgava Club.Five presentations blocks, where women mentors and mentees shared theirexperience and also show some practical examples of their work :Mentoring for girls and young women in self and career development;Mentoring for girls and young women in handicraft;Mentoring for girls and young women in housekeeping, catering and child care; Mentoring for girls and young women in tourism;Mentoring for girls and young women in wellness and beauty care .The workshop has roused interest also for local mass media regional TV and radio. 26. Thank you for your attention!