Initiative

Integrated package of actions for the development of the women’s role in the Romanian society

Summary of the initiative

The National Trade Union Bloc (BNS) is the second largest national trade union confederation in Romania. It was founded in 1991 and has a membership of approximately 375,000 people.

Since 2010, BNS has been implementing an intensive programme to strengthen female involvement in unions, in leadership positions, and entrepreneurship. Since then the trade unions have increased the membership and active involvement of women, they have organised, at national level, a network of gender committees, support points for women’s entrepreneurial initiatives, and awarded 40 prizes for the best newly opened women businesses, developed training kits and specific modules related to equality and fighting discrimination.

BNS developed a range of EU funded projects aimed to assist disfavoured categories. One of these projects, ESTHR had three levels of intervention: i) consolidation of women trade union structures at national level (establishing, besides the confederation’s equality department, a fully operational gender network), ii) assisting women (any women, not just union members) to start up a business (granting 40 awards for the best businesses initiated), iii) providing assistance to anyone (but mainly women) for labour-market-related problems (8 Equality Centres established nationally and online support).

The overall objective of the project is to develop and promote the principle of equal opportunities in Romanian society eliminating the discriminatory practices based on gender.

Specific objectives include:

• To identify the nature of discrimination based on gender at national level;
• To promote the equal opportunities in the Romanian public administrations and in the labour market;
• Creating jobs and support the personal development of women: Opening “Equality points”, thus encouraging women to open their own business and develop their potential through the creation of a business, and learn about their rights as workers;
• Creating a network of Committees of Gender at national level: The committees ensure the sustainability of the project creating a network of formal structures endorsed nationally.

Some activities realised in the context of the project are:

• Creating a national network of Equality Centres providing advice and information on labour market and on entrepreneurial initiatives among women (9 such centres have been established nationally);
• Research on Equal Opportunities - on the perception of inequality and discrimination in the labour market
• Drafting of equal opportunities guidelines.
• Organising seminars on Equal Opportunities.