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ON-GOING PROJECTS

Gender Equality

Participants - Toledo

ORTIZ FERNANDEZ Francisco (Local Coordinator)

Contact Details

Organisation Federacion de Municipios y Provincias de Castilla-La Mancha
Position

Camarin de San Ciprian
45002 Toledo, Spain

Tel. +34 925 227 624
Fax +34 925 226 148
E-mail pacortiz@fempclm.com

Work
*General Secretary of Socialist Party in Castilla La Mancha Parliament
*Organization Secretary of Socialist Party.
*Secretary of a trade union
*President of an association of fathers and mothers.
*President of a Spanish network of social insertion organizations
*Coordinator of the programme 'Participation of women in political decision making', 1994.
* Member of Women Commission in our Regional Parliament.

Interests
I am curious to see how my European colleagues approach the issue of gender equality in particular as concerns social inclusion and encouraging women to participate in the political decision making process.

Participates: Turin PREW , Steering Group Meetings

RUBIO ROJO Jose Luis

Contact Details

Organisation Federacion de Municipios y Provincias de Castilla-La Mancha
Position Technical Coordinator – Urban Project

Plaza Ayuntamiento
45002 Toledo, Spain

Tel. +34 925 26 97 60
Fax +34 925 24 57 16
E-mail Progcom1@ayto-toledo.org

Participates: Steering Group Meetings

MOYA OCANYA Isabel

Contact Details

Organisation: Institute of the Woman of Castilla la Mancha
Position

Tel: +34 925 286010
Fax: +34 925 286016
E-mail:imoya@jccm.es

Work
I am the director of the Institute of the Woman of Castilla la Mancha. The Institute is an independent body of the Government of Castilla la Mancha in charge of implementing and coordinating appropriate policies on gender euqality as set out in the Regional Government action plan.

A high-priority objective is to encourage the participation of the women in the social life, policy making, the labour market, etc. and the Institute particularly supports the promotion of women in senior positions. The Institute has 78 Women Centers in the region of Castilla la Mancha. These Centers have 5 professionals each dealing with legal, psychological and work related issues. They provides advice, information and training for women from all walks of life. Additionally, the Institute of the Woman implements specific programs to achieve the government's objectives as concerns participation and political leadership.

Interests
The conciliation between labour and family life continues to be a great obstacle for women to become more actively engaged in politics or senior positions. Social prejudices and stereotypes still exist and stop women from getting more actively involved. I am interested to learn how other European organisations and Women Institutes deal with these problems.

Participates: Belfast PREW

DIAZ CACHO Luiz

Contact Details

Organisation: SEPECAM
Position

Tel: +34 925 265689
Fax: +34 925 286982
E-mail: luisd@jccm.es

Work
I am the director of the Directorate of Public Use of Services of Use for the region of Castilla la Mancha. I have the following responsibilities:
* Coordinating Local Area Development for the City Council of Solana
* Manager of the Mancomunidad (Associations of Municipalities) of La Mancha
* President of the Association of Professionals for the Local Development and the Economic Promotion of Castilla la Mancha (APRODEL)
* President of the National Federation of Professionals of Local Development (FEPRODEL)

I have been working on a 'Plan for Woman' to facilitate their access to the labour market in Castilla la Mancha. This plan incorporates a cross-sectional commitment to ensure an increase in employment of women of up to 65% for 2007.

Interests
I would like to learn from experiences of other regions and municipalities in the EU and see how they have dealt with the issue of high women unemployment.

Participates: Turin PREW

HIDALGO SANCHEZ Pilar

Contact Details

Organisation
Position

Tel:+34 687/767937
Fax
E-mail phidalgos@jccm.es

Work
Councillor for Women Affairs for the City Council of Bargas.

At political level I must often make decisions since the councilwoman position demands it. Although the great decisions always are taken altogether with the government team. The individual decisions usually are on personall subjects, or with respect to the organization of activitie.

In your experience please outline what have been good ways of involving women in decision making.

The best way to involve women in the decision making is through the associations of women, speaking with them, organizing to chair them, participating in courses and getting relevant information

What do you feel are the major obstacles facing women in becoming more involved in decision making.

At times women lack the right kind of information to participate in all sectors of life. They are also less confident and fear to take up too many responsibilities because of their private lives.

Participates: Belfast PREW

GARCIA ALISES Lidia

Contact Details

Organisation
Position

Tel: 00 34 925 254 927
Fax: 00 34 925 226 148
E-mail lidia@fempclm.com

Work
I am working as the European Programmes Coordinator for the Federation of Provinces and Municipalities of Castilla la Mancha.

Please outline your experience in participating in decision making in the political, social, economic or cultural fields. (Please provide details of your role)
My experience has been mainly in the direct work with women through the active participation in associations of women, as well as taking part in the active work with them in another type of organizations.

What usually happens is that women participatein work but they are the minority in the decision making positions. This is not due to a less qualification or preparation but due to our patriarchal society. We must get rid of this mentality so that women can more actively participate in all areas of life, just like men, without problems as exist now.

In your experience please outline what have been good ways of involving women in decision making.

- Political nationals, regional and local organisations opened to the participation of the women.
- To try to break down all forms of stereotypes from public organizations.
- To open up participation of the women in all sectors of public life through workshops and training events.
- To change the image of the women through mass media.

What do you feel are the major obstacles facing women in becoming more involved in decision making.
The biggest obstacle is usually to find a solution to the conciliation of the professional and familiar life. Nowadays this is still seen as a problem of women even though it is a social problem. We need to try and change stereotypes!.

In addition also it is important to spread a new image of the women in the decision making positions, so that they serve as example for many other women.

Participates: Northampton PREW

DE LOS REYES Maria Jose

Contact Details

Organisation  Federacion de Municipios y Porvincias de Castilla la Mancha
Position        Technical Programs

Tel. +34 925 254 927
Fax +34 925 226 148
E-mail latentpotential@fempclm.com

Work

• Coordinating women working in Public Administration
• Managing a firm run only by women
• Work in industry Regional Government giving fund and support to firms run by women

Interests

To exchange information about politics of supporting and encouraging women’s employment and gender equality

Participates: Belfast PREW

VELASCO ROBLES Felisa

Contact Details

Organisation  City Council of Toledo
Position        Counsellor

Tel. +34 925 25.93.16
Fax +34 925 925.216.916

Work
Counsellor of the Toledo City Council as well as Provincial deputy.

I am responsible for departement dealing with the human resources and training of municipal workers as well as employees of the provincal institutions. Prior to my political work, my professional qualifications lie in the field of education (orientation psycho-pedagogic).

Interests
Iam interested to learn from other experiences on how to improve women's self-esteem and how to reconcile their professional and private lives.

Participates in:

Participates: Belfast PREW

SANCHEZ VILLAR Maribel

Contact Details

Tel. +34 926.25.20.45
Fax +34 926.22.67.29
E-mail alfonsoxelsabio@teleline.es

Work:
I am the President of the Regional Confederation of Associations of Parents and Mothers of Students in Castilla la Mancha.

I have been working for 20 years to raise awareness amongst families and society at large of the importance of participation in political, social and cultural life, and in particularly in education.

In your experience please outline what have been good ways of involving women in decision making.

 Organising informative 'events of participation' (Conferences, Open Days etc) in which women participate and voice their opinion.

What do you feel are the major obstacles facing women in becoming more involved in decision making.
The fact that women have women have double responsibilities, i.e. they have to take care of the house and children and at the same time many women have full time jobs. Because of the amount of work and lack of time they can not fully participate in society or reach important positions.

Participates in: Turin PREW

ROJAS MARTIN Melisa

Contact Details

Tel. +34 925 29 22 51
Fax +34 925 29 20 13
E-mail: mrmpulgar@hotmail.com

Work:
I am the Major of the City of Pulgar ( Toledo ).

Please outline your experience in participating in decision making in the political, social, economic or cultural fields. (Please provide details of your role)
Due to my job as mayor I participate in various fields concerning the daily life of citizens of the City of Pulgar.

In your experience please outline what have been good ways of involving women in decision making.
From my own experience of two years in the City council, I know that it is diffult to get women involved in the decision making process. Many women, especially those who live in the countryside are not even aware that they can participate in politics and express their views and wishes.

What do you feel are the major obstacles facing women in becoming more involved in decision making.
Personally I think there is a lot of talk about fighting for equality but very little is done in practice. I am not talking about the political or administrative sphere but rather about society at large and I believe that one of the main obstacles to the participation of the women are women themselves. It is difficult to find women who like to assume directive positions of associations or in politics.

Woman are reluctant to assume responsibility for positions which imply that they might be 'valued' or critised by others. I fear that women are not excluded by the society but that the 'auto-exclude' themselves.

Participates in: Belfast PREW