The Bazaar “Women's Initiatives in Social Entrepreneurship” was planned and created by women and for women, with the aim to introduce broader community and public to the work and great ideas that have been changing local communities throughout Serbia, creating numerous women's initiatives and platforms for improving the position of women in society. This event was organized in the framework of the project "Support to Priority Actions for Gender Equality in Serbia", implemented by the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women) with funding from the European Union.

On that occasion, during the launch of this initiative, Natalija Ostojic from UNWOMEN in Serbia emphasized that women social entrepreneurs are the ones who are changing the community and environment, creating women's initiatives and platforms, which directly improve the position of women in society, and thus ensure progress of the whole society. “Women-led social enterprises, which employ women, and are created for women, are great catalysts for change in society. They generate change in a noble way, giving a chance, encouraging and empowering the most vulnerable and the most marginalized members of society. By challenging gender norms and offering new role models, they give girls and women from poor or marginalized communities the opportunity to imagine a different, more beautiful future for themselves,” she concluded.

Women's initiatives in social entrepreneurship from all parts of Serbia took part in the Bazaar: Jastrebacka prica, Center for Socially Responsible Entrepreneurship (CDOP), Citizens’ Association Iz Kruga, Radanska ruza, Udahni zivot, Etno Forum, Nasa kuca, Chrono Leskovac, Luzicke rukotvorine, Super bake, Mini pogon, Citizens’ Association Vedrina, Knitomania, Ekobag, Kobayagi, Simeon, Domaca radinost, Sokolina Art, Dve stolice i Majstorice, Lice ulice, and Bagel Bejgl. The fact that a great number of social entrepreneurs came to this Bazaar speaks volumes about the desire and strength to empower women's social entrepreneurship. All of those women dared to be brave, bold and different, and this made the event even more valuable.

The Bazaar "Women's Initiatives in Social Entrepreneurship" was organized by Citizens' Association Atina on the occasion of the World Day Against Trafficking in Persons at Dorcol Platz on July 30, 2019. More photographs from the event can be viewed via the link: http://www.atina.org.rs/sr/atina-bazar-%C5%BEenske-inicijative-u-socijalnom-preduzetni%C5%A1tvu

Photograph: Jakov Simović

This text was produced in the framework of the project "Support to Priority Actions for Gender Equality in Serbia", implemented by the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women) with funding from the European Union. The views contained in the text are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the views of UN Women, the United Nations or any of its affiliated organizations. The project is part of the initiative for supporting women entrepreneurship, women in rural areas, decreasing labor market and employment discrimination, encouraging dialogue on the importance of economic empowerment of women and exchange of knowledge and information among women entrepreneurs.