This report presents some of the key results achieved by UNDP in Europe and Central Asia in 2014 in our efforts to eradicate the root causes of gender inequality.

From promoting women’s independence through solar heaters, crafts centres and life skills courses in Central Asia, to strengthening laws and access to justice to combat violence against women in the Western Balkans, Closing the Gap: is the first such overview in recent years.

Organized along the thematic priorities of the UNDP Gender Equality Strategy (2014-2017), it covers a wide range of initiatives and measurable impact of the work of Country Offices during the period January 2014-March 2015.

The Georgia highlights of the Report include: 

• In 2013, UNDP conducted a nation-wide survey to understand public perceptions on gender in business and politics. This was followed by an evidence-based public campaign to raise awareness and challenge public stereotypes. The campaign increased public interest and debate on gender equality and culminated in the President announcing 2015 as “Women’s Year”.
• Agriculture cooperatives and small community projects were supported across Georgia to enable rural women to obtain sustainable income from agriculture. 
• Out of 95 women councilors who received the UNDP-supported training in 2014, 32 were re-elected in the local self-governance elections. UNDP supported the introduction of e-registration system for voter. UNDP advocacy resulted in the decision of the Central Electoral Commission of Georgia to start collecting sex-disaggregated data. 
• UNDP helped to draft and adopt the Gender Equality Action Plan 2014-2016.
• Gender equality principles have been incorporated into the curricula of the High School of Justice to provide future judges with the in-depth understanding of the root causes and consequences of gender discrimination.
• UNDP assisted in the revision of the National Action Plan for Disaster Risk Reduction to ensure that it addresses gender issues.