Women in villages are a special strength of society – full of knowledge, understanding, and they know best what they need in their local communities, but they are often constrained by societal expectations and prejudices about a woman’s place, said Commissioner Brankica Janković at the opening of the introductory conference of the international project “Connected, Creative, Sustainable – Five Municipalities, One Vision: Development of Rural Entrepreneurship” in Čačak.

Besides the Commissioner, speakers at the conference included Goranka Krošelj from the Embassy of the Republic of Slovenia and Lucija Vasiljević, director of the Regional Development Agency (RDA), who agreed that education, networking, and mutual solidarity are key factors for improving the position of women and the development of local communities. Special emphasis was placed on the role of women in rural areas, who often, despite their knowledge and engagement, remain limited by traditional expectations and deeply rooted gender stereotypes.

The project is focused on the economic empowerment of women in rural areas in the municipalities of Kraljevo, Čačak, Raška, Vrnjačka Banja, and Ivanjica, and is implemented with the support of the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs of the Republic of Slovenia, in cooperation with the Embassy of the Republic of Slovenia and the Regional Agency for Spatial and Economic Development of the Raška and Moravica Districts (RDA).