Final Workshop to Celebrate the Female Trainers and Milestones of the Women Empowerment Project in Moldova

24 Jun 24

In partnership with:

Ministry of Culture of Republic of Moldova; Invest Moldova Agency; Moldova State University, USAID Moldova

24 June 2024

Republic of Moldova

Focus

Empower women in the tourism sector through skills training and quality education, and promote gender equality and working collectively for justice.

Context:

Phase II of the project on “Empowering Young Women: Sustainable Livelihoods through Tourism in the Republic of Moldova” concluded with a final workshop on 24 June 2024 for the 15 female trainers and 2 female experts who have delivered the three key components of this unique initiative in Moldova: a set of 11 tourism skills training to female entrepreneurs in selected rural areas; a 2-day training-of-trainers course; and 4 online training on gender equality in tourism.

The aim of this final workshop is to provide an overview of the project´s outcomes, share the lessons learned, and exchange ideas and suggestions for ongoing sustainability of the project in the country.

Milestones:

256 women participated in the tourism skills training

5 local female experts trained and equipped to deliver gender equality in tourism training in the country

47 stakeholders completed a two-day training on Gender Equality in Tourism

149 female tourism entrepreneurs connected through a network for support, consultation and motivation

Skills training

The tourism skills training delivered to 256 female entrepreneurs across 11 rural villages has proven to be a valuable tool for women in Moldova, providing them with the knowledge and skills necessary to successfully develop and manage businesses in this sector. Participation in the training has contributed to increasing the confidence and motivation of the participants, making them more willing to take risks and implement their business ideas. The development of women-led tourism businesses in rural areas can significantly contribute to local economic growth, job creation, and improving the quality of life. The success of this one-in-a-kind training program in Moldova highlights the need for continued implementation and expansion. Ongoing support for similar initiatives is essential to help more female entrepreneurs in rural areas in Moldova thrive in the tourism industry.

Training-of-trainers and Gender Equality Training

Both the training of trainers (ToT) and the gender equality training have had a substantive impact on gender equality in tourism in Moldova. Key motivation to participate in the ToT and gender equality training include: gender equality as an important opportunity to create a more sustainable and prosperous tourism industry that benefits all; gaining valuable knowledge about the challenges and opportunities related to gender equality in tourism, both globally and specific to Moldova; and being part of the solution in creating a more equal and inclusive tourism industry in Moldova, which could lead to increased opportunities and economic empowerment for women. Where before there were no specialists in Moldova on Gender Equality in Tourism, there are now 5 female experts who are equipped to deliver training in this field. 47 stakeholders across the tourism public and private sector have been introduced to the key issues in gender equality in the sector and are equipped to take concrete actions.

Stay Tuned:

To sustain the benefits and momentum gained by this unique project, UN Tourism has already developed a proposal for a follow-on initiative that will map the participation of women in tourism and measure tourism´s impacts on women’s empowerment in the Republic of Moldova.