Category: BEARR News
Project report: Gender Equality: the key to empowering women and eradicating poverty
Grantee: International Society for Human Rights (ISHR), Armenia Project: project on gender equality as a key to the role of women and poverty reduction, focusing on family entrepreneurship in a single village, and to create a community-based NGO. Our programme this year was carried out in exceptional conditions, both because of the coronavirus epidemic and the war in Nagorno …
One year on: Russia’s COVID-19 crisis
After a decade of economic stagnation, oil price instability, military conflicts in Ukraine and Syria, and international sanctions and counter-sanctions, 2020 was to be a year of revival for President Putin and Russia. A constitutional referendum in April; national V-E Day celebrations in May; and the acceleration of the $362bn national investment plan to renew Russia’s public infrastructure, lift living standards, drive up economic growth and, …
Project report: a safe community for the women of Soghd region
Grant recipient: NGO “Sarchashma”, Tajikistan Project: Training Women’s Councils in southern jamoats, and raising awareness, working with men and boys as well as women and girls We want to see women and the whole community learn how to protect themselves and their loved ones from violence, to be the guardians of a safe society in matters of gender equality, to show …
Palliative care for children: training for medics in Belarus continues despite the pandemic
Daryl-Ann Hardman, Founding Trustee and Chairwoman of Friends of the Belarusian Children’s Hospice (UK) We have been working with Belarus for over 20 years. Our name reflects the identity of our main partner throughout this time: we are Friends of the Belarusian Children’s Hospice (UK). The first, and very natural, misapprehension to put to rest …
Small Grants Scheme 2021: Preliminary Results
The BEARR Trust’s 2021 Small Grants Scheme sought applications from across the region for projects to “reduce the social isolation of people living with disadvantage”. We did not specify the beneficiaries: instead, applicants were asked to describe the problems faced by the people they wished to help. Previous BEARR grantees were also invited to apply for some additional funding to …
Project report: women’s entrepreneurship
Promising potential for economic development Grantee: “Nurjolber”, KyrgyzstanProject: to raise awareness of domestic violence in Naryn province through support for entrepreneurship and small business development Global trends are showing a steady growth in women’s entrepreneurship. Despite having played a major role in creating jobs and improving social wellbeing, its development still faces great challenges in …
Project report: women for good governance
Grantee: NGO Center, Armenia Project: To promote gender-balanced, needs-responsive local government in targeted communities by establishing a participatory model. The programme “Women for good governance”, supported by the BEARR Trust Small Grants Scheme, was implemented by the NGO Center in Armenia. The programme was launched in May 2020. It aimed to promote gender-balanced and needs-based local self-government in target communities through the development of a community-based participatory model. It …
Report: BEARR’s 2021 Spring Lecture
Belarus: What happened and what next? with Nigel Gould-Davies February 2021 Protests against Aliaksandr Lukashenka’s 26-year regime grew ahead of presidential elections in Belarus in August 2020. After implausible election results gave Lukashenka a sixth presidential mandate, demonstrations intensified. Despite severe repression, large marches continued through the winter and into 2021. Yet the regime maintains its hold on power with …
Project Report: Empowering women in rural Georgia
Grantee: Partnership for Education and Communication, Georgia Project: Strengthening the position of rural women through public and economic participation Despite positive legislative and policy frameworks concerning gender equality in Georgia, women still face significant challenges in terms of participation in local decision-making processes, especially those women living in rural areas. Partnership for Education and Communication (PEC) has responded this challenge in several ways, by providing training, networking, and mentoring opportunities to the most marginalised and under-served women in rural communities. The project, supported by the BEARR TRUST, aimed to support rural women’s public participation and economic empowerment using the innovative …
New volunteer: Rory Connor
BEARR is always delighted to have new volunteers. A warm welcome to our latest recruit. Rory is currently studying for a Masters in Russian Studies at University College London, where he also completed his BA in French and Russian. Prior to postgraduate study he worked as an English teacher in Nizhny Novgorod (see photo). He has also spent time working in Paris, Berlin, and Brussels. His interests include current …