A four-day regional advocacy workshop, organised by CARE Balkans as part of the project Economic Inclusion and Justice for Women of the Western Balkans (EWI), was successfully concluded in Sarajevo. The workshop brought together representatives of ten grassroots organisations, alongside regional project partners from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Montenegro, and North Macedonia, all working to advance women’s economic inclusion and justice.

The workshop aimed to build the practical advocacy skills of local organisations through interactive sessions, team-based learning, and real-case exercises. Participants engaged in discussions and group work focused on improving their ability to advocate for gender-responsive economic policies and to mobilise support within their communities.

Key topics included: Designing action plans and local advocacy campaigns, gender-responsive budgeting and policy analysis, stakeholder mapping and strategic communication, engaging communities and decision-makers and strengthening solidarity and regional collaboration.

Particular emphasis was placed on teamwork and practical application. Through sessions such as the “Solidarity Lab,” organisations worked together to analyse real challenges from their environments and develop joint approaches to local advocacy.

The training was facilitated by Sara Dereta (CARE Balkans) and Dr. Lejla Ramić-Mesihović (International Burch University), who guided participants through participatory learning methods and strategic exercises designed to reflect real-world conditions.

The final day concluded with the awarding of certificates of completion, symbolising not only the end of the workshop, but the beginning of more strategic, collaborative advocacy across the region.

Representatives from ENECA, LINK Entrepreneurship Centre, Strategic Development Consulting, and the Innovation and Entrepreneurship Centre Tehnopolis actively participated, contributing to peer learning and regional knowledge-sharing.

This activity is part of the broader EWI – Economic Inclusion and Justice for Women of the Western Balkans project, which invests in strengthening local leadership and building long-term advocacy capacity across the region.

The workshop was made possible with the generous support of the Austrian Development Cooperation (ADC) through the Austrian Development Agency (ADA).