1. Union of the Baltic Cities
A voluntary network mobilizing around 100 member cities for democratic, economic, social, cultural and environmentally sustainable development of the Baltic Sea Region
Thirteen diffrent commissions
Hello
My name is Linda Gustafsson, i come from a city called Umeå in the north of sweden where i work as the gender equality officer for the city of umeå.
I want to say thank you very much for inviting me to speak about the UBC.
Umeå is a part of the union of the baltic cities, a network of around 100 cities around the baltic sea.
The network is made up by a number of commissions working with diffrent areas, such as environmental issues, energy, health and social affairs and my work is within the gender equality commission.

2. UBC Commission on Gender Equality
The goal of the commission is to create action for gender equality around the Baltic Sea and within the Union of Baltic Cities.
The commission was created in 2007
The city of Umeå has the secretariat for the commission
The UBC Gender equality commission was established in 2007 and Umeå has since then has the secretariat for the commission.
The goal of the commission is to create action for gender equality around the baltic sea and within thew union of baltic cities network.

3. UBC Gender Commission
The commission is not a constant, but changes with the cities that are involved. All the work within the commission is work that the cities and the people do within their regular work and therefore the commission also changes. But the map shows the latest meeting and the cities that were a part of that meeting when we were in Helsinki and among other things discussed the method of gender budgeting
Source: UBC Website

4. Work of the Gender equality commission
Awairness-raising within the field of gender equality
Promoting that a gender perspective is integrated into activities of the UBC
Channeling information and contacts of the member cities
Promoting projects within the area
The work of the gender equality commission is as you can see: ..

5. Report 2009 Women and men in the Union of the Baltic Cities
UBC General Conference,
Kristiansand, Norway, 2009
Social planning, urban planning and
planning work
Male violence against women
Prostitution and human trafficking
New report for the General Conference in
Mariehamn, Åland , october 2013
In 2009 we made a report on women and men in the Union of the baltic cities with statistics but also best practice within the baltic sea region
A special focus was on social planning, urban planning but also men violence to women and prostitution and human trafficking
We are now working on an updated report to be presented this fall when the UBC has its general conference in october
That report will bw with some updated statistics and also some new examples of good practice

6. Tools for change
Initiate cooperation with the cities where we have the meetings
Sharing best practice
Exchange of experience
Practical knowledge
So what are the tools for change that we use within the commission. Our meetings are typically two times a year and a way of exchanging experience, sharing pratical knowledge and share best practice.
We also initiate cooperation with the cities that we are in, and for example the civil servants at the municipality where we have the meeting, or if there are local gender equality commitees or something similar.
As i mentioned, the last meeting was in Helsinki, and we then had a seminar togethter with the city of helsinki och gender budgeting.
Campaign posters to promote awarness on gender equality

7. Future work Focus: Social planning, urban planing and planning work
Combating prostitution and trafficking
Labour market issues
Gender budgeting
Baltic sea strategy
Activities:
Joint meeting with the Commission on Urban Planning, May 2013, Umeå
Workshop, 5th Nordic council of ministers conference for sustainable development, september 2013, Umeå
Update ” Women and men in the Union of the Baltic Cities” to the XII UBC General Conference, October 2013
Increase knowldge
Expert on gender equality and plannign. Planning the inclusive city

8. Gender equality officer, city of Umeå
Thank you!
Gender equality officer, city of Umeå
Increase knowldge
Expert on gender equality and plannign. Planning the inclusive city