The Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum is holding the event “Expert Workshop: Will the Eastern Partnership Deliver on Schedule? Civil society, strategic communication, and gender equality at the core of the “new” architecture” on March 12 (14.30-16.00) at Paulo Freire Room, Rue de l’Industrie 10 (Mundo-J), 1000 Brussels.

In November 2017, the Eastern Partnership Summit in Brussels adopted the revised multilateral architecture, designed to support the implementation of the upgraded EaP roadmap – the 20 Deliverables for 2020, endorsed by the Summit Declaration. The revised architecture will be officially launched on 12 March. The launch event will also become an opportunity to present and discuss the work programmes of the multilateral Platforms and panels for 2018-2019 translating the targets and goals of 20 Deliverables for 2020 into concrete actions and steps.

The Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum, a unique inclusive structure with special observer status at the EaP Platforms and panels, brings to the table independent civil society expertise and views on the planned agenda. The workshop will focus on the implementation of the three so-called crosscutting deliverables for 2020 – structural engagement with civil society, gender equality and non-discrimination, and strategic communication and plurality and independence of media, as well as on human rightsand discussing ways on how to ensure their prominence  in the architecture and policy implementation.

The experts will address the following questions:

  • How to empower the civil society so that it can play a meaningful role in the implementation of the EaP agenda 2018-2019? How to build up on the monitoring tool for civic space envisaged as one of the targets of Deliverable 1, and push for specific issues facilitating effective work of CSOs?
  • How to apply the gender-mainstreaming framework to the implementation of the whole EaP agenda 2018-2019?
  • How to achieve a synergised effect when supporting independent media in the region? How to improve the communication on the EU-oriented reforms and achievements?

Draft Agenda

14.30 Kick-off remarks

  • Aleksandra Kalatozishvili, Co-Chair, EaP CSF Steering Committee
  • Mikalai Kvantaliani, EaP CSF Steering Committee
  • Hennadiy Maksak, EaP CSF Steering Committee
  • Sinziana Poiana, DG NEAR

ModeratorNatalia Yerashevich, Director, EaP CSF Secretariat