The “Empowering Local Leadership” workshop, held in Umeå on June 3, 2024, focused on fostering gender equality in rural governance. Designed as a participatory event, the workshop brought together policymakers, youth leaders, and civil society representatives to address the systemic barriers that women face in rural political participation. The workshop aimed to provide attendees with actionable tools and strategies to promote gender parity at the local level. By incorporating discussions on mentorship, community engagement, and rural-specific challenges, the event encouraged participants to co-create solutions tailored to Västerbotten’s unique context.

(1)  PRE-EVENT PREPARATION STEPS

Stakeholder engagement: Identify and invite policymakers, youth organization leaders, and representatives from rural municipalities. Collaborate with local academic institutions and NGOs to provide expert facilitation.

Theme development: Select workshop themes such as “Mentorship for Women in Leadership” and “Addressing Rural Depopulation’s Impact on Gender Equality.” Develop a structured agenda that includes presentations, group discussions, and strategy sessions.

Materials and resources: Prepare handouts and visual aids summarizing Sweden’s National Gender Equality Strategy and its application in rural governance. Create participant guides to facilitate discussion and strategy development.

Publicity and outreach: Use social media campaigns and targeted outreach to encourage attendance from rural areas and underrepresented groups. Distribute pre-event surveys to gather baseline data on participants’ knowledge and expectations.

Logistics: Secure the venue at A Working Lab in Umeå, ensuring accessibility for all participants. Arrange refreshments and accommodations for attendees traveling from remote locations.

(2) EVENT EXECUTION

Opening session: Introduction to the FEM-ABLE project and Sweden’s National Gender Equality Strategy by a facilitator from Region Västerbotten.

Expert presentations: Keynote address on rural governance challenges and opportunities for gender equality. Data-driven insights into the impact of rural depopulation on women’s representation in local politics.

Group discussions: Participants were divided into smaller groups to explore specific barriers to women’s participation in governance. Topics included cultural norms, lack of mentorship, and limited access to leadership training.

Interactive strategy development: Groups worked collaboratively to design solutions, such as mentorship frameworks and community-led advocacy campaigns. Facilitators guided discussions to ensure actionable outputs.

Feedback and reflections: Participants shared their key takeaways and reflected on potential applications of the strategies discussed.

• Awareness raised: participants left with a stronger understanding of gender equality policies and their relevance to rural governance.
• Actionable strategies: the workshop produced tangible solutions, such as mentorship programs and youth engagement initiatives, tailored to västerbotten’s needs.
• Community connections: the event fostered collaboration among diverse stakeholders, building networks for future gender equality efforts.

Region Västerbotten coordinators

Local policymakers and municipal representatives

Youth leaders and civil society advocates

Academic experts on gender and rural governance

• Venue: A Working Lab in Umeå.
• Facilitators: Experts on gender equality and rural governance.
• Materials: Presentation slides, participant guides, and summary handouts.
• Logistics: Catering, technical equipment, and transportation arrangements for rural attendees.

Diverse representation: Balancing perspectives from urban and rural stakeholders while ensuring inclusivity.

Engagement across groups: Encouraging active participation from attendees with varying levels of familiarity with gender equality concepts.

Scalability of solutions: Ensuring that the strategies developed are feasible for implementation across Västerbotten’s diverse municipalities.

Interactive formats enhance impact: Group discussions and collaborative activities were highly effective in engaging participants and generating actionable outputs.

Targeted outreach is essential: Future events should aim to include more male participants and individuals from underrepresented communities to foster diverse dialogues.

Localized examples resonate: Using case studies and data specific to Västerbotten helped participants connect with the material and see its practical relevance.

The workshop model is replicable across rural and urban regions, offering a structured approach to addressing gender equality in governance. Its participatory format and focus on mentorship and community-driven solutions make it adaptable to different local contexts. Future iterations could include follow-up activities to monitor the implementation of strategies developed during the workshop.