The woman of XXI century: new possibilities and new challenges
December 6, 2012

Within the limits of preparation for 57 sessions of the Commission of the United Nations on the Status of Women

"Sail of Hope"

took part in the work of "round table"

«The woman of XXI century: new possibilities and new challenges»

Organizers: Gorbachev-fund,

Heinrich Boll Fund

The international society «Memorial»



Olga Zdravomyslova (Gorbachev-fund), Irina Kosterina (Heinrich Boll Fund) conducted the round table.

Michael Sergeevich Gorbachev — the First President of the USSR – actively participated in the round table.

Irina Virganskaja-Gorbacheva welcomed the participants and read the draft sketches of Raisa Gorbacheva prepared for the report at the conference of the United Nations in 1997 found in archive. The text sounded oracularly and touched acute matters of today. Raisa Maksimovna has broken tradition, by virtue of which wives of the majority of Soviet heads of state remained behind public life, and remains an example for many Russian women.

The reports reflecting experience of the XXth century sounded at the round table: achievements on a way to gender equality in the different countries, new possibilities for women. Speakers made an attempt of the forecast in how position of the woman and its role in XXI century will change. The opinion was stated by the Russian and foreign experts: Krista Vichterich, the sociologist, the publicist, WIDE member (Women in Progress of Europe); Claudia Mitchell, professor of Gill university (Canada); Iens Zigert, political scientist, head of Moscow branch of Heintich Bill Fund$ Donna Norton, director of programs of the organization «MomsRising», the wife of the USA Ambassador in the Russian Federation Michael Makfola; Lyudmila Popkova, director of Samara center of gender researches, expert of UN Women in the CIS; Irina Prokhorova, the editor-in-chief of magazine and the publishing house «New literature review»; Maria Gaydar, public figure; Alain Popova, the head of Fund of the open projects; Grigory Kertman, sociologist, head of analytical department of Public Opinion Fund; Nadezhda Azhgihina, secretary of the Union of Journalists of Russia; Larissa Pautova, sociologist, head of program Public Opinion Fund; Pamela Taitelbaum, researcher, Gill university (Canada); Zhanna Chernova, sociologist of the State university the Higher school of economy, Saint – Petersburg; Boris Deniss, demographer, professor of the Moscow State University.

During working section «Women in the global world: the agenda of XXI century» participants sounded problems which women can solve today. As participants of social changes, women are capable to change the attitude of the Russian society to a problem of gender equality. Discussion of vital topics has allowed many participants to draw conclusions and to plan new directions of work. «Sail of Hope» took for a basis conclusions and recommendations of experts which are useful to the decision of problems on maintenance of an all-around development, improvements of position and expansion of the rights and possibilities of women and girls with limited capabilities. The theme «Russian women: between the past and the future» and some reports have laid down in a background of the innovative program of socialization of young women with limited capabilities of "Sail of Hope" — "The Right to be a woman» (opening of new skills, image therapy, education, primary professional skills).