UNDEF project roundtable on civil society and marginalized in Russia

An UNDEF-funded project to strengthen the participation of marginalized women in the Russian Federation held a roundtable in May 2012 in the main project location of Togliatti, Samara region. The roundtable focused on ways to promote cooperation between civil society and local government so as to strengthen rights and opportunities for marginalized women. Among those addressing the roundtable were the Mayor of Togliatti, Sergey Andreyev, and Anatoliy Arsenikin, the Director of the project implementing agency, Foundation Social Investments. The event was attended by UNDEF Deputy Executive Head Annika Savill, who also met with the First Vice-Mayor of Samara, Victor Kudryashov, for an informal exchange of views on citizens' participation in local governance. Samara and Togliatti, both in the Volga heartland, are among the most important industrial centres in Russia, including Avtovaz -- home of the Lada and the world's biggest car plant.