BSEC - ICBSS Webinar
Women Diplomats at the Forefront: Promoting Dialogue and Development in the Black Sea
Monday 9 March 2026
Press-release | Video
About the webinar
On the occasion of International Women’s Day (8 March), the Permanent International Secretariat of the Organization of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (BSEC PERMIS), in cooperation with the International Centre for Black Sea Studies (ICBSS), organised successfully the webinar “Women Diplomats at the Forefront: Promoting Dialogue and Development in the Black Sea”, under the auspices of the Georgian BSEC Chairmanship-in-Office.
More than 90 attendees joined the online event, which aimed to bring forth the significant role of women, and challenges they face, in advancing regional cooperation, fostering constructive dialogue, and promoting peace, stability and sustainable development in the Black Sea region. The webinar brought together senior women diplomats and practitioners from the BSEC Member States to discuss challenges and share experiences in supporting gender-inclusive approaches in confidence building, policy-making, and regional development.
Read the press-release HERE
Key takeaways:
- Women in diplomacy does not imply replacing one voice with another but enriching global governance. Inclusive diplomacy produces stronger outcomes.
- Conflicts affect disproportionally women, who experience increased displacement and violence. Yet, women are the least represented in the peace talks.
- National governments affirm their commitment to supporting gender equality through national strategies and legal frameworks. However, the results are yet to be measurable; efforts need to intensify and be supported by both policy and society.
- Despite recent years’ progress, persistent social norms and stereotypes hinder any efforts to achieve gender equality and parity across the 13 countries of the BSEC region.
- Education shapes mindsets. While legal reforms matter, addressing social norms and stereotypes requires also educational initiatives.
- Communities play a decisive role in shaping the role of women in society, either maintaining stereotypes or actively working to overcome them.
- Empowering women can support both equality and the development of resilient societies.
- Trainings, mentorship programmes, and networking are important for young women diplomats.
- The creation of an active ‘expert to diplomat’ pathway could facilitate the knowledge-to-policy transfer.
- Regional frameworks, like the BSEC Organisation, are important to provide networking and dialogue opportunities.
