Minorities at the centre

China is a huge Country characterized by considerable contradictions: great economic inequalities, exploitation of workers, socio-economic inequalities among the various geographical areas.  The rural populations living in western regions are cut off from the main urban centres, and must face several problems: high unemployment rate (especially among young people), an increase in land abandonment  in favour of cities, progressive dispersion of knowledge and traditions of ethnic and cultural minorities, that are slowly being absorbed by big cities.

The situation is even more complicated for communities belonging to the Country’s ethnic minorities, that are only formally entitled to rights. Young and adult men are leaving their communities of origin to find fortune and a job in the cities, leaving women to take care of the traditional economic activities, old people and children. This is causing depopulation in those areas, social disruption and an increase in child labour.

The project

The objective of “Minorities at the centre” is to promote the empowerment of womenbelonging to ethnic minorities in the five poorest Provinces of Western China, improving lifeand working conditions in the interested areas and supporting micro-entrepreneurship led by women.

To do that the project works with 4000 women belonging to small-scale local associations, to whom workshops and training courses on the themes of environmental protection, cultural traditions and rights are addressed, but also support to small-scale entrepreneurial activities, enhancement of products and strengthening of networks and cooperation between Chinese and Tuscan realities.

With your support you will contribute to the support of women in the poorest Provinces of China, helping them to create a different future for them and their families.

Con il tuo sostegno al progetto puoi contribuire a sostenere le donne delle province più povere della Cina, aiutandole a creare un futuro diverso per loro e per le loro famiglie.

Info

ORIGINAL NAME OF THE PROJECT	Minorities at the centreRT
AREAS INTERESTED BY THE PROJECT	China
DIRECT BENEFICIARIES OF THE PROJECT:	6 small-scale associations of women belonging to ethnic minorities (400 women in total)  the whole population of the villages where these women live (1200 people in total)
DONORS	Regione Toscana
DATES OF THE PROJECT	From March to December 2015