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HUNORKA, the first Hungarian member of WINNET Europe, was the second after the Swedish NRC to order their own national portal that is integrated to the portal of WINNET Europe. We asked Ilona Éva Vass, the President of the Association about this.
- The structure of the Hungarian national portal (www.hunorka.hu) is markedly similar to that of the portal of WINNET Europe (W.E. in the following). Am I right in assuming that it is not just a coincidence?
- Yes, the structure of the two portals are deliberately identical. Furthermore, if you take a closer look at it, you will find that the Swedish national portal that is also integrated into the European portal - in spite of the fact that it has its own web address (www.nrckvinnor.org) - it is built along the same lines.
- Is there a special reason for that?
 - There are more than one reasons! On the one hand it demonstrates that the national portals are synergically connected to the portal of the European network, the digital WINNET Europe network. On the other hand, through this a standard information structure and quality is ensured to the visitors of the portal group, that is, to people interested in our network. This way people will know what kind of information to expect on the individual portals, furthermore, it will make it easier for them to navigate on the national portals that follow the principles of the European portal.
- It looks like the common European portal offers information in English, however, the national portals have information in their own language only.
- Yes, it is true. It is important to create national portals because these portals represent the European network at a national level, therefore, the would-be members can have a closer connection with it. Beside that we also need to consider the interest of such women's organisations and enterprises that get on better in their own language than in English. The gates of WINNET Europe are open for such organisations as well - they can become members of the network through the national portals.
- I belive this was part of the reason that motivated the creation of the Hungarian national portal.
- Yes, it was a significant factor in the decision. We recognised that we can recruit members for the European network in Hungary much easier if we communicate with the would-be members in their native language as well. From that aspect this "invention" was in fact quite urgent.
- I can see an interesting feature on the portal, namely, the "Market" that will probably attract many portal visitors. Is this where services are offered to the members, or are members offering their own services and products?
- It is a combination of the two. The members of WINNET Europe are entitled to publish information to their own national portal, and accordingly, to the common European portal as well. In addition to publishing information they also have the opportunity to pursue marketing activities on these portals. In the case of the "Market" it means that they can publish and view different kinds of advertisements, offers, search for partners, market products and services. As enhancing entrepreneurship is one of the key focus areas or women resource centres and there are many entrepreneurs - both established and starters- active in WRCs this service will be in our judgement very sought after.
- I see there are quite a number of articles on the portal as well.
- Yes, we considered it important that the portal offered information right from the beginning. We have a close connection with a group of Hungarian journalists. In the initial period this group will provide actual articles for the portal. I must remark that there are a lot of women among these journalists whose contribution is continuously desired. This co-operation is beneficial for them as well, since in case they can also publish their articles in English, they will get a broad European publicity owing to the network portal.
- Who provides the information about the EU project possibilities on the Hungarian National portal?
- The 2007-2013 period of the National Development Plan has just been launched in Hungary. The North Great Plain Regional Development Agency is functioning as an important information source within this programme. Since the agency uses the same portal technology as WINNET Europe and the Hungarian national portal, they agreed to share the information published by them - thereby they can reach a wider circle of readers or portal visitors but I am confident, also new potential projects partners! This is also a way to underline that gender equality and regional policy issues are interlinked on European, national, regional and local level!
This is the first one of a series of articles about WINNET Europe, the European Association of Women Resource Centres that was started up on the 20th of June 2006 with the solemn determination to support women's use of ICT in their entrepreneurship, in their every day use of Internet and to do it in an innovative way! In the following articles we will take a look at the structure of the Hungarian national portal and the European portal, and in the future we will discuss how the WINNET Europe network and the national portals help the activity and marketing communication of the network members; thereafter it will turn out what the WINNET Europe network has to do with the revolutionary concept of Web 2.0.
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