A number of central European regions, especially those located on the periphery of the cooperation area, are challenged by the outbound migration of well-educated young women. This results in severe sex-ratio imbalances among the working-age population of these regions and a lack of highly skilled labour. Whereas the first endangers social cohesion on territorial level, the second one negatively impacts economic competitiveness, growth and consequently employment. In regard to the regional demographic development, the outbound migration of young people has a double negative impact: on one hand, the outbound migration of young people increases the median age of the population and the aging of the entire society. On the other hand, future demographic perspectives are worsened as smaller numbers of women aged 16-35 lead to fewer new-born children and to a long-term depopulation of the area. The project WOMEN aims at the mitigation of a further brain-drain of young females from rural areas already severely challenged by demographic change. The participating regions have recognised the need to take action also in view of their regions competitiveness towards businesses who rely on a well-qualified workforce. Achievements: Predominantly rural regions located at the periphery of Central Europe are challenged by a persisting outbound migration especially of young people which leads to skill shortages for the economy and severe consequences for the future demographic development of the area. Especially young well-educated women leave peripheral Central European regions, leading not only to an immediate demographic disadvantage but also future scarcities of skilled workers in affected regions. More and better actions are necessary to provide them with attractive career opportunities to encourage them to stay. The project has meanwhile fulfilled all start-up requiements and has set course for the realisation of the core acitivities. Starting with a mutual learning process the partners undertook study trips to Estonia, Spain and Sweden and analysed these good practices. The partnership has defined a roadmap for the upcoming four pilot actions, which are to be started in the next half year. a) Image Campaign - the campaigns will contribute to a positive image of the partner regions, aiming to show perspectives in the regions in order to provide incentives to stay instead of migrating elsewhere. b) Demography Coach - A new position of a Demography Coach will be created in each partner region. The coaches will network transnational to elaborate a joint curricula and methodology to train and coach personnel managers from companies as demography managers. c) Competition (women award) - To raise awareness for the challenges posed to the partner regions by a continued brain-drain especially of highly skilled young women and to highlight good practices of different local actors, a transnational competition will be launched. A transnational jury composed by young women from the partner regions will evaluate the entries and select the winners to be awarded in the framework of the International Expert Conference d) Networks - Social networks of successful female entrepreneurs and senior staff will be supported by the project partners to increase the social detachment of women to their regions. The implementation process will be accompanied by a series of peer reviews, whose methodology and work plan has already been prepared. In terms of communication activities WOMEN has now its own corporate design, its website www.women-project.eu and a facebook fanpage.