Democratic and economic transitions and development in the UNDP Europe and CIS region have taken place in the post-Soviet era without the full participation of a major segment of the population—women. The lack of participation by women weakens their position in political life and their social and economic prospects says a new publication by the United Nations Development Programme, issued on International Women’s Day, March 8. The publication examines this trend and advocates for changes to ensure that women too rise with the changing economic and political tides in the region.
The publication, “Enhancing Women’s Political Participation. A Policy Note for Europe and CIS,” stresses that the active participation, equality and development of women is vital for securing peace, social progress and the full enjoyment of human rights. To help make that possible, the publication provides a set of recommendations and solutions for increasing women’s regional political participation. As part of that process, the publication showcases projects already in place in some countries—projects that have produced results and that could be replicated elsewhere. This includes projects implemented in Georgia, Armenia, Kyrgyzstan and Turkey, which successfully strengthened the capacities of national stakeholders to put in place and strengthen an enabling environment for women’s political participation.
Such efforts come at a time when the number of women in parliament regionally is still below the critical mass of 30 percent considered necessary for women to contribute meaningfully to politics (the regional average is just over 15 percent).
But increasing women’s political participation also needs to go beyond the numbers, making sure gender issues become an integral part of political agendas. It is against this background that UNDP has developed the Policy Note for Europe and the CIS: "Enhancing Women’s Political Participation." The Policy Note builds upon an analysis of regional data and detailed outcomes from six national round tables (in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Kyrgyzstan, Poland, Turkey and Ukraine) held in 2008, and a subsequent regional conference held in Istanbul in December 2008. The publication is intended for parliamentarians, civil servants at decision-making levels and civil society organizations promoting democratic governance in the region with a focus on ways to promote and strengthen women’s political participation, tailored to the regional context.
Created with the input of women’s rights activists, representatives of civil society organisations and academia, members of Parliament and Governments, the publication reflects the voice of this diverse group of people. The Policy Note takes the experiences made in this region forward by taking into account the lessons learned as part of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, and provides a set of recommendations that offers solutions to address and counter-act the underlying causes of women’s political participation.
The Policy Note is divided into four sections:
- the first section is an overview of women’s political participation in the region, presenting current trends in political, economic and social differences between men and women in the region
- the second introduces country-specific practices related to women’s political participation
- the third presents a set of recommendations for gender equality and women’s political participation addressed to governments, legislators, parliamentarians, political parties, civil society organizations, the private sector and trade unions.
- The fourth provides a list of on-line resources.
Hardcopies of the publication are available at UNDP’s Bratislava regional Center (BRC) and can be requested by contacting Louise Sperl or Paula Jojart.
Democratic and economic transitions and development in the UNDP Europe and CIS region have taken place in the post-Soviet era without the full participation of a major segment of the population—women. The lack of participation by women weakens their position in political life and their social and economic prospects says a new publication by the United Nations Development Programme, issued on International Women’s Day, March 8. The publication examines this trend and advocates for changes to ensure that women too rise with the changing economic and political tides in the region.
The publication, “Enhancing Women’s Political Participation. A Policy Note for Europe and CIS,” stresses that the active participation, equality and development of women is vital for securing peace, social progress and the full enjoyment of human rights. To help make that possible, the publication provides a set of recommendations and solutions for increasing women’s regional political participation. As part of that process, the publication showcases projects already in place in some countries—projects that have produced results and that could be replicated elsewhere. This includes projects implemented in Georgia, Armenia, Kyrgyzstan and Turkey, which successfully strengthened the capacities of national stakeholders to put in place and strengthen an enabling environment for women’s political participation.
Such efforts come at a time when the number of women in parliament regionally is still below the critical mass of 30 percent considered necessary for women to contribute meaningfully to politics (the regional average is just over 15 percent).
But increasing women’s political participation also needs to go beyond the numbers, making sure gender issues become an integral part of political agendas. It is against this background that UNDP has developed the Policy Note for Europe and the CIS: "Enhancing Women’s Political Participation." The Policy Note builds upon an analysis of regional data and detailed outcomes from six national round tables (in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Kyrgyzstan, Poland, Turkey and Ukraine) held in 2008, and a subsequent regional conference held in Istanbul in December 2008. The publication is intended for parliamentarians, civil servants at decision-making levels and civil society organizations promoting democratic governance in the region with a focus on ways to promote and strengthen women’s political participation, tailored to the regional context.
Created with the input of women’s rights activists, representatives of civil society organisations and academia, members of Parliament and Governments, the publication reflects the voice of this diverse group of people. The Policy Note takes the experiences made in this region forward by taking into account the lessons learned as part of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, and provides a set of recommendations that offers solutions to address and counter-act the underlying causes of women’s political participation.
The Policy Note is divided into four sections:
- the first section is an overview of women’s political participation in the region, presenting current trends in political, economic and social differences between men and women in the region
- the second introduces country-specific practices related to women’s political participation
- the third presents a set of recommendations for gender equality and women’s political participation addressed to governments, legislators, parliamentarians, political parties, civil society organizations, the private sector and trade unions.
- The fourth provides a list of on-line resources.
Hardcopies of the publication are available at UNDP’s Bratislava regional Center (BRC) and can be requested by contacting Louise Sperl or Paula Jojart.