Over 70 women representing Ukrainian Government, Parliament, law-enforcement agencies, NGOs, academic institutions, business entities, arts and sports have gathered to discuss their opportunities and the ways to change their country for better. While opening the round table, Joanna Kazana-Wisniowiecka, UNDP Deputy Resident Representative in Ukraine, said that International Women's Day has been observed all over the world and on this day it is important to ponder over the role of women in society, the obstacles that women face to full enjoyment of their rights, and over why it is so important to promote women's capacity and leadership.
UNDP Deputy Resident Representative in Ukraine reminded that one of the Millenium Development Goals is to Promote Gender Equality and Empower Women, and Ukraine has bound itself to ensure gender ratio on the level no less than 30 to 70 of one or another sex in representative state institutions and at the highest ranks of executive power.
As Joanna Kazana-Wisniowiecka mentioned the latest statistics from the Inter-Parliamentary Union show that, as of January 2008, globally, women still hold only 17.8% of seats in both houses of parliament combined. Ukraine stands at 8.2%, while being one of the few countries in the world with a woman prime minister.
She added that female participation in political decision-making bodies has been witnessed to improve the quality of governance. Recent studies find a positive link between women's increased participation in public life and a reduction of the level of corruption.
Deputy Minister of Ukraine for Family, Youth and Sports Tetyana Kondratyuk said the International Women's Day would be celebrated this year under a theme "Women and Men: United to End Violence against Women and Girls". She informed that in line with the UN Secretary General's statement, several public and international organizations appealed to conduct national campaigns "Stop to Violence!" focused on fighting domestic violence.
She added that this year Ukrainian Women's movement would celebrate a 125th-year anniversary.
"Two days ago in Kharkiv, the Museum of the Ukrainian Women's Movement History was opened. Thus, this round table we dedicate to the memory of prominent Ukrainian women. Your current social activity is a contribution into the History too", stressed the Deputy Minister.
Head of Operations Section 1 of the European Commission's Delegation to Ukraine Martin Schieder affirmed that gender equality is a fundamental right, a common value of the EU, and a necessary condition for achieving the EU's objectives of growth, employment and social sustainability.
According to Ella Libanova, Demography Institute Director, women control only 5-10% of economic resources in Ukraine. Women make up 38% of the total number of entrepreneurs doing their own individual business and manage 26% of small enterprises, 15% of medium, and 12% of large ones. Only 2% of industry business managers are women. Women's salary rates are 68.6% of men's on average.
During the round table meeting, the participants analysed the reasons behind under-representation of women in politics and proposed recommendations on women empowerment and giving women space for decision-making.
The meeting attracted Vlada Lytovchenko, President of the Charity Fund "Talented Children are Ukraine's Future", Mariya Burmaka, People's Artist of Ukraine, Olena Govorova, Olympic Prize-winner, Head of the Commission "Woman and Sport" of the National Olympic Committee of Ukraine, Alina Shaternikova, professional boxer, World Champion, Svitlana Maziy, Olympic Prize-winner and other prominent Ukrainian women.
For further information, please, contact Mykola Yabchenko, Equal Opportunities and Women's Rights in Ukraine Programme, tel: +38 067 290 55 01, +38 044 569 40 75, mykola.yabchenko@undp.org.ua.
