A number of NGOs promoting equal chances for men and women said that on March 8 the politicians should congratulate the Moldovan women with actions and bills that would ensure gender equality and better living conditions for them, not with flowers, as they use to. The NGOs this Sunday will stage a march entitled “Feminism Loves You” to inform the residents of Chisinau about feminism and its development currents.
In a news conference at IPN, executive director of the Partnership for Development Center Alexei Buzu said that in the March 5 sitting of Parliament they witnessed a disgraceful and pathetic moment when the MPs stated banal things and gave flowers to their female colleagues. In fact, the March 8 holiday represents the struggle for the women’s right to vote, to decent working conditions, etc. “This day is not a birthday of the Moldovan women. I don’t think it’s opportune to give the women flowers and candies. On this day the politicians must draw a line and analyze what was done for the women and men in Moldova to really enjoy equality. Regretfully, nothing of the kind happened and the political leaders didn’t make firm commitments,” he stated.
Daniela Misail-Nichitin, who manages the International Center “La Strada”, said the women expect not candies and flowers from the politicians, but concrete actions such as the adoption of a bill to protect the victims of domestic violence. The legislation should be improved so that it allows the police to immediately issue a restraining order and stipulates methods of compensating the victims of domestic violence. The Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence should be signed ad ratified and more similar measures should be taken.
President of East Europe Foundation Sorin Mereacre said that together with colleagues from civil society, they asked the political leaders to adopt a set of laws that would really ensure equal chances for men and women in politics and other areas, like the bills concerning gender representation quotas and the paternity leave. Civil society requests passing in the final reading the amendments that institute paternity leave of 14 days during the first 100 days of the birth of the child, which is paid from public funds.
Olga Shuleanschi, program coordinator at the Center for Entrepreneurial Education and Business Support, said the politicians continue to use banal greetings at a time when the businesswomen face a series of problems in developing a business. They call on the authorities to adopt a program for developing women’s entrepreneurship and instituting a guarantee product to enable the businesswomen to take out loans.
Victoria Apostol, the representative of the Resource Center for Human Rights, said the politicians continue to offer flowers, martsishors and candies, but the message is actually “Stay there were you are, dear women! Don’t dear to speak, which is continue to keep silent, while we will govern further and will do what we want”.
Within the march “Feminism Loves You” on March 8, the inhabitants of Chisinau will be told what feminism is and what its development currents are. The activists will set off from the Academy of Sciences of Moldova and will walk up to the square of the National Opera House “Maria Biesu”.
