Civil society asks central authorities to increase number of women in decision-making

Civil society welcomes the initiative to amend the Election Code put forward by a group of MPs. The lawmakers propose instituting a minimum 30% quota of female candidates running in all the types of elections. However, representatives of the NGO sector consider this fact does not mean that women will automatically take part in decision-making, Info-Prim Neo reports. The National Council for Participation, the National NGO Council of Moldova, the Civic Coalition for Free and Fair Elections, and the ProGen Alliance on January 26 issued an open letter, whereby they request the administration of Parliament to hold public debates on the amendments proposed to the Election Code, involving civil society experts, MPs, specialists of the Government, development partners and the mass media. The letter is addressed to Speaker Marian Lupu, Deputy Head of Parliament Liliana Palihovici and the legal commission for appointments and immunities. The signatories say the 30% quota was practically fulfilled. This is confirmed by the statistical data on the last legislative elections. Nevertheless, this percentage does not ensure the representation of women in the decision-making process as most of the women occupy the 90th-101st positions on the lists of candidates. Experts of the signatory associations say the composition of the present legislature is a relevant example as only 19 of the 101 MPs are women (18.8%). The NGOs make reference to the recommendations of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe concerning the equal percentage of women and men in political and public decision-making –minimum 40% for both of the sexes. Civil society asks the legal commission for appointments and immunities to organize a series of public debates in order to listen to the views of different parties involved so as to formulate a bill or a set of bills that would ensure a balanced participation of men and women. “We are ready to take part and contribute with all out experience and knowledge to the modernization of the institutional and legal framework needed to create real opportunities for the women’s participation in public life in Moldova,” says the letter. The letter was signed by over 40 public associations that form part of the four aforementioned organizations. In 2005, the women made up 29% of the candidates on the electoral lists, in April 2009 – 27.7%, in June 2009 – 28.5%, while in the elections of 2010 – 28.1%.