Women remain disadvantaged in current election campaign

The women remain disadvantaged in the current election campaign both at local and municipal levels, says at study made by the Partnership for Development Center and experts in the field, Info-Prim Neo reports. The study covers 100 electoral districts. In a news conference on Thursday, sociologist of the Centre for Sociological Surveys and Marketing “CBS-AXA” Vasile Cantarji said the women represent only 17.7% of the total number of candidates for mayor at national level, as against 23.5% in the 2007 local elections. In Chisinau municipality, the women constitute 23.1% of all the candidates. The Democratic Party’s list of candidates for mayor includes 24.7% of women, the Communist Party’s list – 19.89%, the Liberal Party’s list – 17.7%, while the Liberal Democratic Party’s list – 13.1%. The women represent 18.6% of the independent candidates covered by the study. Also, the women make up 28% of the candidates for district/municipal councilors and 33.7% for local councilors, as opposed to 33.2% and, respectively, 34.6% in 2007. Daniela Terzi-Barbarosie, executive director of the Partnership for Development Center, said the study included an analysis of the platforms of the contenders for the mayoralty of Chisinau. “There were analyzed the offers of the election runners so as to see later if they will fulfill their promises and to penalize the local government for not taking the platform into account,” she stated. According to Daniela Terzi-Barbarosie, the platforms do not address the issue of gender equality. “The situation of 2010 repeats – no party or candidate pledged to strengthen the policy and institutional framework on gender equality,” she said. The study says that the electoral programs focus on healthcare, infrastructure, childbirth allowances, and education, and present the woman as a mother. Domestic violence combating is not among candidates’ priorities. Only half of the candidates plan to involve the community in town planning and decision making. Nicolae Panfil, secretary of the Civic Coalition for Free and Fair Elections, said Moldova signed the Statement on the Millennium Development Goals and pledged to increase the percentage of women in local councils from 26.5% in 2007 to 40% in 2015, in district councils from 13.2% in 2007 to 25% in 2015, while of female mayors – from 18% in 2007 to 25% in 2015, and of female lawmakers - from 22% in 2005 to 30% in 2015. The June 5, 2011 local elections are the last elections before the reporting day.