MPs are taking part in the third Public Forum “Partnership for an Inclusive and Prosperous Moldova – Women Count” which centers on the problems faced by women from different groups. During the next two weeks, the legislative body is to examine in the final reading the bill that introduces a gender quota for parties and their lists of candidates in elections and penalties for sexist language, IPN reports.
In the opening of the event, Speaker of Parliament Andrian Candu said he wants the legislature to become a gender-sensitive institution. “I’m glad that a dialogue platform of women MPs appeared. I’m pleased to announce that Parliament will soon examine a bill that brings a number of innovations in Moldova as to the place of women. The goal is to destroy stereotypes according to which the women are good in the kitchen only, not yet in administrative posts. I note that this is not right. We have parliamentary commissions led by women and these commissions are more efficient,” he stated.
Democratic MP Valentina Stratan said that in general Moldova encounters problems related to the discrimination of women. “The women in our country represent 52% of the population, but in the government this ratio is not respected. We see that the women during the last few years have been encouraged to take part in decision-making. The bill that introduces gender quotas is supported. I also support it because the international experience showed that the quotas at a certain moment weren’t needed because the situation improved,” said the lawmaker.
Deputy Speaker and Liberal-Democratic MP Liliana Palihovici said the lawmakers change the laws, develop mechanisms and regulations, but these do not bring about the changes wanted by the women because the problem derives from the mentality. “The women want to be represented to a greater extent in decision-making and we hope that the bill on gender quotas will be adopted during the next two weeks. There will also be introduced punishment for sexist language,” she stated.
The Public Forum “Partnership for an Inclusive and Prosperous Moldova – Women Count” involves MPs from all the parliamentary groups and unaffiliated MPs. These discuss in groups with representatives of migrant women, elderly women, women who are victims of violence, Roma women and women from other groups and make effort to identify together solutions to the faced problems. The event was organized with support from UN Woman Moldova.
