Statistical publications on gender equality and demographic processes launched

The National Bureau of Statistics in partnership with UNDP, UNIFEM and UNFPA Tuesday launched several statistical publications on gender equality and demographic processes, Info-Prim Neo reports. The books were presented at a conference themed “Promotion of Gender Equality and Demographic Policies through Advanced Use of Official Statistics” that brought together representatives of government institutions, local and regional public authorities, international organizations, civil society, mass media and the academic circle. “These collections focus on the place and role of the man and woman in the present society,” said Viorica Dumbraveanu, outgoing Deputy Minister of Social Protection, Family and Child. She also said that the statistical data on gender equality reveal the shortcomings existing in certain spheres of the economic, political and social life. Kaarina Immonen, United Nations Resident Coordinator in Moldova, stressed that the availability and quality of the statistical data divided according to gender, ethnicity and age was one of the specific recommendations for Moldova included in the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women. “This information is needed not for the sake of availability, but for being used in developing the policies in the field,” Kaarina Immonen said. The volume “Men and Women in Moldova” was compiled with financial assistance from the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency. It is accompanied by a summary with basic statistical data for 2008 and includes such areas as women’s participation in the public and political life, employment and unemployment, health protection, education, migration, etc. It is available in Romania and English, including on DVD. The UNIFEM Global Report “Progress of the World's Women 2008/2009” was presented during the conference. It reveals the challenges that hinder the implementation of gender equality. There was also presented the guide “Population: Definitions and Indicators”, a version of The Population Handbook adapted for Moldova. It explains demography terms to journalists, politicians, teachers. According to statistics, last year Moldova had 1.71 million men (693,000 in urban areas and 1.02 million in rural areas) and 1.85 million women (782,000 in urban areas and 1.07 million in rural areas).