UNDP promotes more involvement of women in decision-making in Ukraine

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17.09.2019

The General Assembly of the European Bureau of the International Council of Women to Update Women's Participation in Decision-Making was held May 19-23, 2019 in Kyiv-Chernihiv.

Sexism, underdeveloped gender expertise, insufficient budget money being allocated for gender programmes, a “glass ceiling” blocking women’s ascent to high executive positions – these are the key reasons for fewer women taking an active role in decision making.

With UNDP support, the General Assembly of the National Council of Ukrainian Women was held in Kyiv on May 23, at which participants talked about different ways to tackle these problems and how to get more women involved in decision making areas.

“I always support gender quotas as they perfectly reflect the 4th Article of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women,” said Kateryna Levchenko, Government Commissioner for Gender Policy at the general assembly.

Nadiia Babynska (Virna), a UNDP Ukraine expert, while presenting a study, saidUkraine has the lowest percentage of women in parliament among European countries – 12 percent. In oblast councils representation is little better – 15 percent, and in city councils only slightly better than that – 18 percent.

This year marks the 100th anniversary of the founding of the National Council of Ukrainian Women, which was first set up in 1919 in Ivano-Frankivsk. 

Read more about this event (in Ukrainian) here:  https://bit.ly/2JXGdzS.