Poor women's representation in party lists and in single-mandate election districts is another proof of unequal opportunities, incompatible with the democratic society. This issue was discussed by a representative of the Civil Network OPORA and the Head of Khmelnytsk Oblast NGO “Podil Center “Gender Council”, Tetiana Babayeva.
Do you think that women candidates' representation is satisfactory?
Women's Consortium of Ukraine is monitoring women representation in party lists and support of female candidates in single-member districts. In three of seven districts in Khmelnytsk oblast the Party of Regions nominated female candidates. Of course, it would be good news if the analysis didn't show that these candidates are just technical. In oblast center – the head of oblast department Iryna Trunova, in village election district – the head of rayon department... And the teacher Olena Herasymenko will stand as a candidate in a district centered in Shepetivka city together with a nominee from Vitalii Klychko's UDAR party, Hanna Poberezhna.
Unfortunately, there is no female candidates from the United Opposition, All-Ukrainian Union "Svoboda", or the Communist party in single-member districts in Khmelnytsk oblast.
Is it contempt for women or lack of active and qualified female citizens?
The other parties could also find many competitive women to stand as candidates in single-member districts. There is enough active female public figures, women holding executive positions in public service.
For example, in Khmelnytsk oblast, the Regional Department of Justice is headed by Nelia Vasylivna Prodan, the chairwoman of Khmelnytsk city rayon court is Tetiana Serhiivna Batsutsa, the chairwoman of regional department of the Pension Fund of Ukraine – Olha Serhiivna Zaiarniuk. The other female public figures which could decently represent the interests of the people in the Verkhovna Rada are Nadiia Knets (entrepreneur from Khmelnytsk), Nelia Paslavska from Horodok city, Natalia Nianchuk from Letychiv. Their organizational skills, integrity and activeness, intellectual capacity and life experience would be useful in any political party or in the Parliament.
Is it a matter of resources?
Yes, the majority of resources, attracted to the election campaign, is in men's hands. Therefore, increasing women's representation in councils requires efficient preparation.
I was writing grant proposals and appealed to international funds to get financial support and help women at least become more recognizable. Unfortunately, only two or three funds supported Ukrainian women. Workshops and trainings from our international partners are great, but we'd like to receive a real support, because there our NGOs have no such resources for today.
We have conducted quite a successful project "Let's vote for women", and conducted seminars and trainings for active women in Khmelnytsk rayons before the elections to oblast, rayon, city, village and town councils in 2010. It allowed to find them, unite and involve the in further activities. Some of them created their own NGOs. Only nine percent of women got into oblast council (one of the smallest numbers in Ukraine), in rayon councils - seventeen percent, and in Horodets rayon, where women are predominantly representing the opposition, - thirty percent.
Ms. Tetiana, the fact is the opposition is present in almost all councils...
First of all, the state policy should secure the realization of equal opportunities. However, our society is not ready for this.
On 1 of March I participated the discussion of gender Policy issues in Kyiv, with different party leaders involved. Arsenii Yatseniuk, Vitalii Klychko, Borys Tarasiuk, Leonid Kozhara from the Party of Regions, shared their thoughts on the topic. Vitalii Klychko, who was formed as an individual and public figure in Europe, really understands women's role in society and economics. Even Borys Tarasiuk, with his broad diplomatic experience, only analysed documents on equal rights and opportunities, that were signed and ratified by Ukraine "Millennium Goals", The UN Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women in the labor market, and other documents – legal framework exists, but has no implementation in Ukraine. Moreover, Leonid Kozhara said, that the issue of gender equality is not urgent to our society, "because it is patriarchal."
However, the leader between all party lists is Ukrainian Democratic Alliance for Reform (UDAR): Between first ten places, the second, fourth, sixth, and eighth are given to women. According to Vitalii Klychko, he's ready to bring up to forty percent of women to the parliament. One of the major priorities of this political party - is building the state with equal opportunities, and that is the issue of the gender policy.
The other parties include women to their lists, but in the part which is unlikely to get seats in the Parliament, and this is the reason why the present parliament has only seven percent of women - the lowest rate among the parliaments of Europe. Even Turkey beat us ...
The Civil Network “OPORA” - a non-governmental, non-political and financially independent all-Ukrainian network of activists. We united to enhance public participation in the political process by developing and implementing models of citizen participation in the activities of state and local governments.