Chisinau, May 18, 2011 – The Parliament of the Republic of Moldova and the United Nations in Moldova launched today a joint initiative to support women candidates in local elections on June 5, 2011. More than 180 women from parliamentarian and extra parliamentarian parties, running for the mayors’ office, district and local councils will be trained in planning and using the countdown electoral calendar, efficient communication with voters and development of campaigning messages. The initiative aims at contributing to Moldova’s overall goal to increase the share of women’s representation in decision-making process at local level.
One-day workshops will be organized throughout the country during the period of May 19-27, specifically in Telenesti, Briceni, Ungheni, Ialoveni, Hincesti, Criuleni, Cantemir, Causeni, and Cimislia, to facilitate access of women candidates to the training and on-the-spot advice and assistance granted by the experts until the election day.
Liliana Palihovici, Deputy Speaker of the Parliament of Moldova, thanked the United Nations in Moldova for promoting and supporting women candidates in the electoral campaign. “All good initiatives aimed to increase women’s participation in political life is a real democratic exercise for the Moldovan society”, Ms. Palihovici said. The proposed initiative to amend the Electoral Code by including 30 percent quota for women representation on electoral lists and the support to women’s involvement are a few examples to reduce their under-representation at local and national level in public administration.
The Republic of Moldova committed itself to promote women in leadership positions under the Millennium Development Goal 3 “Promote Gender Equality an Empower Women” by increasing the representation of women to 40 percent in local councils, 25 percent in district councils, 25 percent of mayors, and 30 percent in the Parliament by 2015. Currently there are only 21 women out of 101 parliament members and only one woman Minister. This under-representation at national level is also mirrored at the regional and local levels: 26.5 percent in village councils, 13.2 percent in district councils, 18 percent of mayors in 2007.
“The coming local elections are the last opportunity to meet the local and district level targets for women’s representation in public life in Moldova by 2015, the agreed MDG deadline”, said Kaarina Immonen, UN Resident Coordinator in Moldova, who welcomed the first joint Parliament–United Nations initiative to support women running for local elections. “We hope this initiative will serve as a platform for women to successfully complete the election campaign and succeed to be elected to local mayors, and councilors positions”, Ms. Immonen said.
The workshops are organized with the support of UNDP project “Support to Parliament Development in the Republic of Moldova” funded by the Governments of Denmark and Sweden.
Media contact: Nighina Azizov, Adviser to the Deputy Speaker of Parliament, tel. 26 82 88, e-mail: nighina.azizov@parlament.md or Ludmila Tiganu, Communications Specialist, UN/UNDP Moldova, tel. 269 112, email: ludmila.tiganu@undp.org
