OSCE Mission to Skopje promoting involvement of women in politics
(OSCE)Elena Gulmadova, Rule of Law officer at the OSCE Spillover Monitor Mission to Skopje, discusses women's involvement in politics at the seminar in Kumanovo, 6 May 2004. (OSCE) Photo details
SKOPJE, 6 May 2004 - The Union of Women Organizations, the unit for promotion of gender equality of the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy, and the OSCE Spillover Monitor Mission to Skopje have launched for the second time a project promoting women participating in local elections.
The project, entitled "Women can do it II - Local Elections 2004", aims at increasing the participation of women in local government and in the 2004 municipal elections.
"Participation in local government is an extremely important step in the career of any politician," said Andrew Palmer, Institution-Building officer in the OSCE Mission. "Women make up more than half of the electorate in this country but continue to be seriously under-represented in political and public decision making. "This project aims at implementing a series of concrete measures, including legislative change, to ensure that the number of women elected at this year's municipal elections significantly increases and, as a result, to make certain that women play an active role in decision-making at a local level in this country".
As part of the project, all main political parties will organize a seminar where party members, regardless of their gender, will be introduced to the basics of gender equality and the need for equal participation of men and women in all spheres of social life and especially in positions of power and decision-making.
The Union of Women Organizations, the unit for promotion of gender equality of the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy and the OSCE Mission have expressed their hope that this project will result in a better and more efficient recognition and representation of voters' interests.
The project, entitled "Women can do it II - Local Elections 2004", aims at increasing the participation of women in local government and in the 2004 municipal elections.
"Participation in local government is an extremely important step in the career of any politician," said Andrew Palmer, Institution-Building officer in the OSCE Mission. "Women make up more than half of the electorate in this country but continue to be seriously under-represented in political and public decision making. "This project aims at implementing a series of concrete measures, including legislative change, to ensure that the number of women elected at this year's municipal elections significantly increases and, as a result, to make certain that women play an active role in decision-making at a local level in this country".
As part of the project, all main political parties will organize a seminar where party members, regardless of their gender, will be introduced to the basics of gender equality and the need for equal participation of men and women in all spheres of social life and especially in positions of power and decision-making.
The Union of Women Organizations, the unit for promotion of gender equality of the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy and the OSCE Mission have expressed their hope that this project will result in a better and more efficient recognition and representation of voters' interests.