WOMEN IN POLITICS ROMANIA Intercultural Institute Timisoara

Content Women as:  Elected people (national, regional and local) What Romania does for its women Intercultural Institute Timisoara Action plan

Women as elected people – national level Percentage of women in parliament increased from 3.5% in the mid 90's to 7.3% in 1998 and 9.65% in ( 11.2% women in the Chamber of Deputies and 5.9% of women in the Senate). Current Parliament: 55 women in the Chamber of Deputies out of 412, only 1 of the minority out of 20; in the Senate 13 women out of 137 Compared with an average of 20% women in the parliaments of the world, Romania is at bottom of the list The are only 5 women Ministers (Justice, Environment, Labor, Family and Social protection, Social dialogue, IMM) out from 20 There was never a women as a Prime Minister

Women in local and regional elections Out of the 368 county councils presidential candidates, only 19 were being women, and no one was voted Municipalities of cities, towns or villages, 970 applications were filed by women. However, they represent only 6.8% Mayor in Bucharest among the 18 candidates running for mayor were no woman candidates In general regarding women on the party lists most come from the People Party – 221, and the Social Liberal Union – 205. Also, Democrat Liberal Party recorded 122 female applications, National Union for Romanian Progress 84 female application, Nationalist Party 79 female application and Hungarian Minority Party 12 female application. There are 8 party in the parliament out of 40 legal registered

Local and regional women representation Only 1 woman mayor of a big city Some position as mayor held by women are: 4 in Galati county, 5 in Prahova county, 1 in Sibiu county, 3 in Iasi county, 4 in Constanta county, 1 in Arges county There are 0 women as presidents of County Councils Local Council – ex. in Timisoara, 18% are women

Women as elected people – European level The average of Romanian women in the European Parliament, is 36.4% of MEPs No RO Commissioner being a woman

Woman in politics

What Romania does for its women? National initiative to introduce in the legislation gender quotas, of at least 30% of female candidates - it is a proposal Ministry of Labour, Family and Social Protection that includes also Equal Opportunities for Women and Men Anti-discrimination law and National Council for Anti-Discrimination

Established in 1992 by a group of teachers from Timisoara, with support from local authorities the Council of Europe Mission: to promote the values and principles of the Council of Europe concerning the intercultural approach in education, cultural policy, research and civil society

Intercultural education Education for democratic citizenship Support for Roma communities

Cross- border cooperation Research Culture

I.I.T & Women – In politics Local Youth Council from 2005 – until today Project citizen – promoting competent and responsible participation with government at all levels Participation in international trainings courses: “Young Women for a Participative, Open and Diverse Society”; Empowering women in EuroMed region KeyRoma project

Other significant numbers Number of kindergartens decreased by 85% from 1990 to % of domestic violence victims are women 2 years maternity leave 95% of victims of trafficking for sexual exploitation are women

Action plan Collaborating with the parties from ethnical minorities groups and others Supporting Roma women movement Collaborating with the national imitative regarding gender quotas Others

Thank you for your attention! Romina Matei Project coordinator Intercultural Institute Timisoara