WOMEN IN POLITICS: the situation in Bulgaria Slaveia Hristova Balkan Assist Association More Women in European Politics – More Women in 2014 First Steering Group Meeting and Scoping Workshop January 2013,Brussels

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3 Key Facts about Bulgaria AreaArea - Total 110,993 km2 PopulationPopulation census: 7,364,570 GovernmentGovernment - Parliamentary democracy Administrative Divisions Unitary State with 6 planning regions (NUTS 2); 28 territorial management units; 264 municipalities Capital: Sofia.

WOMEN IN POLITICS – Bulgaria 4 Women in the Bulgarian Presidency There was no woman president up to know (directly elected from citizens) Two women vice-presidents (directly elected together with the President ) – during 1992 – 1993 and NOW Ms Margarita Popova – Vice-President of the Republic of Bulgaria since January, 2012

WOMEN IN POLITICS – Bulgaria 5 Women in the Bulgarian National Assembly 240 members of Parliament – of which 55 are women (23%) 6 Parliamentary Groups – 0 women Chairperson (0%) 18 Standing Committees – 6 women chairpersons (30%)

WOMEN IN POLITICS – Bulgaria 6 Women on leading positions in the 41st National Assembly President of the National Assembly 14/07/2009 – present: a woman for the first time – Ms Tsetska Tsacheva Vice-Presidents of the National Assembly – 5 altogether, 2 of them – women

WOMEN IN POLITICS – Bulgaria 7 Women in Local Authorities Total number of Bulgarian Municipalities – 264  Women mayors of Municipalities (directly elected by citizens) – 29 (11%)  A woman is the Mayor of Sofia for the first time (since November, 2009): Ms Yordanka Fandykova  Women chairpersons of City Councils (elected from the members of the city councils) – 73 (28%)

WOMEN IN POLITICS – Bulgaria 8 Women in the Executive Power Ministers in the Government – 16  Women - ministers – 4 (25%) – of the regional development, health, environment and justice Regional Governors – 28  Women – regional governors – 4 (14%)

WOMEN IN POLITICS – Bulgaria 9 Women in the European Institutions Bulgarian Members of EP – 18 Women-members of EP – 8 (44%) The first BG EU Commissioner is a woman – Ms Meglena Kuneva The second BG EU Commissioner (currently serving as European Commissioner for International Cooperation, Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Response) is also a woman - Ms Kristalina Georgieva

WOMEN IN POLITICS – Bulgaria 10 Bulgarian Women in International Organizations The Director-General of UNESCO (elected 15 November 2009) - Ms Irina Bokova

WOMEN IN POLITICS – Bulgaria 11 Membership of Women in the Political Parties There is no sufficient information regarding the ration between men and women in Bulgarian political parties!

WOMEN IN POLITICS – Bulgaria 12 Forbes Bulgaria Rating The most powerful woman in Bulgaria – Ms Tsvetelina Borislavova, Chair of the Supervisory Board of the Bulgarian American Credit Bank In the Top 10 of Forbes Rating is also Ms Svetla Kostadinova, Executive Director of the Institute for Market Economics (NGO)

WOMEN IN POLITICS – Bulgaria 13 About Balkan Assist Association NGO in public benefit, registered in 2000; Association with individual and collective members; The Foundation of Balkan Assist Association in 2000

WOMEN IN POLITICS – Bulgaria 14 About Balkan Assist Association Mission: To stimulate and support citizens’ participation; Activities:  Management of projects for citizen participation, sustainable and integrated local development, regional cooperation, international exchange, networking and advocacy  Research, implementation and dissemination of innovative practices and approaches in the dialogue between citizens and institutions and for the activation of all stakeholders  Monitoring and evaluation of projects developed by organizations, municipalities and private companies  Creation and coordination of partnerships among Bulgarian and European structures – municipalities, organizations, platforms and networks

WOMEN IN POLITICS – Bulgaria 15 The Contribution of Balkan Assist Association Implemented project under Phare ACCESS Programme: Participation of Women and Different Ethnical Groups in the decision-making process at local level, 2005 – 2007 Project partner to various projects on gender equality implemented by Bulgarian NGOs Participation in ALDA’s project regarding gender balance and equal opportunities, implemented in 2011 – 2012 in partnership between Bulgarian, Italian, Spanish and French NGOs Participation in conferences and other events regarding gender equality, organized by the European Parliament's office in Bulgaria

WOMEN IN POLITICS – Bulgaria 16 Legal Basis assuring Gender Equality in Bulgaria Bulgarian Constitution and many laws  the Labour Code,  the Family Code,  the Civil Procedure Code,  the Penal Code,  the Penal Procedure Code, etc.

WOMEN IN POLITICS – Bulgaria 17 Legal Basis assuring Gender Equality in Bulgaria Specialized Laws  the Law for Protection Against Discrimination,  the Law on Ombudsman,  the Law on Combating the Traffic in Human Beings,  the Law on Protection against Domestic Violence the Bill on Equal Opportunities for Women and Men??? - there is a draft…

WOMEN IN POLITICS – Bulgaria 18 The Contribution of the Republic of Bulgaria In 2010 the National Assembly adopted a special law for the ratification of the amendment of Art. 20, para. 1 of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), adopted in 1979 by the UN General Assembly

WOMEN IN POLITICS – Bulgaria 19 Institutional Mechanism NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANISATIONS Commission for Protection against Discrimination Ombudsman NATIONAL ASSEMBLY GOVERNMENT Ministry of labour and social policy National Council on Equality between Women and Men Consultative Commission on Equal Opportunities Policies of Labour Market Directorate Equal Opportunities between Women and Men Sector National Commission for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings

WOMEN IN POLITICS – Bulgaria 20 Thank You for Your Attention