Gender in Europe & CIS

Gender in region of Europe and Commonwealth of Independent States

"Take any issue – climate change, development, peace and security: When women are part of the vision, the world sees better results."  Helen Clark, UNDP Administrator
 

 UNDP promotes gender equality and women's empowerment.

Women and men are entitled to equal rights, responsibilities, and opportunities regardless of whether they are born male or female. Gender equality implies that the interests, needs and priorities of both women and men are taken into consideration. Gender equality is not “women’s issue” but should concern and fully engage men as well as women. (UNDP Gender Equality Strategy 2008-2013)

Gender equality and women’s empowerment are not only human rights issues, but also are essential conditions for economic and social development, including the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals, eradication of poverty, and maintaining peace and stability.  

This is why gender equality and women’s empowerment are an integral part of all areas of UNDP’s work.

UNDP works with national and local partners in the region to accelerate the integration of gender sensitive policies in all sectors,  creating more a inclusive environment for both women and men. Subsequently, promoting accountability of national institutions to implement gender sensitive laws and ensure gender responsive budgeting. Advancing and promoting equal opportunities and rights of both women and men, addressing and preventing violence against women and incorporating gender into peace processes. UNDP supports women's entrepreneurial opportunities and gender sensitive employment policies. UNDP also works to increase women’s political participation in the region.  

In most of the region there have been profound changes in the status and role of women over the recent decades.

Main achievements in the region

• Policy, legal and institutional frameworks guaranteeing gender equality are in place

More than 20 countries in Central and Eastern Europe, Caucasus and Central Asia have reformed institutions in order to better address gender equality. Gender sensitive development policies and legislation are in place in most countries in the region. More than 15 countries in the region currently have a gender equality law, and some countries have also adopted laws addressing violence against women.
National gender equality strategies are in place in 20 countries in the region and all the countries in the region are parties to the Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination against Women.

• Education of girls

Gender parity in education has almost been achieved in primary and secondary education in all countries in Central and Eastern Europe, the Caucasus and Central Asia. In many countries in the region especially in the Baltic States girls now outnumber boys in tertiary education. Important achievements have been made in particular regarding enrolment for basic schooling and free access to schools and universities. For all countries in the region the Basic Enrolment rate is above 90 percent .  

• Maternal health

Political support and investment in women and girls have helped drive progress in reducing child and maternal mortality rates in the region overall. Policies to improve maternal health have been strengthened in all countries in Central and Eastern Europe, the Caucasus and Central Asia. The decline of the maternal mortality has been highest in Bosnia & Herzegovina, Croatia, Hungary, Poland, Serbia, Slovenia,  and The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. Today, nearly every birth (98 percent) is assisted by skilled health workers, and the infant mortality rate has fallen significantly. The average child mortality was reduced by more than 50 percent in most of the countries in the region since 1990. In most countries in the region, antenatal coverage has increased in average by more then 15 percent in most of the countries in the region. The adolescent birth rate is very low with an average of 7.8 percent of all live births. Moreover, many countries have improved programmes for early detection and treatment of breast and cervical cancer. Life expectancy in most countries of the region continues to rise for women.

Challenges in the region

• Woman in Georgia

  Political participation of women

The transition process has opened new opportunities for men and women in terms of civic engagement, political expression and participation. Although there are no legal barriers for women to vote and stand for elections, their significant under-representation in power and decision-making across the region persists. No country in the region has achieved gender balance in their high level decision-making bodies. The average of 17.6 percent of women’s representation in parliaments  falls below the 30 percent target of the Beijing Platform for Action. Moreover, in the majority of countries in the region women hold less than 15 percent of ministerial positions. Female ministers are concentrated in social-cultural sectors and rarely head the ministries responsible for economy, infrastructure and home affairs. Interestingly, women are better represented at the local level in many parts of the region.

• Women’s  economic security

Women’s participation in the labour market in the region of Central and Eastern Europe, the Caucasus and Central Asia is the highest in the world. Nevertheless, in all countries in the region, women’s economic activity rate is lower than that of men’s. Despite women’s high education level, the quality of women’s employment and the career opportunities open to them are less. Women have greater difficulties in accessing, re-entering and remaining in the labour force due to various social factors including the challenges of reconciling work and family life. A disproportionate number of women work part-time or have temporary, insecure or informal jobs, making them more vulnerable to poverty and external shocks, such as the recent economic crisis.
The latest data shows that women earn less than men in all countries in the region. In some countries, such as, Armenia Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhstan and the Russian Federation, women on average earn approximately 50 to 60 percent of men’s average wages.

Increased gender sensitivity in private sector development strategies and entrepreneurship support has the potential to strengthen women’s economic security.  For example, in some countries in the region, women’s equal access to property and financial resources are de facto non-existent, presenting fundamental barriers for women to start a business.

• Violence against women

Despite the efforts to address violence against women in all countries in the region, women continue to suffer from different forms of gender-based violence, including physical, sexual and psychological violence. These forms of violence are often rooted in unequal relations between men and women and constitute a violation of women’s human rights.  Key challenges to preventing violence against women in the region include general tolerance to violence, insufficient capacities of the authorities and institutions to implement the legislation in place, inadequate mechanisms and cooperation between social services, health workers, the police and the judiciary, and the lack of data concerning violence against women.