/ world today news/ The women’s issue is starting to be used as a political weapon, warns the Bulgarian MEP Iliana Yotova
March is the month of the woman. Is it because during this month the weather changes like a woman’s mood, as the male half of humanity exclaims? Or is it because International Women’s Day is celebrated on its eighth day? International recognition of the economic, political and social achievements of the fairer sex, struggle to defend the political and human rights of women, an occasion for a kind gesture-demonstration of love and respect for them – all this is March 8. In fact, this should happen every day, because in the modern world, being a woman is not an easy role at all, and it is even more difficult to stand up for your rights on an equal basis with men.
Precisely in the month of the woman and a few days after her international day, the head of the Delegation of the Bulgarian Socialists in the European Parliament, Iliana Yotova, in partnership with the Information Bureau of the EP in Bulgaria, organized an international conference, the focus of which was the challenges and opportunities for the representatives of the gentle gender The conference “The sustainable future of the Danube region – the role of socialist women” was attended by the head of the Delegation of Socialists from Romania, Viorica Dancila, deputies from Bulgaria and Romania, as well as representatives of local authorities and the non-governmental sector. Among the main topics of the lively discussion were the opportunities for the development of the region provided by the Danube Strategy, women entrepreneurs in Bulgaria, the challenges facing the fair sex in local authorities in the two neighboring countries, as well as the opportunities for women in the fields of education, science and intercultural exchange .
In recent years, the topic of gender equality has become of secondary importance in Europe, even female political leaders are running away from it… All policies have retreated against the background of the migration crisis. This was emphasized by MEP Iliana Yotova. She warns that the topic is being used as a political weapon. In support of this thesis, Yotova gave as an example the behavior of her fellow MEPs from far-right, populist parties. Not wanting to hear a word about policies for women until recently, after the attacks in Cologne and a number of other European cities, they take the opposite position and use precisely women as a weapon in the fight against migration.
Iliana Yotova presented startling data, according to which every third woman in the EU is a victim of violence, 3.7 million women are victims of sexual violence every year. 98 percent of human trafficking in Europe is women and adolescent girls. In a social and economic crisis, the most vulnerable suffer, including women. Yotova pointed out that the crisis has given rise to a new phenomenon in Europe – the working poor, which mostly affects women. Irregular work also mainly affects women. In South-West Bulgaria, where it represents a high percentage, exploitation of female labor is often observed. The pay gap between men and women in Europe is around 16 percent. “It should be taken into account that this percentage in Bulgaria and Romania is much lower. There are countries in Europe such as Estonia, where the difference in this pay is close to 30 percent,” Yotova pointed out. The demographic problem, which the BSP focuses on at the national level, was also presented as related to gender inequality.
Although the percentage of women in the European population is more – 51% to 49%, there are still many unresolved issues related to their rights. “We European socialists were the initiators of strict observance of women’s rights,” said Yotova. “Wonderful documents are written with even more wonderful recommendations, but when it comes to actions, things are different,” emphasized the Bulgarian MEP. The maternity directive, won by the socialist family, passed in 2011 through the European Parliament and has been sitting in the European Council, which is dominated by right-wing governments, for 5 years. “This is a right-wing Europe that refuses to do social policy,” emphasized Iliana Yotova.
“Austerity policies and lack of investment are hitting women hard.” This was pointed out by the head of the Delegation of the Romanian Socialists in the EP, Viorica Dancila. “We want to develop together, not to witness the following – a woman with the same education and qualifications not being preferred over a man for the same position,” she emphasized. Dancila declared for joint efforts in the fight for greater participation of women in politics. “I believe that the socialist leaders are responsible for this,” said the Romanian MEP and expressed displeasure that female MEPs from the European People’s Party voted against quotas for women’s participation in politics. Dancila extended an invitation to the BSP leader for a visit to Romania and a meeting with the leader of the Romanian Social Democratic Party, because “we need to be united against the powerful countries in Europe”. According to her, all socialist parties in Eastern Europe must be united so that their voices can be heard.
Viorika Dancila suggested the creation of a foundation or center in which women from both sides of the Danube would participate, to exchange experience and good practices, to promote their cultures, to build bridges for joint projects. “We are launching the cooperation between the two countries, between our friends Romania and Bulgaria,” Dancila announced. Yotova, for her part, expressed the opinion that almost nothing is being done in Bulgaria according to the Danube Strategy. “Our Romanian colleagues are much more active. We want them to pass on this experience, to do joint projects, initiatives that can connect us in the field of education, in the field of culture,” said the Bulgarian MEP.
“Who makes the decisions nowadays in our Europe? Who manages the money,” asks Stanimira Hadjimitova, founder and director of the “Gender Project in Bulgaria” foundation, which presented the challenges facing women entrepreneurs in Bulgaria. She pointed out that only Cyprus has a woman president of the national bank, and only Romania and Sweden have female finance ministers. Hadjimitova also drew attention to the situation of women in rural areas.
“The more women enter politics, the more it changes,” said Graciela Dragici, municipal councilor in Bucharest. She shared her experience with the vice-president of SOS Milka Hristova, who in turn pointed out that the Bulgarian capital is developing at two speeds.
The people’s representatives from Romania and Bulgaria – Natalia Intotero and Mariana Boyadzhieva – pointed out the problems before the full role of women in the development of science and education. “The myth that science is dominated by men is stopping women,” stressed BSP MP Mariana Boyadzhieva and presented data on the percentages of women’s participation in science and education. Both in Bulgaria and Romania, the teaching profession is feminized.
Among the main issues that were raised at the conference was how to motivate women to take up political responsibilities and how to promote solidarity between them. The problems faced by women after the age of 55 and young women in the labor market were touched upon.
Mikhail Mikov:Socialist women have always been active participants in the struggle for freedoms, rights and equality
“Socialist women have always been active participants in the struggle for freedoms, rights and equality,” said BSP Chairman Mihail Mikov at the opening of the conference. He called on socialist women from Bulgaria and Romania to exchange ideas and good practices on what should be done so that women in Bulgaria and Romania feel like equal members of society, to be actively involved in politics, in public administration, but also in entrepreneurship. “I sincerely hope that both Bulgarian and Romanian women will stand up for their rights more strongly and that their contribution to the development of the Danube region will be even more tangible,” said the BSP leader.
Katya Nikolova:The role of a woman is not easy at all
The role of a woman in modern society is not at all easy, it is even more difficult to assert her rights on an equal basis with men in this male-dominated world. This was emphasized by the chairwoman of the socialist women in the BSP, Katya Nikolova. She stated that socialist women actively participate in the projects of PES-Women and the main focus of their work is the fight for more women in politics, for more power for women. Nikolova expressed regret that Bulgaria is in 50th place in terms of women’s participation in governance. “Change is necessary, because the neoliberal model in Bulgaria increases inequalities, including between the sexes,” said Katja Nikolova categorically.
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