Gender

Gender Equality is one of UNDP’s cross cutting issues at both global and national levels. UNDP acknowledges that any form of gender discrimination is an obstacle for human development potential and a violation of human rights. Worldwide, gender discrimination is a source of endemic poverty, inequitable and low economic growth, high HIV/AIDS prevalence and inadequate democratic governance.

     EUROPE and CIS

     UNDP designed a corporate approach that aims to promote ‘gender equality and women’s empowerment’ as an integral part of all UNDP policies and programmes. In the former Soviet Bloc countries men and women enjoy greater equality of rights than in many other parts of the world, especially in Asia and Africa.

     The last decade has been characterized by turbulent change and transition in the region. This have had multiple complex impacts on both women and men. However, transition and development processes in the region have occurred without the full participation of women, weakening women’s position in political and socio-economic life. These trends need to be reversed, in order to ensure that the benefits of transition equally reach both sexes. Major challenges identified include: (a) weak UNDP internal capacities to implement and monitor its gender-related commitments; and (b) under-developed state capacity to produce greater gender equality in line with international commitments and national legislation. Despite this overall picture, regional variations and specificities require a highly nuanced approach to the advancement of gender equality in the region.

     UNDP EUROPE AND CIS - GENDER EQUALITY STRATEGY FOR 2008-2011

     ROMANIA    

     For Romania, gender equality is part of several international commitments and was a prerequisite for EU accession. Romania ranks high in the Gender-related Development Index (GDI) published annually by the Human Development Report Office. According to the 2008 data, Romania’s GDI is second after Sweden. However, studies show that there are still challenges to be overcome in terms of women representation in politics and government, domestic violence, gender wage gap, and observance of equal opportunities in the workplace.

     In 2003 UNDP Romania created the first Romanian Gender Network. Since then, UNDP has provided continuous support to national partners – parliamentarians, NGOs, academia – to advocate and mainstream the gender agenda into respective policies and practices.

     GENDER MAINSTREAMING: A CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK

     TRACKING TOOL FOR GENDER AUDIT IN UNDP

     ROMANIA GENDER LEGISLATION

     Recent UNDP Gender Activities:

     6 November 2008 - “Equal Opportunities and Gender Aspects Roundtable (II)”

     In follow up to the Roundtable in July, the UNDP has been developing projects that would increase the contribution of UNDP to gender mainstreaming and empowerment of women in Romania. The participants reviewed and provided comments on the three draft project concept notes prepared by UNDP in the fields of (1) promoting work life balance for families; (2) gender index for private sector; (3) gender mainstreaming in public authorities at central and local levels.

     Minute of the 6 November Roundtable with information of the Participants and Agenda

     16 July 2008 – “Equal Opportunities and Gender Aspects Roundtable (I)”

     The UNDP convened the first Roundtable of gender equality practitioners in Bucharest. The aim of the Roundtable is to mainstream gender equality into UNDP programs through a platform of continious consultation with government and civil society partners active gender equality and women’s empowerment. The Roundtable discussed key outstanding areas of gender equality in Romania that could be addressed by the UN in joint programming.

     Summary of the main issues debated: 1. Problems with implementation of legislative framework on gender equality in Romania. 2. Low representation of women in political decision making. 3. Public policies do not respond to the needs of women. 4. Problem of fake campaigns, journalists not involved. 5. Difficulties in reconciliation of work and family life. 6. Problems of women from rural areas. 7. Problems of cooperation between women. UNDP has been pursuing some of the above issues, namely (1) implementation of gender equality legal provisions; (3) enhanced pro-women dimension in public policy; (5) work-family life balance; and (6) economic empowerment of rural women.

     Minute of the July 2008 Gender Roundtable with information of the Participants and Agenda    

     For more information, please contact the UNDP Romania Gender Focal Point:

     Ms. Daniela Albu, daniela.albu@undp.org