UNDP in Ukraine

Chairman of the Subcommittee on International and Legal Issues and Gender Policy of the Committee of Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine on Human Rights, National Minorities and International Relations Olena Bondarenko has informed participants, that in the Secretariats of 27 committees of Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine persons who provide consultations and methodical help on the questions of ensuring of equal rights and opportunities of women and men were appointed.

In 16 regions of Ukraine advisers of head of regional state administrations were appointed, there are 18 regional gender councils on issues of family, equal opportunities, demographic development and combating trafficking for regional state administrations.

At the same time, marked MP, there is no gender-sensitive state statistics in Ukraine, similarly there are no proper departments rates which would take into account gender aspect. This situation gives no opportunity to estimate transformations which already took place in country in order to correct implementation of state and regional programmes for a subsequent period.

Olena Bondarenko reminded that the article 5 of the Law of Ukraine «On Ensuring Equal Rights and Opportunities for Men and Women» provides collecting of gender-sensitive statistical information: «The central organ of state executive power in field of statistics provides collection, adaptation, analysis, distribution, maintenance, defense and usage of statistical information in relation to the rates of condition of women and men in all spheres of life of society, grouping them by sex».

Taking into account that such statistics however are not being collected, Olena Bondarenko suggested to include into the final decision a recommendation for the State Committee of Statistics of Ukraine. According to the decision of the conference, State Committee is recommended to bring legal acts in correspondence with the article 5 of the Law to provide the collection of gender sensitive statistics.

Director of department for family and gender policy of Ministry of Ukraine for Family, Youth and Sports Ella Lamakh reported that within 37 central organs of state executive power (incl. the Ministry) expert groups on implementing of gender approaches were created. Advisers on gender issues to the Minister of Internal Affairs and Minister for Family, Youth and Sports are appointed.

At the same time the participants of conference admitted that at the regional level specialists on gender issues are very often responsible for a set of other issues. That does not result in effective work too.

Coordinator of Equal Opportunities and Women's Rights in Ukraine Programme Larysa Kobelyanska confirmed that until every official understands the importance of providing the equal rights and opportunities of men and women, state policy will not be effective.

Director of Institute of demography and social researches of NAS of Ukraine Ella Libanova said that existing in Ukrainian society gender misbalance has already resulted in the critical consequences.

According to Libanova, gender estimation of social demographic policy in Ukraine leads to unencouraging conclusions. In particular, average duration of life of Ukrainians is next to last in Europe. Thus the every third of the Ukrainian men in age of 16 years will not live up to 40.

At the same time, due to different retiring age rate there is a wide difference between the size of men and women pensions. As experts agreed, in case of implementing of the accumulative pension system, the pensions of women will be 20% from those of men.

The participants of meeting concluded that the issues on providing of equal opportunities of women and men considerably influence on democratic and economic development of country. It is consequently necessary to analyse certain spheres, developing the proper programmes to ensure the equality of women and men.

Final decision of the conference also includes recommendations to the Ministry of Ukraine for Family, Youth and Sports to develop and apply a system of monitoring of implementation of the ongoing programmes.