“She Week for Democracy Development” Forum Takes Place in Zhytomyr with PLEDDG Support

Source: Zhytomyr city website

On September 7, “She Week for Democracy Development” Forum took place in Zhytomyr. Organizers say they intended to unite women from various social groups and discuss the issues any contemporary woman faces in her everyday life, in the framework of the week’s events aimed at extending opportunities for women both in Ukraine and worldwide.

The Forum took place in the OPEN AIR format and hosted famous Ukrainian and foreign public figures.

Extending greetings from Oleksandr Slobozhan, Executive Director of the Association of Ukrainian Cities, Tetiana Kukharska, Executive Director of Zhytomyr RD of AUC, told the participants about the activity carried out by the Association of Ukrainian Cities for ensuring equal rights and opportunities for women and men.

“The municipalities we are working with must be capable to provide high quality services. That is why the Association of Ukrainian Cities, thanks to the support from the Council of European Municipalities and Regions, obtained the status of the national coordinator of implementation of the Charter in Ukraine. Zhytomyr made no delay to take its decision and joined the European family. This is the first step, and later, together with foreign colleagues and friends, we will help the cities develop the plans for implementation of the Charter”, – T. Kukharska said and wished the visitors coming from various communities to keep being active and help local government make the citizens’ life better.

The “She Week for Democracy Development” Forum consisted of two panels and workshops. The first part of the event was dedicated to women in public governance of Ukraine, whereas the second one focused on such issues as work and home, and family balance: women in science, business, health, and sport.

The participants of the “She Week” Forum talked about family and career, heath and sport, political and public activity. The visitors shared their success stories motivating others to act.

The “She Week” calls for enhancing the woman’s role in society and involves women in social processes, however, despite such a narrow range of topics as it would seem, the event was interesting for everyone: women, men, schoolchildren and students, people from all walks of life”, – Iryna Yarmolenko, the project’s mastermind, Vice-President of European Assembly of Women Deputies, Head of Deputy Group of “Equal Opportunities” of Zhytomyr City Council, said.

It should be reminded that the deputies of Zhytomyr City Council approved the concept of the program “Zhytomyr is a city of equal opportunities” on February 7, 2019 and adopted the decision “On joining the European Charter on Gender Equality in life of local communities” at the session of Zhytomyr City Council on June 26, 2018.