On February 25-26, 2020, PLEDDG supported a working meeting of the Section on Equal Rights and Opportunities for Women and Men of the Association of Ukrainian Cities (AUC) in Poltava. The event was dedicated to the issue of expanding women`s representation in politics.
The participants, including the representatives of local authorities and public organizations, discussed Poltava experience in ensuring gender equality and got acquainted with the best practices of women’s participation in politics. Randy Goulden, Councilor, City of Yorkton, Canada, Maryana Nikoula, PLEDDG Program Manager and Olena Tykhomyrova, PLEDDG Gender Equality Expert shared Canadian experience in this area.
‘Women’s participation in politics, both at the local and national levels, should become a standard practice, which does not require additional discussions or forums. Women should not become hostages of stereotypes that are rooted in the public mind or be afraid to fulfill their political ambitions because of them. The success of a politician is not determined by gender. It is determined by their professional qualifications and performance’, Randy Goulden stressed during her speech.
The prospects of launching a pilot Workshop on Women’s Political Leadership were also discussed during the event. The initiative will become a starting point for women, who work in local government and want to develop their political careers.
The participants had a chance to learn about the best inclusive initiatives of Poltava region during their visit to the social enterprise “Business Training Center”. Its main goal is to strengthen economic empowerment of women who represent vulnerable groups of society. The enterprise provides sewing trainings with the possibility of further employment.
