Empowering women for stronger participation in public and political life key to democratic society, say participants in ODIHR-supported Congress of Women in Lodz

The importance of full participation of women in public and political life, and of co-operation between women’s parliamentary bodies and civil society, particularly organizations promoting women’s rights, was highlighted during the 10th National Congress of Women, which took place in Lodz, Poland, on 16 and 17 June 2018.

The Congress, organized with support from the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), gathered more than 3,500 participants.

Speaking about ways for women in politics to break through the glass ceiling, Ingibjörg Sólrún Gísladóttir, the ODIHR Director, emphasized the need to transform democratic institutions from a gender perspective.

“Political parties and parliaments are failing to meet the interest of half of the population if they do not take into account the views and needs of women,” Gísladóttir said. “To address this gap, we need to support women’s networks and their efforts to have a seat at the table together with men.”

“It is paradoxical that we are still calling for a halt to the marginalization of women 100 years after our grandmothers gained voting rights,” said Dorota Warakomska, President of the Association of the Congress of Women. “Our strength is in the unity and diversity of women in the Congress beyond party lines, positions, levels of income or the place they live. We will be active in the forthcoming elections to ensure that women in Poland enjoy full rights and opportunities.”

The discussions also drew attention to issues of women’s health, parenthood and violence against women.

ODIHR hosted a number of panel discussions during the Congress, featuring academics, politicians and civil society activists from Poland, Hungary, Romania, Ukraine and the United Kingdom. The topics discussed included challenges to women’s participation in politics, the importance of networking and the fight for women’s electoral rights from the historical perspective. A panel on women in uniform highlighted challenges facing women who work in a male-dominated environment, such as the security sector. ODIHR also hosted a workshop on approaches to creating successful and sustainable civil society coalitions to address discrimination and strengthen tolerance.

Support to the Congress of Women in Poland is part of ODIHR’s efforts to promote the implementation of the 2004 OSCE Action Plan for the Promotion of Gender Equality and other related OSCE commitments.