Women leaders at Minsk forum: All we are asking for is equality – is that too much?

One hundred women leaders gathered to explore challenges and ways forward towards women’s empowerment and leadership at the second International Forum of Women Leaders in Minsk on 25 and 26 October 2018.

The event to help advance gender equality in the OSCE region was co-organized by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR). The Forum was part of the Office’s Promoting Democratization and Human Rights in Belarus project, funded by the European Union.

Women state officials, parliamentarians, entrepreneurs, academics, civil society activists and gender experts from 21 OSCE participating States, including all member states of the Commonwealth of Independent States, took part in the event. Discussions focused on topics such as women’s participation in politics and the economic sphere, combating violence against women, strengthening women's networks and coalition building, and equal opportunities at universities.

“In the 21st century, women from all backgrounds should live a life free from violence at home and in the community. They should be able to participate on an equal footing with men in politics, business, education, family or non-family life. They should have every opportunity to achieve their goals. Equality is all we are asking for – is that too much?” said Katarzyna Gardapkhadze, First Deputy Director of ODIHR.

Irina Kostevich, Minister of Labor and Social Protection of Belarus, said: “Gender policy is not a policy in the interest of one socio-demographic group, such as women. It is a policy that aims for equality, an equal balance of rights and responsibilities of both women and men. And we should be moving forward along this path together in the interest of present and future generations.”

Ambassador Andrea Wiktorin, Head of the Delegation of the European Union to Belarus, said: “The EU's strategic engagement for gender equality focuses on five priority areas: equal market participation and economic independence; reduction of pay and pension gaps; equality in decision-making; combating gender-based violence; and promoting gender equality across the world. The EU has made significant progress in gender equality over the decades and stands ready to support Belarus in this regard."

The Forum was co-organized with the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection, the Belarusian State University, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Belarus, and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) in Belarus.