Bulgarian Gender Research Foundation - Projects page

Equal rights and equal opportunities for women’s participation in political life in Bulgaria

The project is funded by UNDP-Sofia and the Gender Task Force of the Stability Pact for SEE

The research encompasses a historical, legal and sociological review conducted in the period May-July 2000 with the purpose to reveal the obstacles to the equal participation of women in politics behind the equal rights of both sexes declared by the law.

 The main conclusions of the sociological part are:

• The representatives of the elite are sensitive to the issue of gender equality in politics, despite the split opinions on the access of women to senior decision-making positions;
• Obstacles to women’s participation are the patriarchal stereotypes, the aggressiveness and corruption in political life, the economic insecurity and the heavy burden which is incumbent on women;
• Women holding decision-making positions do not get support from women in business, in NGOs and in the media.

 Main recommendations:

• The state should adopt affirmative actions as quotas in the electoral legislation, requiring at least 40% of women’s participation;
• Political parties, represented in Parliament should make their structures and practices more democratic, adopt internal quotas and promote gender equality in their platforms;
• Special education for parties and the political elite on gender issues and on the European models of equality should be envisaged.

The official launching of the research report in December 2000 was followed by attempts of political parties and movements to include gender as an innovative pre-election strategy.
Women’s NGOs also started educationalcampaigns among political parties.
As a result of this concerted efforts, with the decisive contribution of the research the number of women in the 39th National Assembly increased up to 26%. 
 

01 June 2000