Olena Kondratiuk, the Deputy Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, spoke at the international conference “Empowering Women – Ensuring Peace”, organised by the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Moldova.

The event was also attended by the Vice-Speaker of the Parliament of the Republic of Moldova, Doina Gherman, who invited Olena Kondratiuk to join the conference.

The main topic of the event was the implementation of the National Plan on UN Security Council Resolution 1325 “Women, Peace and Security”, which calls for increased active participation of women at all levels of decision-making and in conflict prevention and resolution.

In her address to the conference participants, the Vice Speaker of the Ukrainian Parliament stressed that where women are involved in negotiations, the likelihood of a lasting peace agreement increases by 35%. She also recalled that Ukraine began implementing the resolution in 2016. At that time, the first National Plan was adopted, and Ukraine became the first country in the world to adopt such a document in the context of an armed conflict.

“The second plan was adopted in 2020 and is still in force. We see its practical results. We allowed women to hold combat officer positions in the army. We adopted the Law on Equal Rights and Opportunities for Women and Men in the Armed Forces. We allowed girls to study at military lyceums. As a result, 67,000 women serve in our army. This is one of the highest figures in the armies of NATO countries. Six and a half thousand women hold senior positions in the Armed Forces, and about four thousand serve on the front line,” said Olena Kondratiuk.

She also noted that Ukraine has introduced gender quotas in its electoral legislation, and the first local elections held under the quota principle have increased the share of women in politics. For example, the representation of women in the Kyiv City Council increased from 18% to 32%.

“There are now 21% of women in the Verkhovna Rada. I am a little envious of the fact that there are almost 40% of women in the Moldovan Parliament. The quota principle, which Moldova began to introduce in 2005, is working,” the Vice Speaker emphasised.

But, according to her, there are problems with women's access to decision-making in both Ukraine and Moldova. Even though the President is a woman.

“We still see a glass ceiling. We are still not admitted to the highest level in the security sector. We still face gender stereotypes. That is why we must continue to fight for the parity representation of both genders in all spheres of life,” said Olena Kondratiuk.

She also wished that Moldova would successfully complete the path to gender equality, given the upcoming crucial presidential and parliamentary elections and referendum.

“I want their results to bring Moldova even closer to Europe. Look at us and remember how russian interference in domestic politics ends. Don't be fooled!” the Deputy Chairperson of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine called at the end of her address. The Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Ruslan Stefanchuk met with Candidate for the post of Secretary General of the Council of Europe Didier Reynders

First of all, the Speaker of the Parliament of Ukraine expressed gratitude for the support of Ukraine by the Council of Europe, as well as to Didier Reynders for his personal involvement in the creation of a special tribunal for the crime of aggression of the russian federation against Ukraine.

"The Council of Europe is the first and only international organisation to respond to the full-scale russian invasion in February 2022 by withdrawing the aggressor state from its membership," the Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine stressed.

He noted that it is important for Ukraine to keep the issue of countering the aggressor state on the agenda of the Council of Europe, to work on bringing the russian political and military leadership to justice and to actively engage the Council of Europe in international efforts to return illegally abducted and deported Ukrainian children back to Ukraine.

The Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine expressed gratitude for the cooperation that exists between Ukraine and the Council of Europe in the protection of human and civil rights: "Europe has never known such large-scale violations of human and civil rights as those committed by the russian federation in Ukraine."

"Despite the expulsion of the terrorist state from the Council of Europe, the organisation's voice should be heard loudly, condemning every criminal step of the aggressor and every manifestation of russian terror," stressed Ruslan Stefanchuk, adding that the role of the Council of Europe in the joint efforts of the civilised world to put sanctions and diplomatic pressure on russia remains important.

Finally, the parties exchanged views on the present and future of the Council of Europe.