News

Institute of World Policy held a videoconference with MEP Professor Danuta Hubner.During the event, guests of the IWP had the opportunity to ask Professor Hübner questions about gender equality in Ukraine and across the globe, and the prospects for signing the Association Agreement with the European Union.

The member of Ukrainian Parliament and the member of interfactional association “Equal Opportunities” Boris Tarasyuk, the Deputy Head of the EU Delegation in Ukraine Maria Yurikova, representatives of the embassies of Poland, Germany and Canada as well as journalists and representatives of civil society visited the event and took part in the discussion.

The transcript of the videoconference is available in Ukrainian only.

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Professor Danuta Hübner expressed her position on the effectiveness of quota system in the process of establishing gender equality. Thus, the MEP said that she initially opposed the practice of quotas but gradually became its supporter, when perceived the changes and the results the quota system brought in Poland. The representative of the European Parliament emphasized not only the importance of approving laws for enhancing gender equality but also stressed on the vitality of their proper implementation. Professor Hübner provided an example of the law on equal pay that was adopted in the EU. But the level of its implementation, according to the MEP needs to be improved. Therefore, as the representative of the EP noted in order to raise awareness in the sphere of gender relations there is need for debates at national and regional levels.
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In addition, Professor Hübner stressed that Ukraine is one of the key issues that concerns the EU and that the EU will not block the signing of the Association Agreement, but it is very important that Ukraine fulfils the conditions for signing the agreement.
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Videoconference was held under the “Global virtual forum of women leaders,” which is supported by Internews, the U.S. Agency for International Development, the European Headquarters in Brussels and European Parliament Office in Warsaw.
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