site.btaParliament Passes Gender Equality Act

Parliament Passes Gender Equality  Act

Sofia, April 14 (BTA) - Parliament passed conclusively the Gender Equality Act on Thursday. According to it, the state policy on gender equality is based on the principles of equal opportunity in all spheres of public, economic and political life, equal access to all public resources, equal treatment and exclusion of gender-based discrimination and violence, balanced representation of men and women in all decision-making authorities, overcoming of gender-based stereotypes.

In addition, the central and territorial executive authorities determine the officials acting as coordinators on gender equality.

The also features a definition of gender equality as "equal rights and obligations, equal career opportunities and such for overcoming any obstacles in all walks of life, women and men being free to develop their personal capacity and to make a choice without limitations of the social role of their gender."

The law also provides for the activity of a National Gender Equality Council.

The MPs did not support the proposal of Georgi Anastassov (Bulgarian Socialist Party-Left Bulgaria) to make revisions to the Election Code with the Conclusive Provisions, according to which parties and coalitions should participate in parliamentary, European and local elections with individual lists for men and women, with voters marking one name in each of the lists.

After the vote, Deputy Prime Minister Ivailo Kalfin expressed gratitude for the work on the bill and noted that so far Bulgaria was the only country in the EU which did not have such a law.