Caucasian Youth Elaborated Resolution on Women Participation in Politics

2006-06-21

"As we move forward with the implementation of the MDGs, it is important that we are fully committed to investing in policies and programs that empower women and promote gender equality" – Kemal Dervis, UNDP Administrator, stated in his speech on 6 September, 2005. Beyond these words one will clearly see that MDGs will become really attainable by the 2015 deadline only if gender equality is ensured the worldwide.</p> <p>Georgia was not an exception in responding the worldwide call from the UN. The UNAG and UNDP shot to large-scale attention yesterday by launching the<a href="http://una.ge/admineng/modelun.php">Model UN</a>Conference on Gender Issues that swept across the Caucasus region. Noteworthy Georgian parliament encouraged that initiative. "Gender Issues are not on the top priority in the world. We are trying in Georgia to publicize this concept. We support the initiatives of such events at the students’-grassroots level”. – Kety Makharashvili the MP and Coordinator of Parliamentary Gender Equality Advisory Council, mentioned in her speech at the official opening ceremony of the conference.</p> <p> Specifically the gender equality and female participation inside political system topped the agenda of the event which brought together the youth representatives from Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan. The game dubbed as Model UN role-playing playing for youth enables the youth to put themselves in the shoes of internationally well known diplomats, orators and speechmakers and represent the country they choose at UN General Assembly.</p> <p>At yesterday’s simulating UN General Assembly students tried to adopt the new Universal Convention on the gender issues. The focus was made on the potential for introducing a gender-balanced quota system among political parties and in the executive government. At the meeting the existing problems regarding gender balance in different countries with different legislation, cultural and traditional backgrounds and discussion of Gender quotas as an effective instrument to achieve gender balance in top-level decision making aroused. They agreed on the resolution according to which the women participation in politics at all levels should increase by 3 percent.</p> <p>The initiative of launching the event became possible under the Gender and Politics Program in South Caucasus implemented by the UNDP in cooperation with the Parliament of Georgia with the support of SIDA. The event was organized by the United Nations Association of Georgia, the organization having the long and worthwhile history record in running Model UN Sessions in Georgia.