A thematic session "Gender Equality in the EU Accession Process" took place in Kyiv
A thematic session on gender equality in the EU accession and the Verkhovna Rada's role in these processes was held on April 9 in Kyiv. The session was organized by the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Ukraine's Integration into the European Union in collaboration with UN Women in Ukraine. The governments of Denmark and Sweden were supporters of this event.
The thematic session opened with introductory speeches about the importance of gender equality in state institutions and procedures, in particular, by Ivanna Klympush-Tsintsadze, People's Deputy, Head of the Committee of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine on Ukraine's Integration into the European Union, who chaired the event, Olena Kondratiuk, People's Deputy, Deputy Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, as well as Katarina Maternova, EU Ambassador to Ukraine, Martin Åberg, Ambassador of Sweden to Ukraine, and Denise Brown, the UN Resident & Humanitarian Coordinator in Ukraine.
The representatives of the parliamentary committees focused on the results of the work of the Equal Opportunities inter-factional union, practices and procedures for solving issues of gender equality, and cooperation with the specialized committees of the European Parliament. They also emphasized Ukraine's obligations to promote gender equality and women’s empowerment, the importance of applying EU gender equality standards to decision-making, initiating new laws, reviewing and monitoring current legislation, and budget supervision and control. Members of the European Parliament and national parliaments of selected EU-27 member states presented their experiences of how they promoted and integrated gender equality issues into their parliamentary functions.
In February 2022, Ukraine applied to join the EU, and already in December 2023, the European Council decided on the start of the negotiation process.
The thematic session ended by discussing conclusions and recommendations. These results will aid in reaching a consensus on the next steps and practical actions that the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine and its committees can take to promote gender equality and women’s empowerment. This will be achieved through the effective application of relevant rules and procedures.