Gender Policy Concept Paper 2010.

The present gender policy concept paper is focused on the creation of favorable conditions in legal social, economic and cultural spheres of life aimed at the enjoyment of equal rights and equal opportunities for both men and women. It is a ground for the bodies of state authorities and local government, and for civil society institutions to develop action plans and activities directed at the promotion of gender equality.
The goals of this gender policy are: (i) achieve gender equality in all spheres of social life aimed at the sustainable development of society and provision for democratic reforms, (ii) ensuring equal representation of women and men at all levels of decision making, (iii) overcoming all forms of discrimination on the basis of sex, (iv) creating equal opportunities and equal accessibility to economic resources for women and men in the spheres of labour market and employment, (v) forming a democratic political culture and supportable gender dialogue in society.
Regarding the reduction of the rural poverty, the government plans to implement the following strategies: (i) reducing socio-economic inequality, eliminating inequality in the social status of women and men, (ii) ensuring equal opportunities for men and women in the labour market and employment sector, (iii) overcoming gender-based discrimination and bias in the labour market and employment sector, (iv) take comprehensive measures to eliminate the negative consequences of structural reforms in the socio-economic sector aimed at raising the competitiveness of women and securing gender equality, reduce discrimination by profession and reduce gradually the wage differences of women and men, (v) assist in providing equal access to economic resources and economic authority for men and women and overcome the marginalization of women in the labour market and employment sector, (vi) reduce discrimination on the basis of sex and its further elimination in the economic sector; include the gender component in the system of economy management, (vii) integrate women into decision making levels of the economic management sphere and in the area of distribution of public resources and property, (viii) increase the role of women in entrepreneurship development, assist in boosting the economic activism of women in rural areas, (ix) assist in the equal distribution of work, professional and family responsibilities between women and men.
In addition, the government also plans to ensure equal remuneration schemes for jobs of equal value and social importance and a gradual salary rise for state-funded employees and a reduction of gender discrimination in the wages and employment spheres. Finally, it will encourage girls to receive an education which would allow them to acquire influential and marketable occupations, to receive education in technical and natural sciences and to engage in scientific work and ensure access to quality and gender balanced health services based on respect and protection of all social groups.
In the context of governance, for the effective coordination of all steps of the implementation of the Concept Paper at the national, regional and local level, the government will form a National Mechanism, as well as the necessary institutional mechanisms for achieving gender equality.