National Action Plan for the Promotion of Equality between Women and Men (2023-2024).

This Bulgarian National Action Plan for the Promotion of Equality between Women and Men for the planned period from the year 2023 until the year 2024 was developed to implement the National Strategy for Promoting Equality between Women and Men for 2021-2030. This text sets more specific goals and planned sets of actions that will be implemented in order to achieve specific targets and goals determined by mentioned framework documents. The National Action Plan for the Promotion of Equality between Women and Men 2023-2024 draws attention to measures to better reconcile professional and private life and to provide employment to unemployed persons by providing childcare opportunities, encouraging employers to hire unemployed persons, developing the skills of unemployed women through vocational training to increase their participation in the labour market, etc. Also included are measures aimed at reducing the gender gap in income and promoting an equal degree of economic independence. Taking into account the importance of the fight against violence as one of the aspects of the policy on equality between women and men, measures related to the provision of social services to victims of violence, etc. are foreseen. In order to overcome the existing gender stereotypes in the various spheres of public life, measures are planned to increase awareness, media monitoring, etc. The implementation of the National Action Plan for promoting the equality of women and men 2023-2024 will be ensured within the approved funds under the budgets of the responsible institutions, as well as from alternative funding from other sources. The plan is an open document, and institutions and organizations can implement additional measures to promote equality between women and men. Reporting will be done through a report on equality between women and men. The national plan contributes to the implementation of the consistent state policy on the equality of women and men, which is in accordance with the national specifics and legislation, as well as with the commitments under international treaties to which the Republic of Bulgaria is a party. Bulgaria fulfills its commitments to promote equality between women and men in accordance with the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, the UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, the Sustainable Development Goals and the Sustainable Development Agenda 2030, the European Pillar of social rights, etc. Equality between women and men is important for achieving the national goals of higher economic growth and employment levels, equal opportunities and social cohesion.