Minister Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović participated in the first South Eastern Europe Woman's Ministerial Conference held in Dubrovnik

During the conference organized under the title „Women of South Eastern Europe in Politics and Their Vision of Europe“, several panel discussions and debates were held on the following subjects: „Women in Politics in the European Union“, „Women in South Eastern European Politics During the Last Decade“ and „Challenges and Potentials of Female Ministers in the Euroatlantic Integration – Development of Communication Strategies for the European Integration“

Minister Grabar-Kitarović pointed out on this occasion that the Republic of Croatia is witnessing an increase trend of number of women participating in the political life. In other words, the percentage of women in Sabor (Croatian Parliament) has increased in the period from the first multipartite elections in the Republic of Croatia (1990) untill nowdays from 5% up to 21,7 % while the European average is 18%.

Furthermore, Minister Grabar Kitarović stated that she is privileged to be the first female minister head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and European Integration as well as to be able to participate in the work of the Goverment of the Republic of Croatia in which 35% of all decion makers are women.

The conclusions adopted on the occasion of the first South Eastern Europe Woman's Ministerial Conference are admited below

In Dubrovnik, Croatia, on July 6, 2006, on the occasion of the First SEE Women’s Ministerial Conference, the following conclusions have been adopted:

Preambula-Background

In 2006, women in all SEE Countries have reached a considerable presence in local government, state parliaments and governments¹. In accomplishing these important benchmarks, women in politics have worked hand-in-hand with women in NGOs, Trade Unions, media, etc. The SEE region has undergone significant change, as has the EU and the world. The institutionalization of Gender Equality Standards de iure and de facto, is a task the countries of SEE face in the context of European Integration and Association and one in which women ministers can make a significant contribution.

Therefore:

The Conference endorses the Statement on the Women's Participation in Political Life initiated by the Republic of Croatia and unamiously adopted by women foreign ministers and other high-ranking officials and dignitaries in Geneva, June 19, 2006.

The Conference welcomes progress in women’s human rights and equal opportunities achieved since the inception of the SP and its Gender Task Force. The Conference acknowledges that this progress was based on the following innovations:

• From the beginning, the SP GTF was a strategic initiative with regional ownership, based in the region, led by women from the region, clearly focused on political empowerment of women and with full participatory status inside the Stability Pact.

• The SP GTF brought together, in ongoing partnership and exchange of the best practices in the SEE region and worldwide, key actors working on gender equality from the civil society, governments and parliaments on each national level, as well as all crucial actors with a gender equality mandate from a governmental and non-governmental side on the EU and global, international level.

• It was of crucial importance in the past seven years, that the SEE Region neighbouring EU countries: Austria, Italy, and Greece took an active part in the funding of the SP GTF along with Norway, Switzerland, Denmark, and Germany; that the Republic of Croatia has been an in kind donor since 2003, and that Slovenia and Hungary have participated in the implementation of the SP GTF programs.

In order to bring the process of SEE women’s political and socioeconomic empowerment to the level of the CEDAW Convention and EU standards and best practices, in the context of European Integration:

• It is crucial to use the new EU Roadmap to Gender Equality, as well as the new institutional mechanism (EU Gender Equality Institute) and the new EU funding mechanisms designated for the countries of this region – IPA; in this regard a meeting between a high level SEE Delegation with European Commissioner Spidla and the chair of the EP Commission for Women Human Rights and Equal Oppportunities, Ms. Zaborska, should be undertaken and participants of the conference informed of the outcome.
• The SPGTF should remain active and strong within the SP during the SP’s transition to the region and within the future SEE Regional Council structure, under the auspices of the EU. In this process the GTF, gradually accepted as a new EU regional institution for supporting gender equality in EU neighbouring countries in the SEE, should play a crucial role, as a regional think tank, regional, training and advocacy centre dealing with gender equality, and as an organized regional point of exchange of the best practices on local, national, regional, EU and UN levels. The Conference suggests to all the donors in the SP to enable the normal functioning of the SP GTF Regional Centre in Zagreb, as well as a continuation of its regional projects, in order to make possible the smooth transfer of the GTF into the new EU institutional environment.

• Persistent implementation of already enacted gender equality legislation and instalment and implementation of concrete gender equality policies in the crucial areas of education, employment, healthcare, balancing of work-family obligations of men and women, as well as, in eliminating all forms of discrimination and violence against women, inter alia is an important priority. SEE Women Ministers and EU Counterparts should meet regularly to discuss progress made in these areas.

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