„ Women demand Gender Equality at High decision- making levels” Genoveva Tisheva- Managing Director BGRF and EWLA Board Member, and Diyana Videva – DEMETRA Association – Burgas, Bulgaria Equality Means Business Ensuring Women’s Full Participation in Decision-Making Processes at all Levels – NY, 15 March 2016, CSW60

Some statistics and trends According to the National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria for the period there were: men at managerial positions with gross salary per hour of BGN 8, 86 / approx. EURO 4, 40/ women at such position with gross salary of BGN 7, 68 Women are over-represented in the sphere of assistant administrative positions but again with lower pay Women have higher educational status/ 2014/: women with bachelor degree, women with masters’ degree, women with PhD; for men these figures are, respectively, for bachelors, for masters and for PhDs.

Statistics and trends Women have equal, and sometimes higher qualification but their skills are not appreciated enough and their professional development is at a slower pace. As a result also in the EU the GPG is 16%, for Bulgaria this percentage of GPG increased in the period to up to almost 14% in Women in Bulgaria receive about 40% lower pensions. GPG in Bulgaria increases with age- from 6, 2 % for under 25, to 11, 5% in the group , and up to almost 20% for the age group Representation of women in Bulgarian parliament- 20%, women MEPs- 30%.

Statistics and trends According to representative Regus survey, about women give birth per year and remain out of the labour market. The survey shows that mothers who return from leave are reliable employees and are appreciated by business. Participation of women in boards of publicly listed companies- average of 16.6% in EU, according to representative survey, 15.2% for Bulgaria. The trends in BG are for prevalence of men – 53% are companies with just men in the board, 20% are those where there are more than just 1 woman and in 37% there is just one woman on the board. Higher Representation of women in boards – key issue and in relation with all problems listed above, contains the solution.

The project EWSDGE/European Women Shareholders demand Gender Equality The EWSDGE project’s ( aim is to achieve gender balanced leadership in companies; project mostly funded by the European Commission, with project leader German Women Lawyers Association (djb). Large network of countries participating – national women lawyers’ associations from the European Women Lawyers’ association /EWLA/ and national coordinators for Belgium, Bulgaria, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Luxemburg, the Netherlands, Spain and the United Kingdom. The Bulgarian Association with the support of BGRF implemented the project in Bulgaria. 126 companies publicly listed at European level in 11 Member States engaged in EWSDGE activities – purchasing shares in the companies by the coordinators and attending of the AGMs- annual general meetings of shareholders.

EWSDGE Project gathering information about women’s representation in leadership positions of companies (Executive and/or Supervisory Board, other management positions) as well as about the companies’ overall activities and achievements for promoting women’s careers (for example, the accelerated women’s management programmes). Boards in Bulgaria - not used to answering questions on social and gender policy, the issue is not a priority. an uncomfortable topic to be discussed in front of all attending shareholders in the majority of companies, most of the shareholders were men. justifications for the attitude- not obligatory quota regulation at national or / and EU level, positive action regarded as discrimination against men, even when it concerns focus on training and developing skills for women.

Recommendations from the Project Ambitious legislation and policies at European and national level are necessary: Adopt binding gender quota legislation. Governments to make a political decision to require 40 per cent representation of both genders on Boards of state-owned companies. Increase transparency concerning female representation in corporate structures. Prepare studies and statistics on women in leadership positions. Positively develop the equal pay provisions in line with transformative equality. Strengthen the link between gender equality principles and public procurement. Develop benefits for companies implementing sound, evidenced gender equality policies. Develop effective and smart sanctions for non-compliant companies.

The way forward Designing public awareness campaigns for promoting women’ s participation Providing for special programmes for education and training in the field “ Some people say that Leadership is a talent but I think it comes with education and training. “- Ms. Irina Bokova- the Bulgarian candidate for the position of UN Secretary General