EGG PRAGUE JUNE 2005 FEMINIST MOBILISATION THE BULGARIAN CASE

National AssembliesMandatesTotalWomen% 7(33)NA ,5 8(34)NA ,75 9(35)NA Great NA NA (32) 34(13,3)14,1 37 NA (36) 32(15) 13,3 38 NA (26) 27(10,83)11,2 39 NA ,25 WOMEN’S PARTICIPATION IN BULGARIAN PARLIAMENT

GovernmentTotalWomen % WOMEN’S PARTICIPATION IN BULGARIAN GOVERNMENT

TYPE OF WOMEN NGOSEXAMPLE Lobbying and financing organizationsCenter of Women’s Studies and Policies” Gender Project for Bulgaria Bulgarian Gender Research Foundation NGOs struggling against domestic, sexual, and emotional violence Animus Association Nadia Centre for Women Victims of Violence NGOs supporting marginalized, minority or other types of non- traditional groups Centre for Multiethnic dialogue and Tolerance Roma independent Women’s’ Organization European Roma Fund – PAKIV NGO’s oriented towards charity work and donations National Civil Forum “ Bulgarka” Association “Single Mother”, Burgas Mothers of Our Children”, Ruse NGOs of women in academiaBulgarian Association of University Women Women’s unions as parts of the political parties Center of Historical and Politological Research in BSP Political club “Democratic Women’s Union

CASE STUDY “TRAFFICKING” Bulgaria is “primary country of origin for trafficking in human beings for the purpose of sexual exploitation”. Yet it is also a transit and destination country. In accordance with the signed agreements and declarations and after a number of discussions in 2002 a team of experts from governmental and non- governmental institutions presented to the parliament a “Combating Trafficking in Human Beings Act”. The legislation was passed in May 2003 without any serious obstructions or intensive parliamentary debates. The new law opened space for implementation of secondary legislation.

BULGARIAN COALITION FOR GENDER EQUALITY The Coalition agrees upon several issues that require feminist mobilization: the lack of juridical mechanisms, providing proper implementation of the laws that have been already passed- the anti-discrimination law, the anti- trafficking law, and the law for prevention of domestic violence; the negative vote for the “Bill for equal rights and opportunities” and its future in next 40th National Assembly: the persistent insensitivity among politicians and society in general on the issues of gender.

DISPUTE WITH REPRESENTATIVES OF POLITICAL PARTIES ON THE POLITICAL REPRESENTATION OF BULGARIAN WOMEN

Women in the lists BSP NMSSUDFMRF DSB BNU New Times Coalition of the Rose Overall № Leaders In 2 nd position In 3 rd position In 4 th position Last Lower PRESENCE OF BULGARIAN WOMEN IN ELECTORAL LISTS GENERAL ELECTIONS 25 JUNE 2005 BSP – Bulgarian Socialist Party UDF – United Democratic Forces NMSS – National Movement Simeon the Second MRF – Movement for Rights and Freedom DSB – Democrats for Strong Bulgaria BNU – Bulgarian National Union