The document discusses gender balance in political participation and decision-making in Moldova. It outlines international standards and national laws aimed at promoting gender equality, including quotas for women's representation. Several political parties in Moldova have adopted statutes promoting gender quotas for leadership bodies and candidate lists, though implementation has been uneven. Fully achieving gender balance is seen as important for democracy and honoring international commitments, though changing social attitudes may take decades.

1. Ensuring gender balance in the field of political association: standards and practices applied by political parties in Moldova The Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) April 28, 1994 Article 4 Adoption by States Parties of temporary special measures aimed at accelerating de facto equality between men and women shall not be considered discrimination as defined in the present Convention, but shall in no way entail as a consequence the maintenance of unequal or separate standards; these measures shall be discontinued when the objectives of equality of opportunity and treatment have been achieved.

2. Ensuring gender balance in the field of political association: standards and practices applied by political parties in Moldova Millennium Development Goals - 2000 Goal 3. Promote gender equality and empower women Increase the representation of women in decision-making positions. Increase the representation of women at the decision-making level from 26,5% in local councils in 2007 to 40% in 2015, from 13,2% in raion (district) councils in 2007 to 25% in 2015, from 18% women mayors in 2007 to 25% in 2015 and from 22% women in the parliament in 2005 to 30% in 2015. Recommendation CM/Rec(2007)17 of the Committee of Ministers to member states on gender equality standards and mechanisms (Adopted by the Committee of Ministers on November 2007) 32. The existence and regular functioning of a parity democracy is also a guarantee that women’s and men’s interests and needs are fully taken into account in policy making and in the running of society. In achieving the goal of equal participation of women and men, a minimum participation rate of 40% for each sex is considered as the parity threshold to be attained.

10. Ensuring gender balance in the field of political association: standards and practices applied by political parties in Moldova Actions to influence the mentality regarding the role of women and men within the society ( educational system, political parties, civil society) ( we will have to wait 40 years …) Develop mechanisms such as representation quotas for women and men in the decision-making bodies of political parties and electoral lists or something else . (according to the article 4 of CEDAW and according to the examples of the countries that have successful experience in this field)…