Over two hundred women mayors, secretaries of local councils, rayon presidents and accountants – members of Women Network of the Congress of Local Authorities of Moldova met on 4 March 2015 to celebrate local successes in the event ‚Women in Locality: Authority, Power, Leadership’, organized on the occasion of International Women’s Day.
The best of them were awarded for achievements made in various areas, such as upholding national values, creating quality social and educational services, promoting traditions and culture of various ethnicities. Women mayor may lead with the same success as men the destinies of villages in Moldova. Women in our country have proved to be good mothers, committed wives, and mayors hard to beat. Villagers in their localities are proud of them, and they are proud that make their life easier.
Men mayor offered to women from LPA unique moments, providing an exceptional concert with recitals, vocal, instrumental and choral interpretations and theatrical scenes that created a festive atmosphere.
The President of the Congress of Local Authorities from Moldova (CALM), Mrs Tatiana Badan, mayor of Selemet (Cimişlia) said that the success of women mayor depends a lot on family’s support. ‚Women mayor care of entire locality and have little time for family. Instead, they manage to bring prosperity in communities by implementing environmental, social, education projects etc. It is difficult, but there is nothing impossible for a woman when she really wants this. I’ve worked 25 years in local public administration, I am at the third term as mayor, I saw many and I went through a lot, but every day living makes me stronger’ said Mrs Badan.
Mr Mihai Cheibas, Deputy president of CALM and mayor of Anenii Noi town said: ‚Women make the right choice when they come in the function of mayor, because their feeling of homemaker is better developed than of men. Secondly they are the most gentle beings and demonstrate that they are stronger and more resistant than a man. As there is no favorite child for a mother, it happens the same with the locality, the mayor helps everyone equally and develops projects for all the needs of the villagers. We have eight women mayor in the rayon and some of them are at the fifth term. I believe that a woman’s place is not in the kitchen and we must pass this psychological barrier’.
Being present at the event, Liliana Palihovici, Deputy President of the Moldovan Parliament appreciated the role of women at the local level and urged the ladies to show solidarity. ‚I stand for gender equality in the political sphere. Thus, the voice of women can be more present in all areas of public interest. They must defend with all the ardor their views to succeed’ said Mrs Palihovici.
H.E. Mrs Ulrike Knotz, Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany to the Republic of Moldova, although she has little time spent in Moldova, came to the ladies from the local public administration with a speech in Romanian congratulating them for successes and achievements accomplished, and encouraging them to continue participating actively in the modernization of the Republic of Moldova.
Narine Sahakyan, UNDP Moldova Deputy Permanent Representative said that the Government of the Republic of Moldova togheter with development partners put joint efforts in a country where women enjoy rights at home, at work and in public life. ‚Your contribution, as community leaders contribute to quality advancing of these objectives. Unfortunately, only 20 percent of municipalities have women mayors. Their number should be at least double’. UNDP Moldova Deputy Permanent Representative believes that towns with women mayors are lucky because only women can combine authority, power and leadership with tenderness and empathy towards people. ‚…and namely we want a better standard of living for people by creating quality services’ said Narine Sahakyan.
The event entitled: ‚Women in Locality: authority, power, leadership’ that aims to strengthen Women’s Network within CALM, which is a platform for all women in LPA: mayors, secretaries of local councils and rayon president, was held at the initiative of the Congress and Local Authorities and conducted with the support of USAID Moldova, Modernization of Local Public Services in Moldova project, UNDP Moldova and UN Women with the financial support of the Governments of Sweden and Denmark.
