WOMEN'S ANTI-DISCRIMINATION COMMITTEE TAKES UP PERIODIC REPORT OF ROMANIA

Press Release
WOM/1229

WOMEN'S ANTI-DISCRIMINATION COMMITTEE TAKES UP PERIODIC REPORT OF ROMANIA

The representative of Romania introduced her country’s combined fourth and fifth periodic report on compliance with the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women this morning, telling the monitoring body that the importance of harmonizing progressive international developments, such as the Vienna World Conference on Human Rights and the Fourth World Conference on Women, with the tenants of the Convention was integral to the struggle to promote full human rights for women.

Speaking to the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women, Norica Nicolai, Secretary of State, Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare, said that there was a growing awareness that strengthening human rights and implementing the principle of gender equality was closely related to the strengthening of democracy, good governance and the rule of law. Thus, one of the priorities of Romania’s recently adopted Government programme for 2001-2004 was targeted at ensuring social justice and cohesion, particularly through implementing the principles of equal opportunities for women.

At the same time, she said it was important to emphasize the challenges arising from transforming Romania’s State-centred society into a democratic one. While measures already taken in implementing the tenets of the Convention had resulted in important steps forward in Romania’s legal and institutional practices, there were still difficulties concerning the full exercise of those rights due mainly to the economic and social costs of transition.

An area of special concern was the phenomenon of domestic violence, she said. Poverty, depreciation in living standards, and unemployment had amplified the disturbing trend towards increased domestic abuse. To eliminate domestic violence, the Government had taken several measures, including setting up a pilot centre for the protection and assistance for victims of violence and a family information and counselling centre.

Prostitution and international trafficking in women and girls had also increased, she added. Although there were no specific legal provisions on trafficking in women, it was a growing concern for both the Romanian authorities and non-governmental organizations. Proposals to amend the Criminal Code in the

Women’s Anti-Discrimination Committee - 1a - Press Release WOM/1229 481st Meeting (AM) 23 June 2000

area of trafficking had been submitted to Romania’s Parliament by both its Ministry of Justice and the Human Rights Commission of its Senate.

Following the introduction of the report, several of the Committee’s experts posed questions to the Romanian delegation. One expert expressed appreciation for the fact that Romania was one of the only States parties to the Convention to include considerable information on the status of elderly women in its report. Several experts noted, however, that while there were many draft laws to promote the advancement of women in Romania, it was time to take action and adopt legislation. Stronger machinery to deal with women’s problems was also needed to mobilize not only the political will of the Government, but of the public.

The Committee will meet again at 3 p.m. today to hear further comments and questions by experts and replies by Romania.

Women’s Anti-Discrimination Committee - 2 - Press Release WOM/1229 481st Meeting (AM) 23 June 2000

Committee Work Programme

The Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women met this morning to begin consideration of the combined fourth and fifth periodic report of Romania (document CEDAW/C/ROM/4-5) submitted under article 18 of the Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women. That article provides for States parties to submit reports on legislative, judicial, administrative and other measures adopted to give effect to the provisions of the Convention. The report contains developments which have occurred in Romania since November 1992.

The report says that human rights and fundamental freedoms -- enshrined in Romania’s Constitution and in its legislation -- are the very cornerstone of the ongoing process of democratization in that country. Women represent some 50.6 per cent of the population. The idea of “status of women” frequently underlies the efforts of decision makers, which seek to ensure the rightful place for women in Romanian society and to combat unfavourable perceptions with regard to them.

Legal provisions, however, are not sufficient on their own to ensure that the constitutional principle of equality is actually applied in practice, the report says. On the basis of the 1995 Beijing Platform for Action, Romania’s present approach is to implement “horizontal” policies covering all the sectors in which discriminatory practices have been detected.

The report says that a series of legislative measures have been taken to strengthen institutional capacity and national mechanisms to strengthen the protection of women's rights. The structures responsible for the advancement of women were established in Romania in 1995. Under the Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare, a department for the promotion of the women’s rights and coordination of family policies was created. The department, headed by a female secretary of state, is responsible for undertaking a series of studies and analyses of the status of women in present-day Romanian society, preparing measures to improve the status of women through legislation and guaranteeing non- discriminatory access for women to the labour market.

Government action has been directed towards implementing programmes for the elimination of poverty and to accelerate economic growth, the report says. Those actions are designed as a way to enhance the standard of living for the most vulnerable categories of society -- single women, poor families and rural families. A series of legislative measures demonstrates the Government’s interest in carrying out social reform. Those measures include legislation on social welfare, health insurance, reform of the medical system, legal rules on retirement pensions and State and private welfare insurance schemes.

The report goes on to say that during the current economic transition period, and against a backdrop of radical economic changes, Romanian society will have to face up to new challenges. Many of the economic measures Romania has adopted have had negative social impact. Unemployment is one of the major factors for deterioration in social relations. This is evident in an unequal distribution of the female labour force. Working women are more likely to lose their jobs. As a result, many overqualified women are accepting temporary employment, which not only pays less, but also does not offer welfare services benefits.

The number of families living below the poverty line and the growing cost of living has led to changes in social behaviour, the report says. Cases of domestic violence have increased and the number of socially marginalized women, including older, single and rural women, has also grown. In light of this, the institution of “People’s Advocate” has responsibility of taking actions necessary to guarantee respect for the rights and freedoms of citizens. To advance the specific interests of women at the national level, Government action has been directed towards implementation of programmes jointly with the Council of Europe. At the parliamentary level, a parliamentary sub-committee on equality of opportunity between men and women has been created.

On article 2 of the Convention (policies to eliminate discrimination against women), the report says that although Romania’s legal framework guarantees equality between men and women, there is a difference in perception between legal theory and actual practice. Women often carry the traditional role of childcare providers, suffer violence and lack access to decision-making positions. A draft law on equal opportunity, adopted by the Government in 1998, seeks to find ways to translate the principle of equality into practice.

On article 3 (advancement of women in political, social, economic and cultural fields), the report says that, although discrimination against women is prohibited legally, under certain circumstances the phenomenon still existed. The full participation of women in community life requires the inclusion not only of non-governmental organizations, but also of trade unions, employer’s organizations and other representatives of a market economy. A number of welfare initiatives are presently being considered by different members of civil society. Dialogue and cooperation between Government structures and non-governmental organizations will be strengthened, so that traditional attitudes will change and civic responsibility increase.

The report says that on special measures to accelerate equality (article 4), a recent law on maternity leave entitles both parents leave from their jobs to care for children up to two years of age. Fathers are encouraged to share the family responsibility with regard to childcare and have the same right to receive benefits. Women who fall under the system of state social allowance, the system of allowances for agricultural workers, and women in active military service have a right to paid leave to care for their children, in addition to 112 days of paid maternity and post-natal leave. That policy offers women an opportunity to combine their professional and family lives.

On article 5 of the Convention (sex-role stereotypes), the report says that the phenomenon of violence against women remains a major problem in Romanian society. Although a large part of the legal and regulatory framework necessary to battle this phenomenon has been put in place, violence against women continues. Most victims of abuse prefer to remain silent. Several studies have shown that the number of violence cases is actually much higher than statistics show. Victims are often reluctant to pursue cases in the courts because they lack financial resources. Most cases of violence against women occur in the context of alcohol consumption. The current economic situation in Romania, which has led to the breakdown of the family, is also a cause of domestic violence.

The report goes on to say that both young girls and older women are the victims of violence. Domestic violence accounts for some 70 per cent of divorce cases. The problem of violence against women demands urgent solutions. The absence of adequate legal protection calls for concrete measures to prevent and monitor acts of aggression. To that end, draft proposals for the modification of the Penal Code are being considered.

Turning to article 6 of the Convention (prostitution), the report explains that since 1989 the phenomenon of prostitution has exploded. Recently, prostitution has been organized into professional networks. This was due to the opening of borders, the development of tourism and the appearance of prostitution networks not only within Romania but also abroad. From 1990 to 1995, the police records show that there were 2,024 prostitutes, with 524 of them minors. The dramatic growth in prostitution has expanded beyond Romania’s borders, creating “sex itineraries”. Women are also being trafficked to foreign brothel keepers. That trend is amplified by the exploitation of women for the production of pornographic material.

Cooperation between the Romanian police and other countries has increased the chances of disbanding organized networks for trafficking in prostitutes, the report says. Finding a solution to the problem of prostitution was partly because Romania’s legislation did not adequately regulate it. The possibility of legalizing prostitution is currently being debated in Romania. The Ministry of Health has already put forward a draft law that would legalize prostitution.

The report goes on to say that the production of obscene materials and publications, and along with it sexual violence, has also increased. To limit the occurrence of violence against women, police have undertaken several measures. They have, for example, created special police officers to prevent violence, ensured that female officers are involved in handling cases of violence against women, acted to make “conjugal rape” a crime with stricter penalties for acts of violence committed by husbands against their wives.

On article 7 of the Convention (women in public and political life), the report states that while the principle of equality is found in every section of the law, very few women have succeeded in securing important party positions in recent years. Only 5 per cent of parliamentarians are women. Of the 2,954 mayors elected in 1996, only 78 were women. Only 26.9 per cent of decision-making posts in the central public administration are held by women. Moreover, while the women form the majority of certain sectors of the labour market, very few women hold leadership positions in trade unions or employer’s organizations.

Turning to article 11 of the Convention (employment), the report says that access to employment is not affected by any legislation or administrative discrimination based on sex. Statistics show that women account for some 48.6 per cent of the country’s total labour resources and 46.5 per cent of to the working population, 38.8 per cent working in agriculture, 26 per cent in industry, 9.5 in commerce, 6.8 in education, and 5.9 per cent in the medical and social welfare sector. There are protective measures for occupation safety, minimum wage, weekly rest days and paid leave. While access to employment is legally guaranteed, in practice discrimination against women did occur.

On the issue of healthcare (article 12), the report says that since 1990, maternal and infant mortality has dropped. General mortality, however, has significantly increased. Life expectancy in Romania is six years lower than the average for Europe. Abortion remains the principle means of birth control, despite the availability of contraceptive methods.

The report also contains information on Romania’s implementation of articles 8 (representation), 9 (citizenship), 10 (education), 13 (economic and social benefits), 14 (rural women), 15 (law) and 16 (marriage and family life).

Introduction of Report

NORICA NICOLAI, Secretary of State, Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare, said that Romania had traditionally been a cooperative and active participant in international efforts aimed at improving women’s status. It had been one of the first countries to ratify the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women. The democratic transformations Romania had undergone since 1989 had made it clear that it was important to align progressive international developments, such as the Vienna World Conference on Human Rights and the Fourth World Conference on Women, as an integral part of human rights for women, as well as universal human rights.

There was a growing awareness, she said, that strengthening human rights and implementing the principle of gender equality was closely related to the strengthening of democracy, good governance and the rule of law. Thus, one of the priorities of Romania’s recently adopted Government programme for 2001-2004 was targeted at ensuring social justice and cohesion, particularly through implementing the principle of equal opportunity for women. The Beijing Conference had been essential in contributing to the development of Romanian policies on human rights for women and implementing principles of equal opportunity between men and women. Specific institutional and legislative steps were taken following the country’s adoption of the Beijing Platform.

At the same time, however, it was important to emphasize the complexity of Romania’s ongoing reform process. She said that there were multiple challenges arising from the difficult task of transforming a State-centred society into a democratic one. While measures already taken in implementing the tenets of the Convention had resulted in important steps forward in Romania’s legal and institutional practices, there were still difficulties concerning full exercise of those rights. That was mainly due to the economic and social costs of transition.

Romania’s Constitution and other basic laws contained clear provisions on equal rights, she said. The Family Code and the Labour Code also provided full equality for men and women in marriage, as well as in employment, wages and salary. It was one of the Government’s priority goals to harmonize the national legislation with European and international norms in accordance with responsibilities assumed through the ratification of international treaties. That broad plan was in keeping with the National Plan of Accession to the European Union.

She went on to say that there had been other recent legislative measures to reconcile family life and career. Romania had enacted a law on paternal leave in 1999, which strengthened the principle of sharing family responsibilities. A draft law on equal opportunities for men and women, which guaranteed equal treatment in all fields and placed obligations of public authorities to enforce and endorse such equal treatment, was currently under debate in Parliament. Various provisions regarding women in special situations –- such as unemployed and elderly women or women working under difficult conditions -– had been passed.

There were also a series of amendments to Romania’s Criminal Code under consideration, she continued. Of particular importance was the introduction of penalties for domestic violence. It was expected that overall reform of the legal system, initiated by the Ministry of Justice, would eventually include amendment to other codes, legal procedures and the creation of new institutions. While all that showed Romania’s progress in the legislative field, there was still a need to fight against ingrained behaviours that encouraged discrimination.

Turning to institutional structures for the advancement of women, she said that national machinery aimed at promoting equal opportunity had been set up in 1995. That machinery was basically overseen by the Directorate for Equal Opportunities which had, among other aims, the task of ensuring de facto respect for non-discriminatory access of women to the labor market, as well as improving their working conditions and formulating action-oriented proposals to improve the social status of women. Improved coordination and coherence among all public authorities responsible for women’s issues was still needed, however, for the successful implementation of policies and measures in the field of equal opportunity.

In that regard, she said, the establishment of the Office of the Advocate of the People in 1998 represented an important achievement. The aim of that Office was to consolidate the protection of human rights and the protection of women’s rights. It was an independent institution called upon to defend citizens rights and freedoms in relation to public authorities and fulfilled the functions traditionally assigned to a human rights ombudsman.

As for representation in political life, she said that in practice Romania’s women did not yet occupy high decision-making positions. While there were many women active within the country’s nine political parties, they were mostly involved in lobbying or other activities. It was unfortunate, then, that a draft law calling for balanced participation of women in political party leadership had been rejected by Parliament.

It was clear, she said, that there was a need to stimulate and support the political participation of women and to ensure a greater presence of women in power or decision-making. Increased dialogue and cooperation between governmental and non-governmental organizations, research centres and media institutions should contribute to greater awareness of women’s potential in and importance to the decision-making process. In that regard, a number of Romanian non-governmental organizations had established training courses for women interested in participating in political life.

She said that an area of special concern was the phenomenon of domestic violence, which because of its reduced visibility was difficult to prevent, alleviate and control. Aggressive behaviour was amplified by poverty, depreciation in living standards and unemployment. Although there were no specific provisions in Romanian law incriminating domestic violence as a separate offence, it was punishable under several articles of the Criminal Code. To eliminate domestic violence, the Government had taken several measures, including setting up a pilot centre for the protection and assistance for victims of violence and a family information and counseling centre. The Government has also envisaged new ways to deal with the problem of violence, such as improved legislation that would protect the victims of domestic abuse.

Prostitution and international trafficking in women and girls had also increased, she said. Although there were no specific legal provisions on trafficking in women, that scourge was a growing concern for the Romanian authorities and for non-governmental organizations. Proposals to amend the Criminal Code in the area of trafficking were submitted to the Parliament by the Ministry of Justice and the Human Rights Commission of the Senate. The Ministry of Interior was also deeply concerned with preventing that phenomenon. The fight against human trafficking was an important dimension in a series of bilateral, inter-governmental cooperation agreements in the field of international organized crime concluded by Romania and 19 other European countries.

Romanian women enjoyed free access to education, she said. There were no major gender discrepancies in school enrollment and school drop-out rates at the pre-university level. The number of women enrolling in higher education had increased. However, there were gender disparities in enrolment opportunities in both urban and rural areas. Enrolment and graduation levels were lower among high-school female students. In 1996, the national female enrolment rate was some 58.4 per cent and showed severe rural-urban discrepancies, with only 8.8 per cent of women in rural areas compared to 93.2 per cent in urban centres. Female illiteracy rates remained high at 4.6 per cent in 1997. Women over 50 years of age accounted for 85.5 per cent of the total number of illiterate women.

The ongoing economic reform, which had caused a rise in unemployment and reduction in social security, had a great impact on women, she said. The female unemployment rate had remained relatively high, at 11.6 per cent in April 2000. However, there were some positive effects in the economic situation, including the high percentage of women working in the private sector. Women had become competitive in sectors such as trading, banking, health, journalism and culture. Yet in 1999 women held only one third of positions in top administrative and business structures. There were also a greater number of women in part-time work that was not adequately covered by social security. Also, a high percentage of women were working as unpaid family workers.

Women worked for lower wages in agriculture, trading, education, health and social assistance, she continued. To improve the employment conditions of women, the Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare had taken measures, including the implementation of a women’s information, counseling and consultancy pilot centre.

On the issue of health, she said that women had a higher life expectancy rate, particularly in rural areas. The birth rate had fallen by 21.4 per cent. Heart disease and cancer were the most common causes of death among women. Mortality at birth was five times higher than the average for Europe. After the legalization of abortion, maternal mortality had dropped considerably. Once legalized, the abortion rate had increased to alarming levels. In 1992 the Ministry of Health developed a family planning programme, providing the establishment of an urban family planning network. However, modern birth control methods were not well known, particularly in rural areas. The Ministry of Health, with the participation of non-governmental organizations, had also developed a National Strategy for the Promotion of Reproductive Health. Its objective was to educate the public and promote modern birth control methods.

The protection of children also remained a concern, she said. The Government had recently adopted a strategy for child welfare for 2000-2003 which established not only general principles, but also concrete objectives. The National Agency for the Protection of Children’s Rights was created as the central authority for the elaboration, coordination and monitoring of policies for the protection of children. Future priorities of the Agency focused on institutionalized children, child abuse and abandonment prevention, street children and children with disabilities. The key goal was to provide each child with living standards that met their development needs. Providing social services that would prevent child abandonment and institutionalization was among Romania’s goals for future action.

The advancement of women and gender equality could not only be achieved through the joint efforts of the Government and civil society, she continued. Non-governmental organizations activities had increased awareness of women’s issues, the need for increased economic participation and for the development of business opportunities for women. Romania valued cooperation with the United Nations system. There was a need for greater contribution and assistance from the international monetary and financial institutions, including the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund. Romania had already started the domestic procedures for the signature and subsequent ratification of the Optional Protocol to the Convention.

General Comments by Experts

Commenting on the report, several experts expressed their appreciation for the detailed and comprehensive report provided by Romania. The oral report provided some detail missing in the written. One expert congratulated the many women working in Romanian civil society. The growing number of non-governmental organizations dealing with different critical issues, particularly the promotion of welfare and respect for women’s human rights, proved that the process of democratization was improving in Romania. However, the lack of a solid overview instrument and sufficient budget resources were weaknesses in the system to improve women’s conditions in that country. How much of the budget of the Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare was dedicated to the policy of equal opportunities for women?

An expert said that the report noted that discrimination against women still existed in different fields. On the role of the Ombudsman, how were the functions of that position divided? A lack of separation between children’s issues, women and family issues might contribute to a degree of confusion. While it was difficult to penetrate political life in all countries, in Romania there seemed to be a backlash for what had been achieved immediately following the transfer to a democratic system. Prostitution, trafficking and women’s health were urgent problems that required immediate action.

Experts also commented on the many draft laws that were awaiting discussion and decision. The Government must proceed much more quickly than it was to adopt that legislation. Stronger machinery to deal with women’s problems was needed to mobilize not only the political will of the Government, but of the public. Romania recognized that prostitution was a growing problem. The Law on Equal Opportunities -- the basis of a policy for equality -- was still in draft state. Trafficking in women was also a particular problem in Romania, for which there was no distinct law. Where did the discussion on the possible legalization of prostitution stand?

An expert asked how the problem of women’s unemployment would be handled. Access to credit was difficult for Romanian women. How did Romania envisage facilitating access to credit? In the private sector, low wages, unemployment, segregation were issues to be addressed. The “underground” economy did not respect existing laws and put women at risk.

An expert said that one of the greatest areas of concern was women’s health care, particularly their reproductive health. The need to provide health care to women throughout their life span did not seem to be respected. The various measures to prevent the high rate of HIV/AIDS fell under the decree and acts of the Ministry of Health. She was concerned about the high level of HIV infections. Some 50 per cent of AIDS cases among European children were Romanian. How could that be explained? How could it be prevented?

Another expert congratulated the Government for the amount of information included on the situation of elderly women. Romania was one of the first States parties to provide so much information on that issue in their report. What was the new law on pensions and retirement?

An expert said that she appreciated the attempt to harmonize national legislation and the provisions of the Convention. Did international conventions have higher judicial value than national legislation, or was it equal to it? What comparison would be made between international and domestic law?

Another expert asked about domestic violence. Romania’s report mentioned the revision of some laws on domestic violence. How would violence against women be defined by the law? The Ministry of Labour had established two centres, one to provide assistance to victims of domestic violence and another for family consultation. Did they have branches in other parts of the country? In addition to the centres, were there any shelters or hotlines? The report said that a network for exchanges between seven centres would be established. Five of the seven were established by non-governmental organizations, and two by the Ministry of Labour. Were the five centres run by non-governmental organizations funded or supported by the Government?

Response by Romania

Responding to questions posed by experts, Mrs. NICOLAI said that finding a common view on gender mainstreaming techniques and policies was very difficult. In that regard, it was important to note that Romania’s social and political experience, which had been basically totalitarian in nature for some 40 years, had had some effect on that country’s approach to the participation of women in social and political life. While the communist approach had been aggressive in promoting women, it had not been very progressive in the area of promoting their human rights. Current policies had been very much influenced by the country’s cultural background and, therefore, stereotypical attitudes towards women’s roles seemed to persist. She recognized that while there had been some changes, much work remained to be done in that area.

Gender is “style of life” she added, from education to basic social and political philosophy. That was as true for women as it was for men. In that regard, it was very important to promote real equality, not a feminist approach. That could most effectively be achieved by including civil society in policy negotiations. To that end, a law had been established in 1998 to promote women’s policies through the important work of non-governmental organizations.

As for an experts concerns about the many different organizations tasked with promoting women’s rights, she said that while the appearance might be one of conflicting mechanisms, the overall effect had been positive. Many of the offices and institutions listed in the report were mainly monitoring bodies. That was important to overseeing the implementation of the various provisions under consideration, as well as to ensure prompt follow-up measures. It was important to note, however, that lack of resources often hampered the effectiveness of those mechanisms.

Turning to women in the labour market, she said that it was common for many European countries to have high unemployment for sectors of the population over fifty years of age. That often had to do with access to modern technologies and training. Many women often opted, therefore, to return to family life, as opposed to seeking more training that might reintroduce them to the labour force. That was unfortunate in many ways, but it was particularly disheartening in Romania’s case, because pension policies had been severely affected during the period of economic and social transition.

Romania had introduced some projects aimed at challenging that cultural tradition, she said. For example, incentives were being offered to businesses to bring women as well as men back to the workplace. There was also a strong push to develop training and entrepreneurial programmes. Romania had also enacted laws to finance the salaries of women over 50 who went back to work and remained in their new jobs for at least three years. Micro-credit projects had also been created to promote private entrepreneurship, as well as encourage property ownership. Romania was aware that clever, modern and creative projects could be designed to sidestep some of the negative effects of transition.

Finally she said that the Government was trying to develop new ways to increase foreign investment in Romania. Getting international investors motivated was sometimes offset, however, by the perception of instability. There had been a law adopted last year to this effect but upcoming elections had put its future implementation in doubt.

Responding to the methods in which the report had been drafted, VICTORIA POPESCUE, Deputy Director, Foreign Ministry, said that it was a collective work that involved input from various institutions. The Ministry of Labour did most work and all the data was provided by specialized government institutions. While the report did not specifically mention the work of non-governmental institutions, their input had nevertheless been important and extensive. That had been a great achievement, since civil society in Romania was so young. Much human rights work in that country had been carried out by non-governmental organizations.

Turning to the relationship between the proposed equal rights provisions and the effect of harmonizing them with national legislation, she said that a specific constitutional provision had given priority to international human rights instruments over national norms in cases of discrepancies. That article also facilitated the procedure. Despite that, there was still difficulty in terms of assimilating new policies at the administrative or judiciary levels. Sadly, she added, judges and legal officials were for the most part unaware of many of the provisions of the Convention. The challenge, therefore, was to bring gender policies into practice and convert them into concrete measures for the advancement of women at all levels.

She went on to say that the Office of the Human Rights Ombudsman, although relatively new, had managed to handle a large number of complaints on the issues of women, children and families. It was important to note that while one third of those complaints had been submitted by women, not all dealt with women’s issues.

Responding to concerns about Romania’s Penal Code, she said that the country’s penal legislation was generally based on a European code. That might be difficult to change, because such codes were usually reflective of a country’s cultural policies and, in that regard, Romania had basically been conservative. There had recently been a bill introduced on equal opportunity, but difficulties arose as to an agreed upon definition of discrimination. There had been complaints, voiced mostly by men, that the definition was not appropriate to Romanian philosophy. Here it was important to note that there were only two women among the various parliamentary bodies that debated the issue. So far, the legislation appeared to be stuck in Parliament.

There had also been attempts to introduce quotas at the legislative level, she continued, but unfortunately women appeared to be reluctant to use that type of strategy. At present, there were only two parties in Romania that had quota statutes. There had also been legislation on prostitution introduced last year that prohibited trafficking. Sadly, that law, too, was bogged down in Parliament, as it was seen as basically a short-term solution to a problem that was ongoing.

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