Salihorsk human rights defenders analyze gender equality among executive officials

Salihorsk activists of the Belarusian Helsinki Committee analyzed the composition of local district executive committee for its compliance with the principle of gender equality and voiced their comments and suggestions.

The BHC representatives note that not only during the past ten years the positions of heads of the district and the city have been occupied by men, but also the majority of other key roles in Salihorsk government have been played by male officials. The position of current first deputy chairman of the executive committee is occupied by a man. At the moment, of the five vice-chairmen only deputy for economy is occupied by a woman. However, of the 17 departments and offices of Salihorsk district executive committee 12 are run by females, which looks like a certain imbalance in the other direction.

Salihorsk human rights activists say that the imbalance is the evidence of the existence of a gender asymmetry among local political and administrative elite manifested by the most common form of gender model “female subordinate – male boss.”

Human rights activists of the Belarusian Helsinki Committee urge local authorities to use better gender balance in the personnel policy, including through the adoption of appropriate administrative decisions. The BHC representatives recommend arranging a series of seminars on the topic of gender equality for employees and managers of the executive committee. Besides, the human rights defenders consider it necessary to launch a large-scale campaign on gender equality, especially among the youth.