The purpose of the event was to analyze and develop recommendations for the necessary actions in the process of transposing the provisions of the Directive, to ensure the full and successful integration of the principle of equal treatment between men and women among the board members of listed companies.
The Directive was adopted by the European Union in November 2022, aiming to achieve balanced gender representation among the board members of listed companies. The document sets out a series of requirements regarding the selection of candidates for appointment or election to board positions based on transparency and merit.
"Transposing the European Union Directive into national regulations is an action included in the Government's Action Plan for 2024 and represents a commitment undertaken in the EU-Moldova Association Agreement. Joint efforts are needed to fully transpose it by the end of the second quarter of next year. Consequently, it is essential that the number of members from the underrepresented gender in corporate boards be increased to ensure gender balance," declared Felicia Bechtoldt, State Secretary at the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection, during the event.
By applying European norms in national legislation, the aim is to increase the presence of women in decision-making positions in both the public and private sectors, with their share reaching at least one-third of the total number of board positions.
At the same time, actions to promote gender balance in decision-making processes at all levels within companies, eliminate gender-based wage inequality, and ensure fairness in career advancement will be strengthened.
Ensuring gender equality is one of the objectives of the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection, as reflected in the Program for the Promotion and Assurance of Equality between Women and Men in the Republic of Moldova for 2023-2027, adopted by the Government in April of this year.
The event was organized within the project "Resilient CSOs + Responsible Budgeting + Accelerated Implementation of the Association Agreement," implemented by the NGO "Institutum Virtutes Civilis," Expert-Grup, and the Institute for European Policies and Reforms, with support from the European Union and co-financed by the Friedrich Ebert Foundation.
Source: Ministry of Labor and Social Protection
