Zhytomyr woman-deputy, chairwoman of the MP Group “Equal Opportunities” Irina Yarmolenko and city authorities congratulate Irpin acting mayor Anastasia Popsui and are opened for further exchanges of experience after Saturday's May 18 meeting in Zhytomyr.
Irina Yarmolenko, the initiator of the «GENDER MONTH» project, invited the Irpin acting mayor to give a welcome speech at the panel discussion "Zhytomyr is a city of equal opportunities".
Good relations have developed between the political figures since the joint national project, after which the young leaders have continued their mutual partnership.
Following this meeting, Irpin successfully took the baton from from Zhytomyr in the adoption of the Charter of Equality by the Councils of Europe. On June 26, the Charter was supported by the Zhytomyr deputies, and after a week of joint discussions, on July 3, the Charter was voted by deputies of the Irpin City Council.
In this, joint and uniting activities have only continued. Anastasia Popsui, President of the Non-Governmental Organization "European Assembly of Women-deputies”, has signed an application by Iryna Yarmolenko to join her organization and they have already discussed the plan for the next projects. In particular, until May 15, a project of supporting implementation of the best women's initiatives continued with the AUC (Association of Ukrainian Cities ) and the Council of Europe.
Also, the representatives of the local governments shared their experience of rating the comfort of the city for women, mothers, children, men, and people with disabilities. As part of the experience, the deputies-new leaders are planning several business-trips to Zhytomyr and Irpin. In particular, they will work together on issues of improvement, renovation of schools, and teaching with new approaches. They also discussed plans to organize a Gender Month project in Irpen and Kharkiv.
“Irpin is the city of European example, and not only the improvement and the pace of development. Irpin is a truly gender-sensitive city where 60% of the management of the government is women. And 20% of those women are in the city council. That is why joining the EU initiatives - the Charter of equality - was an important step for us. We will move the methodology of "equality" into cities together with Iryna Yarmolenko and other members of the European Assembly of Women-deputies”, - says Anastasia Popsui.
Anastasia Popsui noted that our society suffers from a lack of education of gender issues. "Recently, journalists also surveyed participants with the question " What do you think about heterosexuals? " 10 out of 10 respondents answered in the negative, although it means “people with a traditional orientation”. We need to talk more about similar topics, including family values. It will destroy many contradictions in society, ”said Acting Mayor Irpin Anastasia Popsui.