EKS
The European Women's Lobby sends a letter to the Czech prime minister
The European Women’s Lobby expresses a deep concern at the absence of women in the current Czech government. The Czech Republic,
like all other European Union (EU) countries is a signatory of international instruments on women’s rights and gender equality
such as the UN Convention on the Elimination of All forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) and the Beijing Platform
for Action. As a member of the EU, the Czech Republic is also legally bound to the mission of promoting equality between women
and men as enshrined in the EU Treaty. The nomination of a European government without a single woman is a curiosity in Europe.
The Czech Republic together with Hungary are the only countries with men-only governments and only 2 other countries have fewer than 13% women senior ministers. The absence of women in the highest executive organ of a country is a breach of democratic principles and it undermines the legitimacy of the government. By nominating a men-only government the Czech politicians sent a clear message to the citizens that women have no say in decision-making.
The Czech Republic has been repeatedly criticized by the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women for its low representation of women in decision making, which is one of the important parts of the CEDAW Convention1. The lack of implementation might put the Czech Republic in a difficult situation in its upcoming reporting to the CEDAW Committee in Geneva on 14 October this year.
Download the full version of the EWL letter to the Czech prime minister.
