Feminists want system change in Eastern Europe, Caucasus and Russia

The COVID-19 crisis has disrupted work related to global policy processes aimed at achieving gender equality (Generation Equality Forum and Beijing+25 meetings have been postponed). The mobilization and engagement of feminist organizations in setting the post-COVID-19 agenda and achieving a socially just world is needed now more than ever.

It is extremely important for the global feminist movement to ensure that our post-pandemic world is not thrown back decades into the past, and that recovery from the crisis leads to a gender-equitable transformation of our economies and societies.

Therefore, a group of feminists from seven countries (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, the Republic of Moldova, Russia and Ukraine) in collaboration with the organization “Women Engage for a Common Future” (WECF), as well as the Regional Office of the UN Women for Europe and Central Asia held virtual consultations on implementation of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action in the region in preparation for the Generation Equality forums to be held in 2021.

The following topics were discussed:

• Gender-based violence

• Physical integrity, sexual and reproductive health and rights

• Feminist movements and leadership

• Economic justice and rights

• Feminist action for climate justice

• Technologies and innovations to promote gender equality

• Women, peace and security

This material outlines all the structural and legal obstacles, as well as recommendations for the future for seven countries (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, the Republic of Moldova, Russia and Ukraine).

Anna Hovhannisyan, Oksana Potapova, Valentina Bodrug-Lungu. Feminists Want System Change in Eastern Europe, Caucasus and Russia. UNWomen, 2021.