Today, in a world of modern technologies, and developed civil society, we ask ourselves: "Why are there still so many cases of brutal, cruel and degrading treatment of women?" This violence does not depend on the ethnicity or religion, or social status or intellectual coefficient. Women are put under violence irrespective of color, creed or social status.

UN Development Fund for Women reported that every second woman in the world is a victim of violence by a partner, and one in five is subjected or threatened with sexual harassment. And this has happened in peacetime and in war, in the family and at work, on the street and at school. Statistics for Bulgaria also made sad stock: every fourth Bulgarian women is a victim of domestic violence.

The main conclusions of the conference are:
• Achieving a balance in gender equality through Education, with a goal to improve curriculum;
• Work to change the stereotypes that provoke violence in the workplace, the family and social environment, not only through Education but also through training of women members of CITUB structures;
• There is a need for closer cooperation of “Public Women’s Parliament – 21st Century” and The Commission for Gender Equality, Family, Women and Children to CITUB with legislative bodies and NGOs, to integrate in labor, family and social environment and care for their children, women who are victims of violence.
• The Book of Confederation, describing violations of labor rights by employers in Bulgaria will have a major section to workplace violence.

The conference was attended by representatives from The Ministry of Labor and Social Policy; Committee on Human Rights, Religion, Complaints and Petitions to The 41st National Assembly, representatives of key members of CITUB, NGOs, and women victims of violence, who shared their opinions on the topic.

PhD Yanka Takeva
President, Public Women’s Parliament – 21st Century
President, Commission for Gender Equality, Family, Women and Children at CITUB