“Bulgaria backs the introduction and implementation of a Gender Equality Strategy, which to include concrete engagements for the separate member states in the EU.

There are many good practices in our country, the purposeful implementation of which should continue so as to continue improving the results in the field of gender equality – both in terms of women’s representation at the labour market and in terms of men’s participation in the family life and children’s upbringing.”

This is what Bulgarian Deputy Prime Minister for Demographic and Social Policies and Minister of Labour and Social Policy Ivaylo Kalfin said in his statement in the frames of the sitting of the Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs Council of the EU in Brussels on Monday, the press office of the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy announced.

The proposal for Gender Equality Strategy, which to include concrete measures for implementation over the next three years, aims at overcoming and decreasing the inequality between men and women. The strategy, together with the European Commission’s directive on enhancing the participation of woman on leading positions in companies listed on stock exchanges, comes in response to the problem around the small number of women in the management authorities in the business on EU level.

The Council tried to agree on a position on a directive improving the gender balance among non-executive board members.

Large companies in the EU are disproportionately led by men. In April 2015 women accounted for 21.2% of board members in the biggest publicly listed companies in EU countries.

The proposal aims to increase the share of women to 40% of non-executive posts in publicly listed companies by 2020. To achieve this binding objective, it does not provide for mandatory female quotas but instead introduces fairer selection mechanisms.