Page 13 - BPWUK - E-news - Edition 106 - October 2022

The meeting drew up a ‘to do’ list of the skills and training needed to be an effective
politician, including speech-making and how to do an interview. Over the next four
years, training was carried out for free in a disco venue, which was vacant during
the day. The number of cross-party women started to rise over the next 4 elections
from 19 to 121. Now they represent 32% of the total, 225 women MPs out of 650.
There is still more to do to equalise the representation.

2 Women in conflict-related violence

Kosovo was at war before the regular use of social media and there was no internet
connection. Thousands of women were raped and many of their families would not
take them back. They were regarded as “damaged goods” and stigmatised by their
communities.
The lessons learned from this conflict are still being used in tackling gender-based
violence in today’s conflicts. Lesley mentioned other countries with conflict situations
in which she had worked such as Iraq, Afghanistan and Nepal. Even now for Afghan
women, rape is regarded as the woman’s fault.

Men who are wounded and suffering the after effects of war are celebrated as he-
roes, but not women – they do not get respect, indeed, the absolute opposite.

Education and advocacy are needed to break this bias. Lesley suggested that BPW
could help get this message across.

3. Getting the right body armour
and more lobbying on gender issues
The gender-based issues in this war In Ukraine reflect previous and ongoing con-
flicts. For women soldiers, medics and others in the front line of the fighting, their
body armour is not suitable for a woman’s shape. Lesley reported that after years of
lobbying the Ministry of Defence (MOD) it was only in April this year that they have
started introducing suitable protection for women in the armed forces. Lesley is still
working with others to consider the best way to proceed on getting the right protec-
tive armour and equipment for Ukrainian women.

More lobbying is also required to raise awareness on the lack of reporting of gender-
based atrocities. Lack of inclusive coverage is against international standards and al-
lows other negative attitudes and consequences to perpetuate. Independent media
coverage affects the decisions of the policy-makers, who are overwhelmingly men,
on military and humanitarian aid to Ukraine. This male perspective can influence the
bias that already exists within governments and institutions that are dominated by
male leadership, i.e. Biden, Zelensky and Putin.

Women form about 15% of all the military personnel in Ukraine, many of whom are
serving on the front line, as well as women reporters determined to stay and cover
what is happening on the ground.

From her contacts in Ukraine, she knows of some programmes in existence that are
working on these gender issues with women who are also well represented in politi-
cal participation.
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