A two day working group meeting on the conduct of a regional study on women political representation in the EaP countries will take place in Tbilisi from 20 – 21 July 2015. This activities, organised within the framework of PCF Action 5 “Reforming electoral legislation and practice, and developing regional co-operation in electoral matters” will join independent gender experts from the EaP countries, Council of Europe experts and experts from the European Institute for Gender equality and Gender Equality Commission in order to agree on a methodology for the study together with a common list of quantitative data to be gathered and a common template of questions to be addressed by the study.

The purpose of the research is to provide a qualitative and quantitative assessment with regard to the situation of women’s political representation in each of the EaP country and in the EaP region in general, factors that hinder women’s participation and representation. It will look in to the situation at two levels (legislative power and executive power – local and regional self-government).

The study will inter alia support the implementation of Council of Europe agenda towards better implementation of the Recommendation Rec(2003)3 on balanced participation of women and men in political and public decision-making and also hopes to contribute to better implementation of the European Commission Strategy for equality between women and men 2010 – 2015.

The collection of data will last until November when a draft study is expected to be discussed and presented to decision makers of the EaP countries.