A group of 118 Tbilisi-based and regional civil society organizations voiced their support to the mandatory gender quotas bill, and called on the Parliament of Georgia “to seize on this historic opportunity,” and adopt the draft legislation “in a timely manner.”

The CSOs highlighted in their statement today that while “women account for 52.3% of Georgia’s population, their representation in elected offices remains disproportionately low.”

“Although there has been a slight increase in the number of women in elected offices in the last few years, at current pace, it will take decades to correct the gender imbalance in legislative and local self-government bodies,” reads the statement.

The organizations then noted that it was “imperative that the authorities and the opposition parties demonstrate a clear political will for equality between women and men, and support the legislative proposal.”

The draft bill, which sets mandatory quotas for women to help increase the number of female members in the Parliament and the Sakrebulos (municipality councils), was endorsed by three parliamentary committees and is pending confirmation by the parliamentary bureau before it is put to vote for adoption.