HUNGARY'S ENGAGEMENT ON WOMEN'S ISSUES

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BUDAPEST 000007 SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR: EUR/CE JAMIE MOORE, EUR/PGI JIM KUYKENDALL E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: KWMN PHUM EU HU SUBJECT: HUNGARY'S ENGAGEMENT ON WOMEN'S ISSUES REF: A. SECSTATE 124579 ¶B. BUDAPEST 859 BUDAPEST 00000007 001.2 OF 002 ¶1. Summary. Post employs three basic tools to engage on women's issues: outreach by the Ambassador and Embassy staff at numerous events; hosting prominent visitors to Hungary; and making full use of exchanges and the International Visitor's (IV) Program, which yield the most promising longer-lasting returns. Post welcomes thematic support for women's empowerment, in particular, programs to support women's participation in politics. End summary. EMBASSY OUTREACH -------------- ¶2. Post supports GOH, NGO, and corporate events that focus on key issues for women, including economic empowerment, health, domestic violence awareness, trafficking prevention, and gender diversity in the workplace. EmbOffs speak frequently at events including the Successful Women-Career and Family in the 21st Century conference, the Procter and Gamble-organized women's empowerment conference at Pecs University, the inauguration of the International Association of Women Justices' Hungarian branch, and events for the Association for Women's Career Development. ¶3. In recent years, Post has actively promoted the 16 Days Campaign to Eliminate Violence Against Women by supporting conferences, joining Hungarian government officials on outreach activities and speaking to judges. As a result of this joint approach, the Embassy incorporated domestic violence awareness training into the basic eight-week police officer training course at the International Law Enforcement Academy-Budapest. Additionally, Post has a close relationship with the Trafficking in Persons Task Force in the Ministry of Justice and the Gender Equality Office in the Ministry of Social Welfare and Labor. ¶4. Post annually supports The Bridge Walk, which is organized by Hungary's Bridge of Health Alliance. This breast cancer awareness event, initiated in 2002 by then Ambassador Nancy Brinker, entails thousands of supporters walking across Budapest's most historical bridge, the Chain Bridge, which is doused in pink light. HOSTING PROMINENT PERSONALITIES AND HIGH RANKING VISITORS -------------- -------------- ¶5. U.S. Public Diplomacy Envoy Fran Drescher discussed women's health on a highly-rated morning TV show, at the �00A;nation's premier medical school and hospital and during a luncheon with leading businesswomen and media figures. Additionally, Ms. Drescher led hundreds of people across the pink-lit Chain Bridge during the Bridge Walk event. ¶6. Top White House official Joie Gregor, former Assistant to the President for Presidential Personnel, joined the Ambassador at several events to promote diversity and women's empowerment. ¶7. Former Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs, Karen Hughes, delivered the keynote speech at the first Susan G. Komen's Global Advocate Summit. The summit attracted breast cancer advocates from 30 countries, five continents and 21 U.S. states. U.S. GOVERNMENT EXCHANGES -------------- ¶8. Annually, Post nominates candidates to participate in U.S. Government sponsored exchanges and IVLP programs geared toward women's issues. Last year, Post sent a team of four -- a police officer, a prosecutor, an NGO leader and an NGO activist -- to a Single Country Program titled "Combating Domestic Violence." BEST PRACTICES -------------- ¶9. While all three approaches outlined above are effective, the U.S. Government exchanges and visitor programs appear to yield a longer-lasting return. One specific example is Post's nominee for the International Women of Courage 2010 award, former Supreme Court judge Agnes Galajda (Ref B). Following her two U.S. government sponsored trips, a Vital Voices conference in the Ukraine and a Women's Justice Senior Roundtable in Washington D.C., she returned to Hungary and drafted domestic violence legislation and formed the Hungarian branch of the U.S.-based International Association of Women Justices. BUDAPEST 00000007 002.2 OF 002 AREAS OF OPPORTUNITY -------------- ¶10. Post welcomes support on the following themes: women's empowerment-- focusing on increasing women's participation in public life and top business leadership positions; gender equality in the home; and combating domestic violence. ¶11. Specifically, Post suggests programs to support women's participation in politics. The World Economic Forum's 2009 Gender Gap Survey listed Hungary at 81 of 134 countries in women's representation in political decision making. Presently, there are no women in the Prime Minister's cabinet and only 42 (11 percent) in Parliament. Since the democratic transformation in 1990, women's participation in politics has steadily declined. This trend appears likely to continue in the upcoming national elections. ¶12. Additionally, Post recommends mentoring workshops for working women and entrepreneurs, and education on domestic violence and date rape targeted at teenagers. LEVINE