HEAD OF RUSSIA'S CENTRAL ELECTION COMMISSION PUSHING FOR QUOTAS ON WOMEN'S REPRESENTATION IN LEGISLATURE








MOSCOW, MARCH 7 (from RIA Novosti's Nikolai Makarov) - The Chairman of Russia's Central Election Commission, Alexander Veshnyakov, is pushing for the introduction of special quotas on women's representation in legislative bodies.


	On the eve of March 8, marked in Russia as International Women's Day, Veshnyakov said that this approach has the right to exist and should be considered as part of the efforts to improve the country's election laws. 


	The Central Election Commission chief said that women account on the average for a mere 12 percent of parliament, while in Russia this figure is even lower than in the rest of the world, and is going down with every passing election. As an example of ensuring a minimum representation of ladies in parliament, Veshnyakov referred to Scandinavia, where such quotas already exist.


	In the Russian official's opinion, in this country,  30-percent quotas could be introduced when party tickets are drawn up for the next parliamentary polls. "Such an approach could increase women's participation in state management and in solving major problems this country is facing," he said.