Ukrainian lawmakers have tabled two bills in parliament to introduce administrative liability for manifestations of sexism.
The draft laws were registered on January 15, as reported by the Sudovo-Yurydychna Hazeta legal bulletin on January 18.
The sponsors of bill No. 4599 are lawmakers from the ruling Servant of the People Party, namely head of the Committee on Social Policy and Social Protection of Veterans Rights Halyna Tretyakova and party leader Oleksandr Korniyenko. The document offers amendments to the Code of Administrative Offenses regarding liability for manifestations of sexism in society.
Read alsoFemale combat general Laputina appointed Minister for Veterans AffairsIn addition, bill No. 4598 was registered to amend certain legislative acts to ban sexism in society.
In particular, it is suggested that the law of Ukraine on ensuring equal rights and opportunities for women and men provide for establishing that "sexism is any act, gesture, visual representation, spoken or written words, practice or behavior based upon the idea that a person or a group of persons is inferior because of their gender, which occurs in the public or private sphere, whether online or offline, with the purpose or effect of: violating the inherent dignity or rights of a person or a group of persons; or resulting in physical, sexual, psychological or socio-economic harm or suffering to a person or a group of persons; or creating an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment; or constituting a barrier to the autonomy and full realization of human rights by a person or a group of persons; or maintaining and reinforcing gender stereotypes."
"A person who believes that sexism has been committed against them ... has the right to file a complaint with government agencies,... the National Police of Ukraine, the Ukrainian Verkhovna Rada Commissioner for Human Rights and/or a court in the manner prescribed by law," the bill said.
The document also stipulates a ban on manifestations of sexism in advertising.
In addition, Article 173-2 of the Code of Administrative Offenses equates sexism with domestic violence.
A person who have committed sexist offences is subject to fines worth from 10 to 20 non-taxable minimum incomes of citizens on each count, or to community service for 30 to 40 hours, or administrative arrest for up to seven days.
Also, Article 262 of the Code of Administrative Offences provides that law enforcement agencies (the National Police) are authorized to carry out administrative detention of a violator.
