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A Special International Report Prepared byThe Washington Times Advertising Department
Published on April 22, 1999
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Advertisers (1) VictoriaBank
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Women leaders in Moldova
She eventually overcame her dislike of finance as she began to work for the Ministry of the Economy before entering the NBM. Traditionally, banking was dominated by women at lower levels. The changeover to a market economy changed the structure banking system. Banking staff were required to learn new rules of the game and among the most astute, hard-working pupils of market economics were women.
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Table of Contents (1) Moldova: a 'model of democracy' |
As Moldova changes over to a market economy, the role that women play in
society is also changing. Moldovan women are increasingly beginning to occupy the most influential
positions in government, telecommunications and especially banking. Before Moldova gained its
independence, Soviet bureaucrats at least played lip service to the equality of women, but in
practice it was a whole different matter. Within the party and economic circles chauvanism prevailed
over equality. The change within the power structure has opened up new opportunities for women to
advance into new positions of leadership. In no other field have women risen up more quickly than in
banking. Second in command in creating monetary policy is a woman. An unlikely candidate for the job
of Deputy Director of the National Bank of Moldova (NBM), as a university student Veronica Bacalu
says she never cared for finance.
This put women in position to occupy CEO spots at four of the
country's leading banks - Agroindbank, Moldinconbank, Unibank and Universal Bank. "In our society,
hard work and professionalism are the secrets to success," says Stela Scola, General Director of
Moldtelecom. "Professionalism doesn't have a gender." Women have nine seats in parliament as well.
The women that are in high positions are now becoming role models for future generations. "Our
society is beginning to change. Young women are now learning that they should not only be in the
kitchen, but they should be at the head of a company as well," says Claudia Melenic, President of
Unibank. "I think there is still some discrimination in this respect in America. We hope the
Americans can learn from our experience."