|
CLUB OF MADRID: THE CLUB OF MADRID
ENCOURAGES SIERRA LEONE'S PRESIDENT TO SUPPORT WOMEN POLITICIANS -
INAUGURATES RESOURCE CENTRE IN PARLIAMENT FOR WOMEN MPS:
06/01/08
(MaximsNews Network)
|
|
UNITED
NATIONS - / MaximsNews Network / - 06
January 2007 -- The Club of Madrid, in partnership with Sierra
Leone’s Campaign for Good Governance, recently concluded a four-day African
Women Leaders Project (AWLP) mission, aimed at strengthening democracy through
women’s political participation.
The
objective of the project and of the high-level delegation – led by Club of
Madrid Member Chandrika
Kumaratunga – is to contribute to the strengthening of female political
leadership and, in the long-term, increase women’s political participation and
public confidence in governance. It was the 3rd AWLP mission to
Sierra Leone.
Chandrika
Kumaratunga, former President of Sri Lanka and newly-inducted member of the Club
of Madrid; and Senator Gloria Musu Scott, Former Chief Justice of Liberia, led
the mission, which included AWLP Coordinator Rosemary Kaduru and representatives
of local NGO Campaign for Good Governance (CGG).
The
focus of the programme is to provide support to women leaders and to encourage
women to take leadership in politics and public life.
The
delegation was in Freetown 11-14 December 2007.
The
delegation met with Sierra Leone’s President, Ernest Bai Koroma; other leaders
of Sierra Leone’s government; the Speaker and other Members of Parliament;
political party representatives; the Mayor of Freetown; Civil Society
organisations and women leaders.
President
Koroma expressed his support to the Club of Madrid and Campaign for Good
Governance for this valuable programme, saying that his government is “committed
to ensure equal rights and participation at all levels for women of Sierra
Leone.”
In
addition to the aims and objectives of the project, the delegation discussed a
broad range of issues concerning the importance of women’s participation in
politics and governance.
Delegation
members held extensive dialogue with female members of parliament, and political
and civil society leaders with the objective of identifying issues and
challenges faced by women in carrying out leadership responsibilities.
In
the process, mission leaders offered recommendations to resolve issues related
to further nation building and economic development, while securing
opportunities for equal participation for women in leadership roles.
On
12 December, President Kumaratunga commissioned a resource centre in the
parliament for women MPs.
The
Speaker and Members of Parliament, political party leaders and representatives
of local and international Civil Society Organisations and the United Nations
attended.
While
commissioning the centre, Kumaratunga thanked the Club of Madrid for equipping
the centre and said that “this is a valuable resource for women political
leaders to advance their knowledge and establish communications with the outside
world.”
Kumaratunga
suggested that, while continuing the struggle to enhance participation of women
in public life, it is equally important to work “towards empowering women
through education and economically, through improved incomes.”
She
recommended that women‘s organisations give serious consideration to
organising micro, small, and medium enterprises in agriculture and small
industries for women in order to empower them economically, saying that this was
absolutely essential in the struggle to achieve women’s empowerment.
She
reminded members of parliament that the people who elected them to parliament
did so with much hope that the women could improve their lives.
If
women MPs do not succeed in doing this then the struggle to empower women by
electing them will be negated.
Women
leaders in parliament, Kumaratunga suggested, could prove their worth by
urgently undertaking projects for poverty alleviation.
Detailed
discussion on how this could be achieved ensured and the Members of Parliament
agreed to undertake specific projects for poverty alleviation.
Senator
Scott said that “Running a campaign for office as a woman is very challenging
but it is the easiest part, once you get elected then the real challenge
begins”.
She
emphasised that women should be supportive of each other especially by
strengthening those already in leadership positions at all levels so that they
can stand as role models for other women.
The
programme also includes a two-day leadership training programme for female and
male parliamentarians, 13-15 December.
The
training is led by Sen. Scott and Bernadette Lahai, one of the longest serving
members of Sierra Leone’s Parliament.
The
Club of Madrid will continue to contribute to the strengthening of female
political leadership in governance.
Sierra
Leone is likely to be one of the focus countries for a new Club of Madrid
programme in West Africa.
Club
of Madrid – Democracy that delivers
The
Club of Madrid is an independent organization dedicated to strengthening
democracy around the world by drawing on the unique experience and resources of
its Members – 70 democratic former heads of state and government.
In
partnership with other organizations and governments that share its
democracy-promotion goals, the Club of Madrid provides peer to peer counsel,
strategic support and technical advice to leaders and institutions working
towards democratic transition and consolidation.
Labels: United
Nations, U.N.,
~~~~~
MaximsNews.com, An Independent Voice from the
U.N., provides commentary and analysis from
leading world figures: King Abdullah II
(Jordan), HRH Prince Zeid Ra'ad Zeid Al-Hussein
(Jordan), Sir Brian Urquhart, Hans Blix, Amb.
Richard Holbrooke, Anwar Ibrahim, Bianca Jagger,
Dr. Nafis Sadik, Shashi Tharoor, Thoraya Ahmed Obaid, Noeleen Heyzer,
Masood Haider, Kerry
Kennedy, Ian Williams, Stephen Schlesinger, Sen.
Timothy E. Wirth, Marc Morial, Amb. Jayantha
Dhanapala (Sri Lanka), Amb. Pierre Schori
(Sweden), Amb. William H. Luers, Susan Roosevelt
Weld, Rory Kennedy, Mehri
Madarshahi, J. Michael Adams, Gloria Feldt,
Jeffrey Laurenti, Rodney D. Smith, Ashley
Bommer, Rory
O'Connor, Genevieve Stamper, Max Stamper and
others.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
MaximsNews®
LLC
NEWS NETWORK FOR THE
INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY
MaximsNews Network® LLC is a Global News Network reaching over 30,000 in the International Community. It is associated with MediaChannel.org and Globalvision News Network, global news and media information services with more than 350 news affiliates in 135 countries.
Established in 1999.
The views expressed are the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of MaximsNews®
LLC.
MaximsNews.com
U.N. ® LLC www.MaximsNews.com
| MaximsNews@MaximsNews.com |
Please
contact us about Republishing:
Syndication@MaximsNews.com ©Copyrights 1999 - 2007, MaximsNews® LLC. All rights
reserved.
|
