Liberia: Ellen to Address Seminar On 'Women in Parliament'

September 27, 2006 – (The NEWS) On the occasion of the launch of its handbook "Women in Parliament - Beyond Numbers", the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (International IDEA) in collaboration with the Government of Liberia will tomorrow host a one-day seminar at the Monrovia City Hall on the above topic.

According to an IDEA release, President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, who wrote the foreword to the Handbook, is expected to deliver the keynote address at the seminar and hold a press briefing on 'Women in Parliament' from 10am to 10.30am, at the VIP Lounge of the City Hall. Madam Lena Hjelm-Wallén, Former Deputy Prime Minister of Sweden and Chairperson of IDEA Board, will chair the panel discussion.

The participants at this event, including members of the Liberian government, parliamentarians from Liberia, Ghana, Kenya, South Africa, and Nigeria as well as representatives from the ECOWAS Parliament and the Pan African Parliament, will look into some of the questions tackled by the Handbook. Participants will also critically examine the experiences and lessons from the implementation of the gender quota system in Africa.

"Women elected to parliament change politics globally, they introduce a women's perspective into all areas of political life. This is key in International IDEA's endeavor to promote women's participation in politics" says Dr. Abdalla Hamdok, International IDEA's Director for Africa and the Middle East. The Handbook includes case studies from Argentina, Burkina Faso, Ecuador, France, Indonesia, Rwanda, South Africa and Sweden. It also comprises a case study on the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), as well as regional overviews from the Arab World, Latin America and South Asia.

IDEA is an intergovernmental organization based in Stockholm and supported by 24 member states from six continents: Australia, Barbados, Belgium, Botswana, Canada, Cape Verde, Chile, Costa Rica, Denmark, Finland, Germany, India, Mauritius, Mexico, Namibia, The Netherlands, Norway, Peru, Portugal, Spain, South Africa, Sweden, Switzerland, Uruguay. IDEA supports sustainable democracy worldwide by working with new and long established democracies to develop and strengthen democratic institutions. The Institute operates at international, regional and national levels, working in partnership with a range of institutions.

From : http://allafrica.com/stories/200609270583.html