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Welcome to the Club of Madrid’s African Women Leaders Project’s website!
On February 15, 2007, the Club of Madrid launched the “Underpinning and developing democratic electoral processes through the empowerment of women parliamentarians and leaders in sub-Saharan Africa” project, or African Women Leaders Project (AWLP), which provides support to high-level women leaders in Nigeria, Sierra Leone and Uganda.
This 18-month initiative, undertaken with funding from the European Commission’s Initiative for Democracy and Human Rights and the Government of Canada through the Canadian International Development Agency, will contribute to the strengthening of female political leadership and, in the long-term, to greater public confidence in women political leaders and increased women’s political participation.
For more information about the project, please read on or click on the section that most
interests you!
interests you!
Upcoming Activities
Media Advisory:
- WHAT: Press Conference to Launch the International Conference on African Women’s Political Leadership
- WHEN: Wednesday, October 8 at 10’30h.
- WHERE: Palais d’Egmont, Place du Petit Sablon, 8. Brussels.
- WHO:
- Jacquelyne Weatherspoon — Advisor to Barack Obama (Democrat candidate for US Presidency) and Electoral Advisor for UN System
- Chandrika Kumaratunga — Former President of Sri Lanka and a Member of the Club of Madrid
- Benjamin Mkapa — Former President of Tanzania and a Member of the Club of Madrid.
October 7-8, 2008. African Women’s Political Leadership Conference: a gathering of 150 political leaders, practitioners and activists from across Africa and the European Union, designed to address the main challenges to women’s political participation and to share lessons for the development of strategies towards closing the gender gap in politics in Sub-Saharan Africa.
[Agenda of the Conference] [Participants bios]
Later on, a publication with main conclusions and policy recommendations will be distributed.
Latest Events
April 10, 2008. Fourth Mission to Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone President Ernest Bai Koroma told a delegation led by the Club of Madrid Member Antonio Mascarenhas Monteiro, former President of Cape Verde, and hosted by the Campaign for Good Governance (CGG), that he would give his assent to a law on affirmative action or a constitutional quota system in favour of women in politics if passed by parliament. Women Ministers and Deputy Ministers, along with civil society groups, agreed to submit a cabinet paper to the President on affirmative action and to work together on a common platform to promote the agenda to achieve women’s participation in political leadership.
See the Press Release.
March 5-8, 2008. First Mission to Uganda.
Former President of Ireland Mary Robinson and former Prime Minister of Norway Kjell Magne Bondevik, visited Kampala on 5-8 March, to exchange leadership experiences with female and male leaders in Uganda. These included meetings with the First Lady and Senator Janet Kataha Museveni, Speaker of the House of Assembly Edward Ssekandi Kiwanuka, Minister of State and Deputy Attorney General Frederick Ruhindi, women ministers and shadow ministers, religious leaders, civil society representatives and members of the international community. The delegation also met President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni. In a national speech on International Women’s Day, the last day of the Club of Madrid mission, Museveni committed to support key gender legislation, in particular the Domestic Relations Bill. The delegation heightened much needed visibility for gender related bills and women’s rights issues among key stakeholders.
See the Press Release.
Latest News
Nigeria: Expect More Female Senators in Future - Emodi (Daily Trust)
Nigeria: Women Better Politicians Than Men - Senator Zainab Kure (Daily Trust)
Sierra Leone: NDI Awards Madeleine K. Albright Grant to 50/50 Group (National Democratic Institute for International Affairs - Washington D.C.)
Uganda: 45 Years of Delusion (The Monitor)
Uganda: Woman MP Aids P7 Candidates (The Monitor)
Sierra Leone: Fresh Names on Koroma's Cabinet List (Concord Times)
Nigeria: Reviewing Gender Disparity (This Day)
Nigeria: Etiaba Wants More Women in Yar'Adua's Government (Leadership)
Nigeria: Summit Wants Better Publicity on Gender Issues (Leadership)
Nigeria: Ministry Wants Women in Peace-Keeping (Daily Trust)
Nigeria: Women Better Politicians Than Men - Senator Zainab Kure (Daily Trust)
Sierra Leone: NDI Awards Madeleine K. Albright Grant to 50/50 Group (National Democratic Institute for International Affairs - Washington D.C.)
Uganda: 45 Years of Delusion (The Monitor)
Uganda: Woman MP Aids P7 Candidates (The Monitor)
Sierra Leone: Fresh Names on Koroma's Cabinet List (Concord Times)
Nigeria: Reviewing Gender Disparity (This Day)
Nigeria: Etiaba Wants More Women in Yar'Adua's Government (Leadership)
Nigeria: Summit Wants Better Publicity on Gender Issues (Leadership)
Nigeria: Ministry Wants Women in Peace-Keeping (Daily Trust)
Page last updated: September 27,2009
This website has been produced with the financial support of the European Union and the Government of Canada provided through the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA).
The contents of this document are the sole responsibility of the Club of Madrid and can under no circumstances be regarded as reflecting the position of the European Union or the Government of Canada.