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Kjell Mange Bondevik, Former Prime Minister of Norway, and Mary Robinson, Former President of Ireland, in Uganda to support women leaders in their efforts to pass gender related legislation
The dignitaries, members of the Club of Madrid, visiting Kampala, 5 – 8 March, exchanged leadership experiences with female and male leaders. These included meetings with First Lady Janet Kataha Museveni, 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 will also meet President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, Minister of Justice Dr. Khiddu Makubuya and Speaker of the House, Edward Ssekandi Kiwanuka.
Kampala, 7 March 2008– A high-level mission of the Club of Madrid is in Uganda to support women’s political leadership in their efforts to pass gender related legislation. The project is coordinated in Uganda by European Parliamentarians for Africa (AWEPA) in collaboration with the Uganda Women Parliamentarians Association (UWOPA) and funded by the European Commission’s Initiative for Democracy and Human Rights and the Government of Canada through the Canadian International Development Agency. Kjell Mange Bondevik, Former Prime Minister of Norway, and Mary Robinson, Former President of Ireland, and former Member of Parliament, Pregaluxmi Govender from South Africa, lead the delegation.
Delegation members have been impressed by the achievements and commitment of government in promoting women’s participation, having achieved 30.9% women representation in Parliament through affirmative action provision in the Constitution. Uganda has one of the most gender sensitive constitutions in the world, containing articles directly affecting women.
However during meetings with the Club of Madrid delegation, several participants just expressed their concerns about the inability of Parliament to pass gender related legislation despite the significant numbers of female legislators.
Following the dialogue sessions, some key issues were raised:
- Focus on legislative priorities, including the passing of the Domestic Violence Bill and Domestic Relations Bill;
- Allocation of resources towards the implementation of gender related laws, policies, programs and institutions;
- The inclusion of women with disabilities recommendations to gender related legislation;
- The need to create a forum for Members of Parliament to meet regularly with civil society, including organizations of people with disabilities;
- Representatives from the different religions should be consulted, within a concrete time frame, and their comments included in the draft legislation;
- Actively engaging of male Members of Parliament for their support in passing gender related legislation;
- The need to address the challenges in maternal health and put efforts towards decreasing the high rates of maternal mortality.
Two more Club of Madrid missions will visit Uganda in which the issues raised will be followed up.
The delegation wants to thank particularly the Irish Embassy and the Norwegian Embassy in Uganda for their help during the mission; as well as the Planning and Development Coordination Office, the Public Relations Office, and Protocol both at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Parliament as well as all leaders, particularly Members of Parliament, that came to meet and openly share information with the Club of Madrid delegation.
The African Women Leaders Project (AWLP) provides support to high-level women leaders in Nigeria, Sierra Leone and Uganda. This 18-month initiative is funded by the European Commission’s Initiative for Democracy and Human Rights and the Government of Canada through the Canadian International Development Agency.
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. www.clubmadrid.org
European Parliamentarians for Africa (AWEPA) is an international organization that aims to reduce poverty and to protect human rights by supporting the well functioning of parliaments in Africa and by keeping Africa on the political agenda in Europe. AWEPA´s focuses on capacity building training and exchange for parliamentarians. www.awepa.org
The Uganda Women Parliamentarians Association (UWOPA) is a parliamentary caucus comprising of all women members of parliament but also open to former women members of parliament and the male members as associates/and or honorary members. The Association was established during the 5th Parliament of Uganda (1989 – 1994). UWOPA has, among others, the following objectives: to engender the legislative processes in parliament and also address the gender gaps in all legislations, to develop and promote solidarity between members to work through ideologies and to mobilize women to participate in political leadership and development.
Mission Leaders
Kjell Magne Bondevik
Prime Minister of Norway (1997-2000, 2001-2005)
Kjell Magne Bondevik is currently President of the Oslo Center for Peace and Human Rights. Mr. Bondevik was elected Prime Minister in 1997, and appointed Prime Minister again in 2001, serving until 2005. Mr. Bondevik was a Member of Parliament from 1973-2005, and served as Minister of Church and Education in Kåre Willoch’s government (1983-1986), and Minister of Foreign Affairs during the government of Jan P. Syse (1989-1990). Mr. Bondevik studied at the Norwegian Lutheran School of Theology, and is an ordained pastor in the (Lutheran) Norwegian State Church.
Mary Robinson
President of Ireland (1990-1997)
Mary Robinson is Vice President of the Club of Madrid, and President of Realizing Rights: The Ethical Global Initiative. She was United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights from 1997-2002, and President of Ireland from 1990-1997. Prior to this, she was co-founder of the Irish Centre for European Law at Trinity College (1988), and Lecturer in European Community Law (1975-1990) and Penal Law (1968-1975) at Trinity. She has served as a Member of the Upper Chamber of the Parliament of Ireland (1969-1989) and Member of the Dublin City Council (1979-1983). Mrs. Robinson holds degrees from Trinity College, Dublin.
Pregaluxmi Govender
ANC Member of Parliament (1994-2002)
Pregs Govender became an ANC member of parliament in 1994, during which period she chaired the joint Parliamentary Standing Committee on the Quality of Life and Status of Women, and played a key role in national debates on military spending and HIV/AIDS. RDP Assistant Co-ordinator in the National RDP Office (March 1994). Women's National Coalition Overall Project Manager (October 1992 - February 1994). She became director of the First Workers' College in South Africa based in the Western Cape in 1990 to1992. Trade Unionist employed by SACTWU (the union with the largest women's membership in SA); occupied several positions in this union, (1987-1990). Researcher, assisting the Director at the Institute of Socio- Economic Research at UDW (1986). Pregs Govender started as a teacher at high schools and at the University of Durban-Westville (1982-1985).
Press contacts
Bárbara González del Valle (bgonzalez@clubmadrid.org). Tel: 34 911 548 230Silvia Pescador (spescador@clubmadrid.org). Tel: 34 911 548 230
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