• 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.

The Club of Madrid invites members of the media to a press conference marking the opening of the 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.

The press conference will be held next Wednesday at 10’30 a.m. in Brussels’ Palais d’Egmont, Place du Petit Sablon, 8. Participants will include: Jacquelyne Weatherspoon, Advisor to Barack Obama, and Electoral Advisor for UN System; as well as Club of Madrid Members Chandrika Kumaratunga, Former President of Sri Lanka and Benjamin Mkapa, Former President of Tanzania.

The African Women’s Political Leadership Conference is the culmination of the (AWLP), a 21-month initiative designed to empower women political leaders in Nigeria, Sierra Leone and Uganda and to promote gender equality in politics and government. The AWLP has received funding from the European Union, the Canadian International Development Agency and Hunt Alternatives Fund’s Initiative for Inclusive Security.

The Club of Madrid works in cooperation with current leaders to strengthen "democracy that delivers" and to encourage and help leaders to act to increase social inclusion. To this effect – and as part of the AWLP – Club of Madrid members and local partners organized 10 high-level missions to Nigeria, Sierra Leone and Uganda. The object of these missions was to foster dialogue and sharing of leadership experiences with senior government decision-makers, parliamentarians, political party representatives, traditional and religious leaders, and to address decisive policy areas for the achievement of gender balance in politics.

###

PRESS CONTACT:

Participation in the press conference is open to all members of the media but prior registration is strongly suggested.

Please register with the Club of Madrid by emailing Silvia Pescador, at spescador(at)clubmadrid.org, +34 911 548 230 or +34 607694366.

ABOUT US:

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 from 50 countries. 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.