Two women contesting the presidency of the oldest liberation organisation on the continent – the African National Congress have visited the Pan African Parliament (PAP).
Speaker of Parliament, Baleka Mbete addressed the Women’s Conference to highlight the role of parliamentarians in promoting international and regional human rights instruments related to women, youth and security while Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma paid courtesy call on the Vice President.
As the world waits for Liberia’s election results, the country was cited as an example that offered a platform for a woman to lead.
National Assembly Speaker Baleka Mbete says the world needs more women leaders like Liberia’s President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf who steered her country to stability and is now handing over power peacefully.
“It’s with pride that today we observe Liberia running a peaceful election after she has finished her two terms where everything went peacefully in spite of the society having gone through a decade and a half of war, her taking over and constructively and calmly
managing her two terms and stabilising that society.”
A call was made to men to respect women’s rights.
“Your president challenged us to engage men and boys in order for them to understand better the consequences of human rights
violations on the sexual and reproductive health of girls of girls and women,” says UNFPA Eastern and Southern Africa Justine Coulson.
Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, former Chair of the AU and former Foreign Affairs Minister, was there to lend her support at the women’s conference.
Thursday 12 October 2017 21:45
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SABC
