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Topic Discussion III
Participation in
Democratic Decision-Making:
The Vital Voices of Women, Civil Society and
Pluralism
Room 2
(17 of 21 pages)
David Selemani: Madam Chairperson. First of all I'd like to say that I
don't think that the women need to be promoted. They have to promote themselves. The only thing the government
has to do is just to pave the way so that the promotion of women be a reality. The utmost importance of this topic
made me to go back into traditional education. When back into traditional education, I would like to just re [inaudible]
into a philosophical statement. I'm sorry I didn't tell you, I come from Mozambique. I am a member or parliament,
Deputy Leader of Renamo Bench, I'm a member of Constitutional Division, Commission and I'm the Chief of the Cabinet
with the President [inaudible]. So repeating I'm sorry, going back into traditional education, I would like just
to refine philosophical statement. As if follows, when you do educate the women, you build a good society, good
communities. Or good village. Two. From this statement and having account the topic I draw four conclusions.
I do it as a sociologist. One. If the participation of women is to be improved, you have to provide her formal
and informal education, say [inaudible]. You have to link the traditional education and the formal education because
each of them has it's own values. Two. The woman is in effect a guardian of values according to traditional education.
So you have to keep on these traditional values through the women, our mothers for the benefit of future generations.
Three. Governments and the politicians should be avoiding some kind of partalianism. (ph) And let women organize
themselves through their own organizations or associations, what the government have to do, or has to do. Is it
just to do the best in order to give you the chances for promoting the women? Four. In my country as my colleague
said, it seems there to be a trend to monopolize women associations. In such a way that they are much more dependent
upon a political parties or governments. For me this is a dangerous situation. That is why each political party,
what is it doing? Is it just to try to get the women to support the ideologists, but not to support the improvement
of human? Finally, the matter of [inaudible]. I would like to know how do the mostly in the countries, like Yemen,
Iran, Saudi Arabia, and so on, take on this issue of the role of women in a [inaudible] society? In accordance
with the globalization principles. When you have to respect your traditions and you have to end in a [inaudible]
system of life, what to do and how to do it?
Referring to the final scene. The women associations I think that the governments should have a special budget
to support the promotion of women. Thank you very much.
Johnny Nogales: The Bolivia. Executive Secretary Confederation of Private Entrepreneurs. I would like to
participate and contribute to this discussions on human and women rights. Woman rights. And to participate in politics
at the very outset, we have studied this topic and this session and wouldn't add much to what has been said. The
discussion is still open with regard to racial discrimination against women. And we have never determined the limits
through which there is discrimination against women or any other discrimination. Today there has been much talk
on this agenda issues. In such a way that I would allow myself that I am controlled by women and under their disposal.
I line myself with my colleague that women should be member of the political society, of political life. In my
country, women were allowed to participate not only in the election campaigns or the election process, but even
in management. There are some problems with regards. So political participation with regards to all political parties,
there was no democracy therein, this was based on individual initiatives and on decisions of the leaders of such
parties. The parties insisted on providing candidate lists. However, there were a necessity and they force the
people to elect certain one. With regard to participation during not only during voting but in previous years,
there has been some two administrative reforms in addition to national participation, or popular participation.
With a view to strengthening the municipalities and other areas, in order to determine what they want for the success
of the elections. I can never take the floor much more. What men have achieved, save the Mr. Mrs. Losada (ph) the
former President has done much, you can identify that such reforms may activate your participation, not only during
the voting period. So that the people may not face any difficulties. In our society, we try to find a solution
to the national of popular participation problems. There should be assistance on involving the society in all changes
and in all activities, and in order to entrench democracy.
Marina Ottaway: I take one last speaker and we are coming to the end of our time, so I will take one last
speaker and then I will give the presenters a few minutes to reply, and then I'll try to sum it up. So please be
brief, because we are really out of time.
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