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Topic Discussion III
Participation in
Democratic Decision-Making:
The Vital Voices of Women, Civil Society and
Pluralism
Room 3
(16 of 16 pages)
One last point. At the beginning of the session there was one recommendation,
that we should set up a committee to monitor the recommendations of this forum.
I will conclude, but I'll open the floor for the last two speakers, one minute each and we'll conclude exactly
on time.
Speaker: I agree with the conclusions made by the Chairperson. I would like to confirm to our women members
of this forum and through them to the women, that with our hearts and minds we stand in full solidarity with them.
Freedom is not given but you have to fight for it and you have to grasp it, so I hope that they will be able to
grasp their own rights through themselves and following the holy words of the Koran in that respect. They must
grab their rights.
I would like to say that this forum, the participation of women in the Arab States, is due to certain issues and
cultural problems. I am studying anthropology and I have a special idea on cultures, and culture is, in its simplest
form, what builds and creates and assists in construction and building and it has become apparent to me here that
it's very important, what was said by the representative of Malawi in his statement on the traditions and customs,
because these traditions and customs can change, because all of them are not stagnant and are subject to change.
And this is what has brought to my mind, when I was 15, it was said that the original population or ethnic group
had problems and would never be able to reach for power or to the authority and that women are not equipped or
qualified. The question therefore is not a question of culture but it's a social one and should be analyzed and
that we study that in depth with a great responsibility, looking at history, because we are standing here on the
threshold of the third millennium and we should look with full responsibility at the coming generations and we
women play a very important role in this respect. I wanted to make use of that because this is a very wide and
important subject and deserves a special forum to study that, because we are on the threshold of the third millennium
and we must try to create and set up human co-societies which would be more humane.
I am putting this to the NDI to discuss this matter seriously. Thank you.
Speaker: I think that's important and I think it should be included in the recommendations. Those who are
taking responsibility either as governments or parties or social activists in promoting democracy should recognize
the important of adhering to the truth and respecting it in these practices in this area, especially in emerging
democracies. I think in the realm of political process, we try to use democracy itself and compromise it in order
pass a point, whether right or wrong. We do dis-service for democracy and this could be very dangerous because
it's compromising democratic principles as a matter of principle. So I think it's very important to recognize that
whether political parties or activists, in real practices we should be first realistic and second when the balances
are not complete yet. In other words the legal structure that will allow and banish somebody who is saying something
that is fundamental for the political process or the government of any society that is not truth, that he can be
banished. In that transition period, there should be an initiative from inside to say the truth and to adhere to
it, to respect it, just for the democratic process to succeed and for that transformation process for the countries
to be completed peacefully.
The last word. In Yemen we are very proud that the Sultan and everybody else has this opportunity to do this. Without
this democracy we would not have had this opportunity to be so frank and open. Thank you.
Chair: Thank you very much. I declare this session closed.
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