Visit of Palestinian Delegation of the Ministry of Women Affairs and Central Elections Commission to UCLG Africa Headquarters

The Secretary General of United Cities and Local Governments of Africa-UCLG Africa received a delegation of the Palestinian Ministry of Women Affairs and the Central Elections Commission on Thursday, December 17, 2015 in UCLG Africa Headquarters in the capital city of Morocco, Rabat.

The head of Voters Section, Central Elections Commission, Mr. Feras M.M. Jarrar, chaired the delegation.

This visit took place in the framework of exchanging experiences in the field of women participation in politics. The Palestinian delegation visit was supported by UN-Women Maghreb Multi-Country Office, the United Nations entity for gender equality and the empowerment of women.

In his introduction, the Secretary General, Mr. Jean Pierre Elong Mbassi, welcomed the delegation and then gave a short presentation of UCLG Africa and on the important role played by local authorities in cities diplomacy and the promotion of women in politics. He also seized the occasion to inform the delegation about the Africities Summit, which just took place in Johannesburg, SA, from 29 November to 3 December 2015.

Mr. Elong Mbassi presented the Network of the Locally Elected Women of Africa as well as its new vision that put the concerns of women at the heart of local authorities’ politics and strategies within African countries including child and youth protection, issues of women empowerment and gender equality promotion.

The Secretary General namely emphasized:

• The importance of strengthening women participation;
• The active participation of women and the integration of the gender dimension at all levels of decision-making;
• The reinforcement of the political leadership of women and the participation of women in the public affairs management. This is essentially, what is at stake for the improvement of representation and the development of a more participative democracy.