Sudanese president urges to increase women seats in legislative assemblies

March 18, 2008 (KHARTOUM) — Sudanese president has urged to increase women participation in the legislative chambers in the 26 states of the country.

The Sudanese President was addressing the opening session of the First Forum of Sudanese Women Parliamentarians, held at the Friendship Hall in Khartoum Tuesday under the theme “A Sudanese Woman Parliamentarian: Active in Performance, Excellent in Efforts and Strongly Involved in Issues.”

President Omer al-Bashir Tuesday called on the states legislative assemblies to include in the Local Government Act allocation of at least 25% of the parliamentary seats for women for boosting stability and development in the country.

Al Bshir said that giving 25% of the seats in the coming general elections for women constitutes challenges to the Sudanese women with regard to the mobilization and enlightening of women grassroots about the elections process.

He stressed the necessity of upholding the values of national unity, stability, restoration of the social fabric and maintaining the religious co-existence and discarding violence, underling the crucial role being played by women in these domains.

He further called for unification of the efforts by the legislative bodies at the federal, the South and state levels in order to contribute to the issues of national unity, democratic transformation, safeguarding human rights and cohesion of the society.

Speaking also at the forum, the Speaker of the Southern Sudan Legislative Assembly, James Wani, has praised the great role played by Sudanese women throughout the different eras.

Wani called for empowerment of women economically, politically and socially.

Chairwoman of the Sudanese Women Parliamentarians Caucus Samya Hassan Sidahmed pointed out that Sudan is a pioneering country regarding political participation of women, saying that the Sudanese women have gained their parliamentary rights since the first elections in 1954.

She added that the Sudanese women are actively participating in the basic issues of the country of peace, national unity, combating poverty and realization of balanced development. She called for establishment of a parliamentary body that brings together Arab and African women parliamentarians to exchange experiences.

(ST)