African Women present Declaration to Downing Street on WILPF’s 94th Birthday
In November 2008, African women from diverse nations came together in London to attend a event hosted by the Women’s International league for peace and Freedom, (WILPF) to discuss the issues faced by women in terms of peace, conflict and development in Africa. These women, from Malawi, Angola, The Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda, Nigeria and Sudan drafted a declaration outlining their concerns. This declaration will be delivered to Downing Street at 4pm on Tuesday 28 April, WILPF’s 94th Birthday.
‘The declaration addresses the key issues facing these women, from food insecurity, to the arms trade, to a lack of protection from violence,’ said WILPF spokesperson Sasha Jesperson, ‘But in spite of these challenges, these women are working for peace, security, development and women’s rights’.
Since the women came together in London last year, WILPF members have been collecting signatures in support of the demands. The declaration, and signatures, will be delivered to Downing Street on WILPF’s 94th birthday to highlight the importance of women’s international activism. In the weeks following, WILPF activists will meet with representatives from the Department for International Development and various African embassies.
‘This declaration is just the beginning’, said Marie-Claire Faray-Kele, ‘WILPF has received support for this declaration from all over the world, and we will continue campaigning on it until we see action in Africa’. The declaration will be delivered by Mawete Vo Teka Sala from Moyo wa Taifa, Amani Ahmed and Mona Ismail from Sudanese Mothers for Peace, and Martha Jean Baker, Sheila Triggs and Sasha Jesperson from WILPF.
When: 4:00pm, Tuesday 28 April
Where: 10 Downing Street, London
In November 2008, African women from diverse nations came together in London to attend a event hosted by the Women’s International league for peace and Freedom, (WILPF) to discuss the issues faced by women in terms of peace, conflict and development in Africa. These women, from Malawi, Angola, The Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda, Nigeria and Sudan drafted a declaration outlining their concerns. This declaration will be delivered to Downing Street at 4pm on Tuesday 28 April, WILPF’s 94th Birthday.
‘The declaration addresses the key issues facing these women, from food insecurity, to the arms trade, to a lack of protection from violence,’ said WILPF spokesperson Sasha Jesperson, ‘But in spite of these challenges, these women are working for peace, security, development and women’s rights’.
Since the women came together in London last year, WILPF members have been collecting signatures in support of the demands. The declaration, and signatures, will be delivered to Downing Street on WILPF’s 94th birthday to highlight the importance of women’s international activism. In the weeks following, WILPF activists will meet with representatives from the Department for International Development and various African embassies.
‘This declaration is just the beginning’, said Marie-Claire Faray-Kele, ‘WILPF has received support for this declaration from all over the world, and we will continue campaigning on it until we see action in Africa’. The declaration will be delivered by Mawete Vo Teka Sala from Moyo wa Taifa, Amani Ahmed and Mona Ismail from Sudanese Mothers for Peace, and Martha Jean Baker, Sheila Triggs and Sasha Jesperson from WILPF.
When: 4:00pm, Tuesday 28 April
Where: 10 Downing Street, London
Operation Black Vote and Government Equalities Office BAME Women Councillor Shadowing SchemeWomen belong in the House....& the Council Chamber tooOperation Black Vote (OBV) in partnership with the Government Equalities Office will launch the country’s first national BAME women Councillor Shadowing Scheme on 24th April 2009 from 10am to 2pm at Camden Town Hall, Judd Street, London, WC1H 9JE, where Baroness Uddin will be hosting an event to encourage more BAME women to consider a career as a councillor and to become more involved in public life. Baroness Uddin will speak at 10.30am; OBV Director Simon Woolley will speak at 11.00am.The event will invite fifty women from BAME communities across the country to take part in a ground-breaking leadership programme designed to encourage them to find out all about the wide-ranging role of councillors, from those in a ‘frontline’ role to Leaders, with a range of policy responsibilities.The representation of Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) women at every level of decision-making from the Houses of Parliament to local government is woefully low. Of the 646 MPs in Westminster, two are BAME women and out of 20,000 Councillors around 149 are BAME women, representing less than 1% of Councillors nationally . Figures published by the LGA show that local councils are dominated by councillors who are white males above the age of fifty, meaning that many of the communities they serve are under-represented in the democratic process.In addition to the mentoring scheme, the Government Equalities Office will fund a further 50 women to receive training and qualification in community leadership.The project is designed to demystify the role of councillors and open up the process to allow greater diversity and to help tackle the under-representation of BAME women within the UK’s elected Council Chambers. The Councillors Commission found that one of the main barriers to a wider range of people being councillors was the lack of awareness of the councillor role and how to get involved. The participants will shadow mentor councillors for 4-6 days over a six-month period and learn about the roles and responsibilities of a councillor. The experience will equip and motivate them to become actively involved in local politics. They will gain the confidence to stand as candidates and represent their community as councillors in the decision making process. And in turn, the scheme will also give serving councillors the opportunity to gain a greater understanding of BAME communities.Francine Fernandes, Head of Shadowing Schemes for Operation Black Vote said, “It is vital that BAME women are properly represented within all tiers of democratic and civic society. This scheme will help to nurture the wealth of talent within our communities and will help to create a generation of future leaders.”Speakers at the event will include:-
Cllr Maya de Souza, Taskforce member and host for the event -
Cllr Keith Moffitt, Leader of Camden Council -
Merlene Emerson, Prospective Parliamentary Candidate for Hammersmith, -
Dame Jane Roberts, DBE, ex leader of Camden Council and Chair of the Councillors Commission -
Cllr Geethika Jayatilaka, Camden Councillor -
Baroness Uddin, Chair of the BAME Women Councillors Taskforce.
Baroness Uddin said: “We are pleased to be working with Operational Black Vote to help change the face of politics. There is a huge talent pool out there and the mentoring scheme will play a key role in our efforts in encouraging women from our communities to come forward and claim their place. The current number of women in local and central government is unacceptably low and we are committed to ensuring women are equal partners in our democratic institutions. More opportunities need to be created for women to take a lead in public life as without their voice and contribution our democracy is less credible.”The scheme is one of several actions being taken forward by the BAME Women Councillors Taskforce which was launched in May 2008 by Minister for Women and Equalities Harriet Harman MP to address the under-representation of BAME women in public life.
