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General News of Saturday, March 30, 2019
Source: Graphic.com.gh
2019-03-30
play the videoMrs K. Riva Levinson
The President and CEO of KRL International in the United States of America, Mrs. K. Riva Levinson, urged African politicians to denounce prejudice, dislike or discrimination against women.
She added that badism remains a fundamental obstacle to women's political participation in Africa, stressing that "denouncing it and shaming those who commit it should be a shared obligation of men and women who want to see the world. continent continue its unstoppable march towards participatory democracy. "
Levinson took up the challenge when she delivered the Aggrey-Fraser-Guggisberg Memorial Lecture of 2019 on the theme: "The Future of Democracy in Africa".
Rise of women in politics
Speaking on the theme "The Power of the Margin: Opening African Political Systems to Women, Youth and Other Disrupters," she said. The emergence of women and young people in politics is a worldwide trend that has witnessed the upsurge of women in political positions.
"Over the past two decades, sub-Saharan Africa has made impressive advances in the political representation of women in national legislative bodies.
According to the UN, the number of women legislators on the continent has increased from 9.8% in 1995 to 23.2% in 2016.
In comparison, Europe, excluding the Nordic countries, represents 24.3% and the Americas, 27.7%, "said Mrs. Levinson.
At the national level, she said that five of the 15 largest countries in the world with a high number of women parliamentarians were in Africa, saying that Rwanda, under President Paul Kagame, stood out with the ratio of higher, at 61%. followed by South Africa, Senegal, Namibia and Mozambique.
Women in executive power
"But the real political power in Africa remains devolved to the executive and here, the gains have been less important
"Despite two decades of women's empowerment, there is no woman democratically elected head of state on the continent. Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, former President of the Republic of Liberia, retired in 2018.
"Sahle-Work Zewde, although historically as Ethiopia's first woman president, was appointed by the Prime Minister, while the other woman serving at the highest political level in Africa, Saara Kuugongelwa, prime minister of Namibia, was also not elected. at her office, "said Ms. Levinson.
She stated that in Cabinet appointments across the continent, there were some exceptions where women were rarely placed in leading ministries, such as finance, foreign affairs, defense, trade and security. national security, adding: "more often, we find them to gender, youth and sports, perhaps health and social welfare."
Youth in politics
On the subject of youth participation in politics, she said that her entry into national political competition was the product of the "generation of activists" who had taken to the streets in protest.
"I call them guardians of democracy while Afrobarometer has called them" dissatisfied democrats "."
Ms. Levinson asked African students and young people to use their collective voice and their power to advocate for change.
elders
She observed that Africa had a famous tradition of veneration of its elders, respecting their wisdom and seeking their guidance, but was quick to note that such value should not hinder the emergence of rulers younger policies.
"I hear it all the time," the previous generation will not agree to be guided by a young person, "she said.
Levinson pointed out that for African democracy to progress, political parties had to start rethinking the way they organized their primaries and set goals for women and young candidates, adding that Africa needed fundamental electoral reform.
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