OSCE Presence in Albania brings women and top politicians together to enhance women’s role in governance

TIRANA, 9 November 2011 - Women active in political and public life and top officials of Albania’s political parties met for two days in Tirana at an OSCE-organized conference on enhancing women’s role in governance. 

Addressing participants, the Head of Presence, Ambassador Eugen Wollfarth said: “Women continue to be underrepresented in politics. Too many strong, capable and energetic women continue to find themselves excluded from elected office. Political parties must do more when it comes to observing the gender quota and in placing women more prominently on all electoral lists.”

The Assembly Speaker and Deputy Head of the ruling Democratic Party Jozefina Topalli, the Chair of the opposition Socialist Party Edi Rama, the Chair of the Socialist Movement for Integration Ilir Meta and the Minister of Labour, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities Spiro Ksera also spoke at the conference.

Participants discussed gender equality in different areas of public and political life, with a special focus on the experience of the 2009 general and 2011 local government elections. They also exchanged opinions on how to increase the number of elected women in the future, especially through the implementation and strengthening of the gender quota in the Electoral Code, and how to give a clear message to political parties and state institutions on the importance of supporting women in politics.

The event was organized by the OSCE Presence in Albania to mark the end of a three-year project on enhancing women’s role in governance funded by the Dutch and Swedish Governments.

The OSCE Presence in Albania will continue to support the enhancement of women participation in public and political life, particularly in the 2013 general elections.