OSCE Presence supports participation of Albanian women in politics

BAJRAM CURRI, Albania, 16 October 2011 - Women active in local government, political parties and civil society gathered in Bajram Curri, northern Albania to discuss ways of enhancing their participation in the political and public life, in a forum organized by the OSCE Presence in Albania. 

The participants agreed to prepare an action plan to identify potential women candidates for the next local elections due on 8 May 2011 and help strengthen the women's forums within the political parties at the local level.

"These forums aim at increasing the number of women running as candidates in the next local government elections. They stress the need for political parties to respect the Electoral Code provision regarding a 30 per cent gender quota in the candidates' lists," said Alenka Verbole, senior democratization officer at the OSCE Presence.

At the conclusion of the activity, participants took part in the filming of a local TV programme promoting women's participation in the public and political life.

The meeting in Bajram Curri's was the fourth in a series of forums in the Kukes region. The forums are organized in the framework of the Enhancing Women's Role in Governance project, financed by the Governments of the Netherlands and Sweden.