OSCE-supported women's network in Albania seeks presidential support for electoral gender balance

A group of 40 Albanian women participating in an OSCE Presence in Albania project on gender equality asked Albanian President Bamir Topi for support in ensuring women’s inclusion in electoral candidates’ lists for the upcoming local elections during a meeting on 8 March 2011 in Tirana.

The group represented the National Platform of Women, an informal voluntary network of 500 women from political parties and civil society. The network was established by the OSCE Presence in Albania as part of a three-year project to enhance women's participation in public and political life throughout Albania. The Netherlands and Sweden financed the project.

During the meeting, the representatives presented a declaration to the President calling on political parties, elected officials, Members of Parliament and other state and public institutions to respect and improve legal provisions on gender equality, in particular the 30 per cent quota, for parliamentary and local elections.

They also asked that the quota be extended to include mayoral elections and election commissions, and proposed that sanctions for non-compliance with the Electoral Code be strengthened. In addition, they requested that candidate’s lists be available for public scrutiny before they are finalized with the Central Election Commission.