Increasing female participation in public life focus of OSCE seminar

A series of three-day training seminars for female party activists from the Respublika, Ak-Shumkar and Ata-Meken political parties was completed on 13 July 2011 by the OSCE Centre in Bishkek and the National Democratic Institute for International Affairs.

Topics covered included gender equality, the role of women in the political life of a democratic state, female leadership, communication and negotiation skills, and the efficient use of information resources.

Lilian Darii, the Deputy Head of the OSCE Centre in Bishkek, said: “The OSCE seeks to increase the active participation of women in political processes and the capacity of female members of political parties to advocate for themselves and become a lobbying force, thereby making public authorities more responsive and accountable to women's needs and rights.”

The training sessions were delivered by trainers from the respective parties who had attended an OSCE-supported training-for-trainers course in May 2011.

Similar courses will be held for female party activists from the Social-Democratic Party and Ata-Jurt Party by the end of the current month.

The seminars are part of an OSCE-supported project to promote women’s participation in political parties and elected bodies.