Source: Tunis Afrique Press as found at AllAfrica.com
Works of an international conference on women's participation in public and political life and decision making started, on Monday in Tunis, on the theme "no democracy without women".
In an address delivered on this occasion, Caretaker President of the Republic Moncef Marzouki voiced his support to all forces which strive so that women occupy a better place in political life.
The accession of women to decision-making posts should be part of the defence for their conditions and economic and social rights asserted Mr. Marzouki.
Women and Family Affairs Minister Sihem Badi underlined, in turn, the gap between legislation and reality in matters of women's rights underlining the need to lay the bases of "a real economic, social and political empowerment of women."
She regretted that women who represent 60% of the student population, 47% of academic researchers and 42% of lawyers only hold 4% of posts in the government. "Below 30%, women's participation is insignificant, and will have no impact," she underlined.
Resident representative of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Tunis Mohammed Belhocine said that the weak representativity of women in political decision-making posts does not reflect the status they deserve in Tunisia. "A balanced representativity in political life is essential in a democracy" he underlined.
Iranian President adviser and President of Women Affairs and Family Centre in Iran, Moroccan Minister of Solidarity, Women, Family and Social Development and Palestinian Minister of Women Affairs presented their countries' experiences in matters of women's participation in public life.
The two-day works of this conference is organised at the initiative of the Women and Family Affairs Ministry in Association with the UNDP, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and Empowerment of Women.