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Dhouba Debaya from Tunisia gave us some important challenges for his country. First, the law must be changed in order to get a better position for women. One of the privileges that has recently been demolished is the law on polygamy. Through all the pressure of many women and political parties it is now abolished. A good operating political party can lead a country into a civil society.
The moderator was Boris van der Ham, LI HRC member.
Educating more women and giving them positions in politics helps to improve this whole aspect. In many African countries more women than men are voting during elections, but often they don’t vote for other women but for men. This also needs education from other women and emphasis on the importance to support your own gender as much as you can if you want to see more women in important positions.Overall there is progress in the region but there is still a lot to be done. Very often the results are small but still any progress is better than none and is the conclusion of the discussion was that we can see that we are not losing ground.
After our Board Meeting in Dakar, Senegal, we received 15 ladies from Senegal and Ivory Coast to give them information about INLW and how they can become a member and participate in our continuous effort to get more women in Politics and decision-making positions.
The platform that will be formed in this part of Africa will constitute of members from Senegal, Mali and Cote d’Ivoire. The Friedrich Neumann Stiftung will help organize events and be able to give training for women who are interested in a political career.
In all these countries it is very difficult for women to get any important leading position. Unfortunately, we notice that women do not always support other women. That is seen in many countries. It is sad to say that women tend to have more criticism about their own sisters in good positions than about men.
This group of women are going to form a sort of INLW Chapter: “West African Liberal Women”.
In Senegal there are 50% women in Parliament but that is achieved by an agreement between the parties and the president. This is not the case in the Côte d’Ivoire or Mali.
The meeting was an agreeable highlight for us at the congress and in the mean time 18 ladies have become members. The representative of this part of Africa, Awa Gueye Kebe, is actively acquiring new members and has agreed to become one of our vice-presidents in Africa in the INLW Board.
In the evening many of our new friends were present during the African Dinner & Freedom speech.
We are looking forward to seeing some of the new members during the next CSW in March 2019 in New York.
Download as pdf
Members of INLW Netherlands Chapter participated in writing the so-called “NGO shadow report concerning the NL Government report to the CEDAW Committee.
INLW was a co-signer of the NGO Shadow report
This shadow report has been compiled on behalf of the Dutch CEDAW Network by a team consisting of some NGOs and independent women’s rights experts in the Netherlands. In mid-November 2018 the Dutch CEDAW Network learned through the website of CEDAW/OHCHR that the follow-up report had been submitted by the government of the Netherlands. As a response to that the Dutch CEDAW Network started a consultation process with NGOs and CSOs. On 27 November 2018 it convened a meeting to discuss the government’s follow-up report. Other experts from NGOs, CSOs and expert institutions such as Movisie – knowledge and approach of social issues also lent their expertise through written submissions.
Link to report
During the General Meeting in Dakar, Senegal, the election and appointment took place of several (new) members of the INLW Board. The Board has also decided to install a Consultative Committee, acoording to art. 4.5 of the INLW Constitution.
Several members were present during the GM. There was a warm welcome for the New President, Jayanthi Devi Balaguru who was unable to be present herself because of her work obligations. She hopes to meet members in New York during the CSW in March.
Words of thanks were especially spoken to Margaret de Vos van Steenwijk, president of INLW during two terms. She gave a lot of energy, time, wisdom, enthousiasm and friendship to all members during those years. We all thank her and hope for her support in her new position as immediate Past President.
Here you find the new formation of the Board and also the group of members who were appointed as members of the Consultative Committee.
INLW MANAGEMENT BOARD
APPOINTED IN THE GENERAL MEETING IN DAKAR 2018
| President: | Jayanthi Devi Balaguru |
| Immediate Past President: | Margaret de Vos van Steenwijk |
| Deputy President: | Khadija El Morabit |
| Secretary General: | Mireia Huerte Sala |
| Treasurer: | Lysbeth van Valkenburg |
| Vice-president Europe: | Sal Brinton |
| Vice President Asia: | Maysing Yang |
| Vice President Mena: | Loubna Amhair |
| Vice President Africa: | nominated Awa Gueye Kebe |
| Vice President Latin America: | Patricia Olamendi |
| Member general affairs: | Leticia Gutíerrez |
| Member general affairs: | Ruth Richardson |
CONSULTATIVE COMMITTEE of INLW
Installed in Dakar, Senegal during the General Meeting of
The Interantional Network of Liberal Women
according to art. 4.5 of the INLW Constitution
Joaquima Alemany Roca, Spain
Marianne Kallen, The Netherlands
Denise Robinson, South Africa
Silvia Flury, Spain
Yaya Fanta Kaba Fofana, Ivory Coast
This year the ALDE party met at Madrid for its congress. The European Liberal Democratic family consists of more than 60-member parties across the continent and more than 50 members of the European Parliament who are part of the ALDE Group. Hans van Baalen MEP (Member of the VVD) has been president of the ALDE Party since 2015.
The congress was set in the setting of the 2019 elections. It will be an important year for all Liberals with the coming elections.
Another important theme is the Brexit. This will overshadow the planned debate about budget, migrations and what is the future of Europe. Europe still favors a soft Brexit and any realistic idea from the UK is welcome. The Liberal Democrats are very clear, that they want to stay in Europe, but they are not strong enough to be able to change Brexit to Stay.
It is important for liberals to work together for the future of a stronger and united Europe. We must keep reminding people of what we have achieved together. But we must also listen to what the people of Europe want. Now we can see two visions of Europe: the vision of populists and nationalists and the vision of those who want to relaunch the European dream. It is important to build bridges even if we don’t agree on everything.
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The discussion should be focused on the future of trade, investments and innovation. Most liberals are optimistic and hopeful that the liberals can win.
Juli Minoves said: “We need to fight beyond Europe. The Liberal struggle will be strong if it goes beyond any border”. We must show people the proven costs of anti -Eu policy.
“Let 2019 be remembered as the year when the EU regained its confidence and began moving forward again”, quote from Micheál Martin (Ireland) as also the following, “Brexit is one of the most destructive decisions taken by a free nation in decades. I want to thank all ALDE member parties for all their support in helping Ireland to diminish the impact of Brexit”.
A considerable amount of time was spent on the presentation of the “ALDE Manifesto: The Liberal vision for the future of Europe”. There was a good and healthy debate on the many suggested amendments to the Manifesto. After voting on the sometimes-reedited amendments the ALDE Manifesto was adopted. The parties can use this important document for their campaigns for the European elections in May 2019.
Another issue at the congress was sustainable growth. One of the conclusions was that cities around the world need to take real action to achieve sustainable growth. Some statements were given by participants: We should eat less but better meat, as large-scale industrial production hurts the environment, but small scale can enhance biodiversity.
Let’s save our blue oceans! Every second breath we take comes from the ocean, we need it to survive, strong message from MEP Meissner, The Liberals must lead the way to a more sustainable, innovative and safe world, MEP Federley (Sweden).
Apart from many interesting sessions we were taken to the Museo del Prado for a lovely Congress dinner reception. Several new members were elected for the Alde Board.
We also made some new contacts and hope to see many ALDE members again. We wish all the MEP’s a successful campaign in 2019!
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Before the official opening of the Berlin Executive Committee Meeting on Thursday 21st of June the Human Rights Committee of Liberal International was able to make a study visit to the Federal Commission for the Records of the State Security Service of the former GDR.
After travelling to the outskirts of former GDR East Berlin we arrived at an enormous complex of buildings in communist style.
Commissioner Roland Jahn and Markus Löning
In one of the thousands of office rooms we were welcomed by the Stasi Archives Commissioner Roland Jahn.
All particulars of citizens were kept in these cupboards and boxes
Markus Löning the Honorary Chairman of the LI Human Rights Committee explained who we were, and Commissioner Roland Jahn gave a very accurate and gruesome explanation of how nearly all East German citizens were registered and daily actions were secretly described and kept in the GDR State Security Service system.
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After the fall of the communist regime the people of GDR were shocked to realize and hear that so many of their neighbors, friends or family were spying on each other! Of course, there are no such records made up of citizens nowadays. The Commissioner and his office are now helping people to find out if they or their family members have been spied on in the GDR. And many still come to the Stasi Archives to see what was written about them and what is kept in the precisely administered Stasi Archives.
A frightening idea of how it must have felt to be a citizen in such a communist totalitarian system. Very good to realize how such a regime treated its citizens.
 Roland Jahn took this photo of Margaret de Vos between thousands of historic files full of detailed descriptions of innocent citizens. |
 Jayanthi Balaguru listens contemplating the horrific way people were followed and treated in the German Democratic Republic! |
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The International Network of Liberal Women- Chapter Morocco is a Network based on the very principles of liberalism; (Freedom, justice, equal citizenship and individual representation of the human being). Its approach reconciles essentially the individual with his environment in order to build a social peace, in accordance with the universally recognized principles in the field of human rights and the conventions signed and ratified by the Kingdom of Morocco.
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Agenda: A day of training on the values of liberalism and citizenship
In the first place were defined the principles of liberalism in big letters which were then integrated into the identity and the specific values of the INLWMaroc network; and finally, an overall assessment of the session’s progress, with a conclusion from Madam Chairperson of the Network, Loubna Amhair and a note from Chaimae Bourjij, the program officer of the FNF FOUNDATION.
• definition of the liberal values and principles,
• The history of the emergence of liberal thought and its foundations,
• Definition of the social roles that Moroccan liberal women can play;
• Definition of the legal and social status of a Citizen;
• Provide women members of the INLWM Network with a working platform to unify their vision and messages;
• Promote the best methods for more effective actions;
• Create an identification to define common goals;
• Better understand the dynamics of the group to reinforce the cohesion and reinforcement of the Network.
Short biography of the trainer
Abdelali Mastour, is the president of the FORUM DE CITOYENNETE (FC).
Abdelali Mastour is a professor at the Higher Institute of Journalism and Information in Casablanca. Member of several committees as the Euro-Mediterranean Foundation of Support for Human Rights Defenders (EMFHR).
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On July 12th, 2018 a Press Conference and meeting was held in Taichung Town Hall in Taiwan announcing the Launching of a new INLW Chapter. This Asia-Pacific Chapter is to be established in the new Taichung development of International NGO Centre.
INLW President Margaret de Vos van Steenwijk and LI President Juli Minoves were invited to attend the launching of INLW Asia Pacific Chapter.
Taichung is the second biggest city of Taiwan and under ambitious leadership of the DPP Mayor Chia-Lung Lin it is developing its international relations network.
At the seminar on “He for She: Stand together” Juli Minoves, Margaret de Vos, Jing-Yin Lin, MP and Maysing Yang, VP (vice-president) INLW and initiator of the INLW Asian Pacific Chapter spoke on How standing together and empowering women can help to achieve the Sustainable Development goals.
Margaret de Vos emphasized the importance of setting up the INLW Asia & Pacific Chapter. Men and Women must work on getting women to participate fully in society to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.
Jing-Yin Lin, MP speaking. She is to succeed Maysing Yang as Vice President for INLW Asia. 
Margaret hands the certificate of launching of the INLW Chapter to Maysing Yang 
Some of the women present interested in the new INLW Chapter.
Later a visit was made to the INGO Training and Conference Center which is in the outskirts of Taichung, an area Wufeng, which is being redeveloped. It was abandoned after suffering on September 21, 1999 a 7.3-magnitude earthquake.
They visited the 921 Earthquake museum there, which was very impressive! Thank goodness the earthquake happened at 1 in the night, so the children escaped being hurt or killed at school.
There are varied International NGO offices’there, which we visited. INLW Asian Pacific Chapter would be able to have an office there.
As always Juli Minoves and Margaret de Vos were received with great hospitality. We visited the famous Concert Hall Building in Taichung, an ancient village temple as well as the marshes on the west coast. We hope to hear soon of the plans of this very important INLW Chapter which Maysing Yang is developing and wish her much success in developing it further.
