Ambassador Huddleston Congratulates Women MPs

February 7, 2006
No. 04/06

Addis Ababa (U.S. Embassy)  – The U.S. Charge’ d’Affaires, Ambassador Vicki Huddleston, has congratulated participants in a U.S.-funded capacity-building program for women parliamentarians, calling them “vibrant, intelligent and most importantly inquisitive women” who have a vital stake in the country’s democratic future.  The training program was the second in a series of parliamentary training activities made possible by the United States, through the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and implemented by Women’s Campaign International (WCI), and the first targeting women.

The training was designed to address the specific needs of women members of Parliament, focusing on their potential as leaders and legislators. Topics covered during the training included the legislative process, public speaking, media relations, and team building.  The program followed a general orientation program that WCI conducted for all members of the House of Peoples’ Representatives in December 2005.

The purpose of the USAID/Women’s Campaign International program in Ethiopia is to increase the capacity of women leaders to influence political decision-making.  In programming aimed at candidates ahead of the May 2005 elections, WCI trained 31 women candidates competing for seats on Regional State Councils and 78 women candidates campaigning to represent their constituencies in the Federal House of People’s Representatives.  WCI also awarded a sub-grant to the Ethiopian Women Media Association to launch a media campaign highlighting the importance of voting for women candidates.

As a result of the May 2005 elections, the percentage of women members of Parliament has increased from 7.7% to 21%, a total of 117 women MPs.

Women’s Campaign International (WCI) is a U.S. based non-profit organization. It works with women leaders, activists, advocacy groups, and other non-profit partner organizations. Since its founding in 1998, WCI has conducted training programs in Romania, Venezuela, Uruguay, the Andean Region, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Namibia, Tanzania; a program in Malawi is now underway.

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