APS : SATURDAY 17 MARCH 2018
ALGIERS- President of the Republic Abdelaziz Bouteflika reiterated Saturday Algeria’s determination to continue the process of promoting women’s involvement in politics and development,
stressing that this is the message of the latest version of the Constitution.
In a message to the participants at the international conference on “promoting women’s involvement in politics, an essential support to the political reform process and sustainable development,” read on his behalf by Minister of Justice Tayeb Louh, the head of State said “achievements have been made in the promotion of women’s role in politics and development, but Algeria is still committed to this path for further progress.”
This is the message of the latest version of the Constitution, as is provides for State’s responsibility in the promotion of equality in terms of employment and promotion of women to get access to key positions at all levels.”
President Bouteflika put forward the hindrances and the influence of some persistent ways of thinking in our society regarding women’s promotion and involvement in politics.
Mentioning the different stages of women’s promotion in Algeria, the head of State said “the contingences of history have sown down Algerian women’s acquisition of political and social rights in contrast with women in other regions and continents.”
“Algerian women, who had suffered from the barbaric (French) occupation and colonization, took a full part in the glorious Revolution of November (1954-1962),” said Bouteflika.
“They participated in the political struggle as well as in the social preventive action, and did not hesitate to take the arms and sacrificed themselves to fight colonialism.”
For President Bouteflika, such a history “has made of Algeria, which was fighting for rights and freedoms, and Algerians, who were participating in that historical epic, effective players for the promotion of women and in society.”
The Algerian state, since independence (1962), has been playing a significant role at the international level, within the global movement for promotion of women’s rights and position, while preserving our spiritual and civilizational values.”
In the domestic level, the Algerian state promoted women’s political rights, their right to voting and their right to be represented in all areas despite the hindrances relating to the society’s mindset,” President of the Republic said.
These hindrances “had required constitutional and legal measures which, over the past few years, has made of the Algerian women effective players in Parliament and elected local councils, taking the lead in the Arab world.”
The head of State said in the message that the “Algerian laws have introduced pay equity between women and men since the first year after independence.”
