APS : TUESDAY 07 NOVEMBER 2017
ALGIERS- The international conference on “Women and the Job Market” started Tuesday in Algiers under the chairmanship of Mourad Medelci, head of the Constitutional Council and Ghania Eddalia, the minister of National Solidarity, Family and Women’s Affairs.
The two-day event is being attended by many ministers, the adviser of the president of the Republic, Mohamed Ali Boughazi, the chief of the European Union delegation in Algeria, John O’ Rourke, and the deputy chairman of Venice Commission, Herdis Kjeruls Thorgeirsdottir.
In an address at the meeting, Medelci said the event was intended to examine the implementation of Article 36 of the Constitution revised in March 2016, relating to equality between men and women in the job market.
The chairman of the Constitutional Council said the event was an “opportunity to discuss equality between men and women in the job market and share views and experiences with European, Mediterranean and North African nations.”
Medelci said there is an increase in women’s participation in Algerian elected assemblies, adding that third of those assemblies are composed of women (against 10 percent before).
He dubbed “very courageous” this positive development in the promotion of women’s role in the political sphere, adding that Article 36 of the Constitution extends women’s involvement and promotion.
Eddalia said the policies and the constitutional and legal steps taken to ensure equality of rights for all citizens, without discrimination or exclusion, “have protected women’s rights while paving the way for them to get involved in the various fields.”
Women’s position has been strengthened thanks to the strong will of President of the Republic Abdelaziz Bouteflika, shown in the Constitution’s amendment in 2016, the minister said.
The amendment has made of women “key players in the development process while introducing the principle of equality in employment.”
It also “encourages (women’s) promotion to positions of responsibility.”
