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Woman leads Africa's parliament
19 March 2004
Gertrude Mongella, unanimously elected as the first president of the newly established Pan African Parliament, said the continental body was challenging stereotypes of women and of Africa, and promised that the parliament would not become just another "talk shop".
The opening session of the Pan African Parliament, held in Addis Ababa on Thursday, unanimously elected Mongella, one of five Tanzanian representatives, as the body's first president.
Mongella, who has a degree in education, has occupied a number of high-ranking positions in her country, on the continent and in international bodies.
She was one of the organisers of the UN International Conference on Women held in Beijing, China in 1995. In 1996-1997 she served as UN under-secretary and special envoy of the UN secretary-general on women's issues and development, and was appointed goodwill ambassador for the World Health Organisation's Africa region in 2003.
Mongella, who
represents Lake Victoria's Ukerewe Islands constituency in Tanzania's parliament, has held five different portfolios in the governments of Tanzania's founding president, Julius Nyerere, and his successors.
Addressing a press conference at the African Union Headquarters in Addis Ababa on Thursday, Mongella said the parliament consisted of "serious people" who were ready to do the work required. "I don't expect them to come to Addis Ababa, or wherever the host of the parliament will be, to make it a talk shop", she said.
She said members of the parliament would have to tackle and debate issues affecting Africa such as globalisation and HIV/Aids.
The implementation of the AU's blueprint for socio-economic development, the New Partnership for Africa's Development (Nepad), "is a serious discussion", she said, "and we expect members of this parliament will take the issues, already defined by the AU, very seriously."
Referring to her election as president, Mongela
said the parliament was challenging the world by breaking down stereotypes. "We are the only continent which is working very practically to narrow the gap between the genders", she told journalists. "This is real history, and we must be proud of it."
Mongela described her new role as a big personal challenge that would require time, commitment and integrity. "I have to reprogramme my life to serve Africa", she said.
Later on Thursday, the body elected four vice-presidents representing central, western, northern and southern Africa. The four vice-president, together with the president, make up the bureau of the parliament, and will act as its business unit.
The four are: Fernando Van-Dunem (representing southern Africa), Mohammed Lutfi Farhat (northern Africa), Elise Neloumsi Loum (central Africa), and Jerome Sacca Kina Guezere (western Africa).
Source: BuaNews
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Challenging stereotypes of women and Africa - Gertrude Mongella, first president of the Pan African Parliament (Photo: Kepa) |
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