1. law, govt and politics
2. legal issues
3. human rights

YEARS OF WOMEN IN POLITICS
CONFERENCE
DANISH INSTITUTE FOR
PARTIES AND DEMOCRACY
1915-2015
Women in Politics
CONFERENCE
ABOUT THE COVER PHOTO
The photo is taken on the 5th of June 1915, when an estimated 20.000 Danish women
marched through the streets of Copenhagen to celebrate the change of the Danish constitution, giving Danish women the right to vote. In 2015, the women’s 1915 march still stand
as an emblem for the introduction of modern democracy in Denmark. This year, on the 5th
of June, the historic march organized by the organization Danish Women’s Society (Dansk
Kvindesamfund) will be reenacted, to celebrate the anniversary of 100 years of Danish
women’s suffrage. All of you are welcome to participate.
WELCOME TO THE CELEBRATION OF
100 YEARS OF WOMEN IN POLITICS IN DENMARK
What have we learned since 1915?
What can others around the world learn from us?
What can Denmark learn from other approaches?
What are our common future challenges?
These are some of the questions we would like to discuss during the two day conference
we have invited you to participate in on June 3-4, just the day before the celebration of
the 100th anniversary of the 1915 Constitution.
This occasion offers an opportunity to engage with our partner organizations concerned with women’s rights, civil society and women in politics from Asia, the Middle
East, Africa and South America, to reflect critically together on the “Danish approach”
and women in politics, in Denmark as well as abroad.
The Danish 1915 Constitution gave women the right to vote; this being a major step
towards Denmark becoming a truly democratic society. Danish women were among the
first in the world to be granted full political rights. In 1924, Denmark made political
world history with the appointment of the first female cabinet minister. But it was only
in the 2011 parliamentary elections that Denmark saw its first woman rise to the position of Prime Minister.
Despite Denmark being known as a country with a high level of gender equality
there are still major challenges concerning women in politics; i.e. increasing the number of women elected at the local level and reversing the stagnation of the number of
women in politics in general during the last four elections. Nevertheless we believe that
there are good reasons to celebrate, share experiences and explore possibilities of the
future with our partners from around the world on this occasion.
In bringing together our partners, members of the Danish political parties and representatives from civil society to take stock of where we are, we believe that we will all
be better equipped to meet both existing and new challenges.
The conference is taking its point of departure in ‘the Danish approach’; however
we are by no means trying to suggest that this approach is the only way to go. We have
worked 100 years to get where we are. Others have achieved the results in a much shorter span of time, and in an entirely different and much more efficient way. Denmark has
a lot to learn from others.
Our hope is that the conference will be an opportunity to reflect on and share ideas,
knowledge, experience and expertise that can be adapted to the needs of individual
countries and contexts worldwide. It is our ambition and hope that we all leave with
energy and inspiration to meet the challenges regarding women in politics globally.
Nina Groes, Director, KVINFO
Bjørn Førde, Director, DIPD
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JUNE 3, DAY 1
CONFERENCE
08:30 — 09:00
ARRIVAL AND REGISTRATION
09:00 — 09:15
WELCOME REMARKS
Mette Gjerskov, Acting Chairman, DIPD
09:15 — 09:30
KEYNOTE SPEECH
Martin Bille Hermann, State Secretary for Development Policy
09:30 — 10:30
PANEL 1: THE DANISH APPROACH — A DANISH PERSPECTIVE
Moderator: Lone Loklindt, Denmark, Member of Parliament
Jytte Larsen, Denmark — Researcher, KVINFO
Drude Dahlerup, Denmark — Professor, Stockholm University
10:30 — 11:00
COFFEE BREAK
11:00 — 12:30
PANEL 2: THE DANISH APPROACH — A GLOBAL PERSPECTIVE
Moderator: Eva Kjer Hansen, Denmark, Member of Parliament
Besma Soudani, Tunisia — Président de LET
Phuntshok Tshering, Bhutan — Coordinator BNEW
Trine Pertou Mach, Denmark — Member of Parliament
12:30 — 13:30
LUNCH BREAK
13:30 — 14:45
PANEL 3: THE ROAD TO POLITICAL POWER
Moderator: Lone Dybkjær, Denmark, Former MP and Minister
Wafaa Bani Mustafa, Jordan — Member of Parliament
Pia Olsen Dyhr, Denmark — Leader of the Socialist People’s Party
Clara Mary Makungwa, Malawi — Former Minister of Gender
14:45 — 15:15
COFFEE BREAK
15:15 — 16:30
PANEL 4: WOMEN IN LOCAL POLITICS — WHY LOCAL MATTERS
Moderator: Helle Sjelle, Denmark, Former Member of Parliament
Asma Chaabi, Morocco — First female mayor in Morocco
Namgay Peldon, Bhutan — Gup of Dagana Dzongkhag
Catherine Deynu, Ghana — National Women’s Group, NDC
16:30 — 16:45
CONCLUDING REMARKS OF THE DAY
Nina Groes, Director, KVINFO
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JUNE 4, DAY 2
CONFERENCE
08:30 — 09:00
ARRIVAL AND REGISTRATION
09:00 — 09:15
WELCOME REMARKS
Katarina Blomqvist, Head of Int. Department, KVINFO
09:15 — 09:30
KEYNOTE SPEECH
Manu Sareen, Minister for Gender Equality
09:30 — 10:45
PANEL 5: ALTERNATIVE APPROACHES
Moderator: Dennis Nørmark, Denmark, DIPD
Hind Bensari, Morocco — Filmmaker
Rana Gaber, Egypt — Dialogue ambassador DUF
Lina Abou Habib, Lebanon — Director for CRTD-A
10:45 — 11:15
COFFEE BREAK
11:15 — 12:30
PANEL 6: POLITICAL VIOLENCE AND WOMEN
Moderator: Astrid Krag, Denmark, MP and former Minister
Azza Soliman, Egypt — Director, CEWLA
Shristhi Rana, Nepal — DIPD Representative
Yildiz Akdogan, Denmark — Member of Parliament
12:30 — 13:30
LUNCH BREAK
13:30 — 15:30
HIGH-LEVEL DEBATE
Moderator: Steen Nørskov, Danish Radio
Martin Lidegaard, Danish Minister of Foreign Affairs
Chitra Lekha Yadav, Nepal, Minister of Education
Martha Karua, Kenya, Presidential Candidate
Asha-Rose Mtengeti-Migiro, Tanzania, Minister of Justice
Reem Abu Hassan, Jordan, Minister of Social Development
15:30 — 15:45
CONCLUDING REMARKS
Bjørn Førde, Director, DIPD
15:45 — 17:00
RECEPTION
Hosted by Mette Gjerskov, Acting Chair of DIPD and Nina
Groes, Director of KVINFO
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OBJECTIVES OF THE CONFERENCE
AND 6 THEMATIC PANELS
The general purpose of the conference is to use the 100 year anniversary of women’s suffrage in Denmark as an opportunity to dialogue with
representatives of KVINFO’s and DIPD’s partner organizations, as well
as representatives of Danish civil society and political parties about the
strengths, weaknesses and possibilities for inspiration from the Danish
approach.
From this point of departure, in mutual exchange of experiences,
the purpose is to impinge upon the issue of women in politics at a concrete as well as a general level. The conference can be seen as part of ongoing activities with our partners, with the following specific objectives:
The conference will create a space for knowledge and experience sharing
among stakeholders working with democracy assistance, equality, women’s rights and women in politics in different parts of the world and in
very different environments;
The conference will offer Danish stakeholders in the political parties and
civil society organizations an opportunity to dialogue with colleagues
working under very different conditions;
The conference will allow DIPD and KVINFO respectively to develop
further guidance for their partnerships, thus taking the next step in building on the foundation established in recent years.
Discussions will be organized in a series of thematic panels, which will
allow for a broad variety of experiences from around the world to be
presented and discussed.
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PANEL 1
THE DANISH APPROACH — A DANISH PERSPECTIVE
In 1915, the Danish Constitution was changed to give Danish women the
right to vote. This was an important milestone in the process of Danish
women’s involvement and participation in politics, as well as in democratization as such. Many actors, including the women’s organizations
played a major role in changing the constitution, thereby improving
formal equality between men and women in Danish society. However,
the process of women gaining voice and leadership in the Danish political landscape has been long and challenging. It took several decades,
from the first elections in 1918 when four women were elected until the
1970’ies, for women to really put their mark on the political agenda. And
today, having a female prime minister and nearly 40% women in the
Danish parliament, it is clear that women’s political empowerment and
representation needs constant attention and hard work.
Guiding questions: What made it possible for women to gain political
rights as early as 1915? What have the barriers for Danish women to gain
equal representation been, from 1915 up until today? What have been the
windows of opportunity? Are Danish women content with the situation
— or is there still more to fight for?
PANEL 2
THE DANISH APPROACH — A GLOBAL PERSPECTIVE
Every day women around the world are fighting for political influence, participation and leadership. Despite positive gains globally, many
challenges and barriers of a legal, social or economic nature, prevent
women to access political leadership positions and representation on
equal terms with men. In Denmark, women are visible in the political
landscape; they have political influence, take leadership and are represented in the public debate. What are the underlying premises? In exchanging experiences, it will be possible to discuss strengths and weaknesses and have mutual inspiration.
Guiding questions: Can the political history of Danish women be of inspiration and learning for other societies? Are there elements from the
Danish political system that are especially conducive for a high representation of women — if yes, which elements in particular? Which are
the shortcomings? Which other methods to enhance women’s political
representation are effective?
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PANEL 3
THE ROAD TO POLITICAL POWER
Though situations vary among countries, there are some universal
trends in the barriers to women’s participation in politics. It is imperative to examine and consider these challenges. While no ideal environment currently exists to jumpstart the advancement of women’s
political participation, there are certain conditions that make it easier.
Focusing on challenges and experiences, women will share their story
of their personal road to political power, offering inspiration for others
and making room for dialogue on what it takes to gain political power in
various socio-cultural and political contexts.
Guiding questions: What has characterized the panellists’ road to political power? Which structural obstacles have they met on the way? How
have they overcome challenges? How should the political system be reformed to be more inclusive towards women? What characterize the panellists’ personal success? What advice would they give to others?
PANEL 4
WOMEN IN LOCAL POLITICS — WHY LOCAL MATTERS
Local politics concerns everyday life, and it is a way to make local changes in regard to matters that are locally important. Engaging in local politics can therefore be an opportunity for women to engage in decision
making, local change and political and economic empowerment. The
various reasons, the number of Danish women participating in local politics is significantly lower compared to participation at national level.
In various other contexts women are involved in local politics, but how
can even more women in a global perspective be involved on a local level.
Guiding questions: What are the key reasons for being — or not being
-involved at the local level? How are the conditions for women’s participation, influence and decision making locally in various contexts?
Which challenges have women met — personally and structurally? What
is the role of political parties to engage women in local politics?
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PANEL 5
ALTERNATIVE APPROACHES TO POLITICAL INFLUENCE
Entering formal political systems is not the only way to achieve political
participation and influence. In Denmark as well as in other parts of the
world, numerous accounts of individuals and organizations are trying
to change legislation, mobilize opinion and motivate for action. Alternative approaches often give way to political power, influence and participation to actors outside the political system. Through advocacy and
lobbying, film-making, art and music, political performance and social
media the world of politics is influenced and changed. From this point of
departure, the session will focus on how women — as individuals and/
or through organizations — can achieve political influence in informal
ways by mobilizing public opinion and advocating for change.
Guiding questions: What are the experiences of the panellists in using
non-traditional means to achieve societal change? What is the motivation of the panellists for their actions? Has political change been an intentional/strategic goal? How has the political system in their respective
country reacted on the actions of the panellists?
PANEL 6
POLITICAL VIOLENCE AND WOMEN
Political violence occurs in different shapes and forms and women in politics are more targeted than men. Political systemic violence and marginalization; ridicule and harassment; violence between different political
actors; and violence that spans from verbal abuse and threats to sexual
and violent attacks against politicians. Depending on the context, political violence shows itself in different ways; a recent TV documentary
documents how Danish female politicians are attacked through new social media; in other countries women in politics are facing more violent
threats.
Guiding questions: How does political violence pose a problem in different contexts? What types of violations and intimidations are women
experiencing in their political life? How to overcome the challenges political violence present women with? How have the women on the panel
dealt with violence, and what would their advice be to others?
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THE DANISH HISTORY
ON GENDER AND DEMOCRACY
Danish women were among the first in the world to be granted full political rights, in 1915. It took seventy years from the time women’s suffrage
was instituted until female politicians made up a so-called critical mass
of thirty per cent, which any minority generally speaking must achieve
in order to obtain real influence.
In Denmark, as everywhere else in the world, women’s political history is an integrated part of the national development towards democracy. And in Denmark, as in other Western countries, the women’s movement has been a central player in the struggles for political rights and,
subsequently, for political representation.
Most important for a new equal status strategy in Denmark, i.e. the
struggle for democratic rights to all, regardless of gender, social class,
and civil status, were the husband and wife couple, Fredrik and Mathilde
Bajer. The couple drew their inspiration from the international women’s
movement and the British couple Harriet Taylor and John Stuart Mill
whose close intellectual collaboration found its final form in The Subjection of Women (1869), the first scholarly dissertation on the societal
significance of gender.
In keeping with the women’s movement in general, Harriet Taylor
and John Stewart Mill placed great emphasis on women’s political rights.
The right to vote is labelled “a means of self-protection”, which women
had sore need of in questions involving “interests of women, as such,”
since “we know what legal protection the slaves have, where the laws are
made by their masters”.
“
Equality before the law was
the original feminist demand.
The Subjection of Women was an exemplary exposition of the
three classical forms of argumentation employed by the movement
for women’s suffrage, justice, representation, and resources. The
first two of these advocate for women’s human rights, including the
right to political representation of their interests. The third claims
that it is not only an obligation of a democratic society to allow its
entire mass of talent to unfold, doing so is also beneficial to society.
THE START OF A WOMEN’S MOVEMENT
The historical influence of The Subjection of Women can hardly be overestimated. The book spurred the formation of the Danish Women’s Society, chaired by Mathilde Bajer, and it forms the subtext for the political
debates on equal rights that Fredrik Bajer, as a Member of Parliament, in-
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itiated in close collaboration with the women’s movement. In the years
leading up to the turn of the twentieth century, the women’s movement
had changed from being an elite Copenhagen phenomenon to a countrywide organisation with tens of thousands of activists that had made
universal suffrage a popular demand.
On the local level, the breakthrough came in 1908 with the adoption
of a modern Municipal Voting Rights Act, and on a national level the watershed moment was the adoption of the new Constitutional Act in 1915
giving women the right to vote.
Married women were granted the vote by special exemption because
they were unable to fulfil the general demands in the Voting Rights Act
that all voters have disposal over their estate and be taxpayers, until a
reform of the Marriage Act rendered them fully competent in the eyes of
the law in 1925 — sixty-eight years later than their non-married sisters.
“
Women stormed into
Parliament during the 1970’ies.
Equality before the law is the original feminist demand, and the 1915
amendment to the Constitutional Act was celebrated with parties, parades, and memorials across Denmark because the recognition of women’s political rights was regarded as the constitutional establishment of
women’s rights. This view was supported by the fact that the government had changes to remaining gender discriminatory legislation on its
to-do list, and that those political parties that did not already have equal
rights on their agendas now revised their platforms to include it.
DISAPPOINTING FIRST RESULTS
The first elections were disappointing. The municipal elections of 1909
resulted in a female representation of 1.3% and a gender distribution in
municipal politics of 127 women to 9682 men. Women fared only marginally better in the national elections of 1918. Only 4 of the 140 elected
candidates were women.
The representation of women in Parliament falls into three phases,
which mirror the general situation when it comes to equal status policy:
1915-1945 with less than 5% female representation; 1945-1971 with a female representation of up to 10%; 1971-2011 with a rapid and sustained
growth in female representation towards the 40% mark.
The first phase ends with the close of the Second World War, when a
great window of opportunity opened up in equal rights policy, as is often
the case in post-crisis situations. Across the world, women had made a
significant contribution during the war years, both on the home front
and in the field.
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The second phase ends with the beginning of the second feminist wave in the
wake of the 1960’s youth rebellions. The 1970’s became the women’s decade
par excellence, not least due to the United Nations’ prominent focus on equal
rights, including the International Women’s Year, the World Conference on
Women, and a bill of rights for women: the Convention on the Elimination of
all Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW).
In Denmark, women stormed into parliament, where the percentage of
women surged from 11% to 24% over the course of the 1970s. And in a new
development, women’s political representation continued to increase. Following the long period of stagnation, focus shifted from political rights to
political participation, and the feminist tenet that political organs not having an equal gender distribution are illegitimate now received broad popular
support.
The young women brought the issues of pregnancy, birth, and parental
leave with them into political life. When the first pregnant woman ran for
Parliament in 1971, and was elected, it made the headlines. Front pages were
cleared again when the first female minister gave birth while in office in 1998.
Since then, many have followed in their footsteps, and today noone disputes
female politicians’ right to have children while holding office.
WHY DID IT TAKE A HUNDRED YEARS?
Commitment to feminist politics was relegated to off-duty hours up until
the second feminist wave, in which a large, young, and highly educated generation of women occupied universities and under the motto of Research of
women, by women, for women developed theories on the societal importance of gender that finally put feminism on a scholarly par with liberalism
and socialism.
“
Parties more interested in female
voters than in female candidates.
In 1915, equality before the law and political rights were the undisputed
road to equal status. Though there were discussions in what remained of the
women’s movement of forming a women’s party, and though women’s lists
were entered in the first municipal elections, the main tenet throughout the
inter-war years was that women should enrol in and run for office as members of existing political parties.
However, in the parties the interest in female voters was higher than the
interest in female candidates, and more so once the first election results had
been reviewed. Political parties maintained that the state no longer had a part
to play, given that direct gender discrimination in legislation had been abolished. From here on, it was up to civil society and the market to create a fitting
gender balance. Until 1945, this meant one female Member of Parliament per
party.
Following the Second World War, the women’s movement expanded its
repertoire to include proper electoral campaigns. In the 1945 elections, the
“vote for a woman”-campaign was launched. This was to become a fixture of
Danish electoral campaigns for many years to come.
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The concept is simple: activists position themselves outside voting stations carrying posters encouraging voters on their way to the ballot to vote for
a woman. This is also when the women’s movement founded the tradition of
cross-party election meetings — a tradition still alive today.
MEDIA EVENTS TO SECURE MORE WOMEN IN POLITICS
The most spectacular campaign was carried out in the municipal elections of
1970, when the entire female elite in the country was mobilised in a large-scale
media push. The weekend preceding the elections, every nationwide newspaper as well as the major regional papers carried opinion pieces urging voters to
vote for a female candidate and written by politicians from all parties, leading
members of the women’s organisations, and famous artists.
In 1945, the women’s movement suggested the implementation of a quota
system in the form of a proposal that all parties be mandated to reserve 33 per
cent of the spots on their lists of candidates for women. This type of affirmative
action did not receive broad support until the third wave of the movement between 1977 and 1996. Several parties operated with some form of quota system
or other.
“
What has 100 years of women in
politics meant to Danish society?
First and foremost, it has meant democratisation. Long gone are the days
when regimes that reserved political rights for (select groups of) men could be
labelled democratic. Today, democracy legitimises itself through universal human rights and equal political representation. In other words, by recognising
the legitimacy of feminism’s first two arguments for women’s political rights.
INSPIRATION FOR OTHERS?
The question remains whether the Danish model may serve as inspiration for
countries undergoing democratic transition today, when alternative, and faster, roads to political equality are available. Quota systems, in particular, have
proven to be very effective instruments.
But maybe the secret to sustainable equal status development is that it is
rooted in a combination of top-down and bottom-up politics. The state may
institute equality before the law, but carrying this over into equality in life required the cooperation of civil society. And here, others can perhaps draw on
the experiences of the Danish women’s movement when it comes to information campaigns, women’s mobilisation and organisation within political parties, and electoral campaigns.
The article is a shortened and edited version of the article written by Jytte
Larsen, senior research consultant with KVINFO, for a DIPD background paper
in 2012.
The article is a shortened and edited version of the article written by Jytte Larsen,
senior research consultant with KVINFO, for a DIPD background paper in 2012.
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BIOGRAPHIES OF SPEAKERS
The following list includes all speakers, moderators and presenters featuring in
the programme. They are mentioned in alphabetical order based on the surname.
Ms. Yildiz Akdogan
MP, Social Democrats, Denmark
Yildiz was a Member of Parliament for the Danish Social Democrats from 20072011, and again from 2014. In the meantime she was elected as a City Council Member in Copenhagen Municipality. In Parliament she holds positions in committees
like the committee for gender equality, environment and foreign affairs. She has
also been member of the board of Humanity in Action and spokesperson for the
organisation Democratic Muslims. Ms. Akdogan holds a degree in Political Science
from the University of Aarhus and has written several articles on the European
Union and Turkey.
Ms. Besma Soudani Belhadj
Chairwoman of La Ligue des Electrices Tunisiennes (LET), Tunisia
Besma Soudani Belhadj has been an activist in civil society for many years. She
has a MA in linguistics and gender studies. Since 2011 until early 2014, she worked
as a programme specialist for the MEPI Regional Office (Middle East Partnership
Initiative) in Tunis, Tunisia, and she is currently the Director of Euromed office in
Tunisia. In 2011, she founded the League of Tunisian Women Voters and she is still
the president. The league aims to strengthen participation of women in the electoral process as observer, voter and candidate in order to make them more active
in their community.
Ms. Hind Bensari
Documentarist, Morocco
Born in Casablanca, Hind Bensari moved to London with her parents at the age
of 13. She holds a certificate in International Political Economy from the London
School of Economics. She quit her job as Business Development Manager for an
investment fund to direct her first documentary 475:Break the Silence, about the
tragic fate of Amina Filali, a 16 year-old girl who killed herself after she was allegedly forced to marry the man who raped her. This pushed Hind to go back to
her country of origins and investigate the situation of rape victims in Morocco.
Completely self-taught, she raised funds for her first project on the net, and led a
campaign to raise awareness on this issue worldwide.
Ms. Katarina Blomqvist
Director of International Programmes, KVINFO, Denmark
Katarina Blomqvist has extensive expertise in the field of women’s rights and politics in the Middle East and North Africa. As Director of International Programmes
and previously as Programme Advisor and research librarian at KVINFO, she has
focused on equality, feminism, gender research and women’s history. She has
been responsible for building up a research library for gender and development at
Sana’a University in Yemen and the Nordic-Arab Network of Research on Women’s
Empowerment, Gender and Politics. She has been a member of various boards and
networks, amongst those the Women Information Network Europe and ATHENA,
Advanced Thematic Network in European Women’s Studies.
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Mrs. Asma Chaabi
First female Mayor, Morocco
Asma Chaabi is the first woman to be democratically elected mayor in Morocco, in
2003. With natural leadership and a corporate background, she brought positive
change to the city of Essaouira and the region. Before running for office, Asma
Chaabi was and still is the Executive President of Ynna Holding, one of Morocco’s
largest privately owned conglomerates. She serves on several foundation and NGO
Boards with a focus on women, children’s issues, and the underprivileged. Mrs.
Chaabi has shared her knowledge and experience on issues concerned with political reforms, family laws, human rights and gender inequality. She is a MP and
Director of Board of International Women’s Forum.
Ms. Phuntshok Chhoden
Coordinator, Bhutan Network for Empowering Women, Bhutan
A development worker engaged in gender mainstreaming for many years at national, regional and international level. In 2010 she was involved in setting up the
Bhutan Association of Women Entrepreneurs, bringing women together to work
on economic empowerment of rural and poor women. Ms. Chhoden serves as the
Chair of Bhutan Country Coordinating Mechanism for the Global Fund to fight
AIDS, TB and Malaria. Currently she is coordinating the activities of Bhutan Network of Elected Women (BNEW), an outcome of the first ever national consultation
in Bhutan of the elected woman representatives in local government.
Ms. Drude Dahlerup
Professor of Political Science at Stockholm University, Sweden
Graduated from University of Aarhus in Denmark. She is an expert on gender and
politics, and a consultant for international organizations to countries on how to
empower women in politics, especially through various quota systems, e.g. in
Cambodia, Sierra Leone, Kosovo, Tunisia, Egypt and Bhutan. Among her recent
publications are Women, Quotas and Politics (ed., Routledge 2006), Breaking Male
Dominance in Old Democracies (with Monique Leyenaar, Oxford University Press,
2013). Drude Dahlerup is one of the 25 members of the Global Civil Society Advisory Group to the executive director of UN Women.
Ms. Catherine Deynu
Deputy National women organizer NDC, Ghana
Ms. Deynu is the Deputy National women organizer of the National Democratic
Congress (NDC). She studied Master of Philosophy in Nursing from the University
of Ghana and at the University of Alberta, Canada. She helped conduct a Research
for Harvard University in the US on Women’s Health in Accra. Ms. Deynu is the
Founder and Executive Director of Mon Rêve, an organisation focusing on Health
Education and Training as well as women and youth empowerment. She serves on
many boards including Social Investment Fund and works with a number of committees and market women associations.
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Ms. Lone Dybkjær
Former Minister, MP and MEP, Social Liberal Party, Denmark
Lone Dybkjær was a Member of Parliament from 1973 to 2011 for the Social Liberal
Party. This period also includes long periods in other positions, such as member
of the European Parliament form 1994-2004. At the European parliament she was
a member of the committees on women, environment and constitutional affairs.
She served as a Minister of Environment from 1988 to 1990. Ms. Dybkjær has also
held the position of board member of the Oslo Center for Peace and Human Rights
and co-chaired the Asian University for Women in Bangladesh. She holds a degree
as a Civil Engineer from the Danish Technical University.
Ms. Pia Olsen Dyhr
Party Leader, Member of Parliament, Socialist People’s Party, Denmark
Pia Olsen Dyhr has been Member of Parliament since 2007 and the political leader
of the Socialist People’s Party since 2014. Her party joined the coalition government formed after elections in 2011, and she served as minister for Trade and Investment and later Transport until her party left the government in February 2014.
She holds a MA in Political Science from the University of Copenhagen, and has
previously worked as political coordinator for CARE Denmark and international
coordinator for the Danish Society for Nature Conservation. She has also served as
deputy chair of Mellemfolkeligt Samvirke/(ActionAid, a Danish NGO.
Mr. Bjørn Førde
Director of DIPD, Denmark
Before joining DIPD, he was Director of the UNDP Oslo Governance Centre, a global
thematic facility for democratic governance in UNDP. Previously, he was the Resident Representative of UNDP and Resident Coordinator of the UN in Botswana
2002-2005. He is educated as a political scientist from the University of Copenhagen, and from 1975 to 2002 he held various positions with the Danish NGO
Mellemfolkeligt Samvirke, including that of Secretary General 1995-2002. He has
served as a member of the Board of Danida, and he is the author of several books
on development.
Ms. Rana Gaber
Dialogue Ambassador, Egypt
Rana Gaber is a trainer and dialogue facilitator. She has worked for five years in
youth development, primarily with several youth-led NGOs, and most significantly as the Director of Programs in the Egyptian Youth Federation. She is an
active member in a number of youth initiatives and projects, chief among them
the Ambassadors for Dialogue, a partnership between WE center in Jordan, Youth
Federation in Egypt and the Danish Youth Council. The project aims at fostering a
dialogue culture for the Middle East and Denmark. Gaber is a graduate of Economic
and Political Science at Cairo University and holds a diploma in International Relations from the American University in Cairo.
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Ms. Mette Gjerskov
Former Minister, MP for Social Democrats, Deputy Chair of DIPD, Denmark
Mette Gjerskov is the acting chairperson for DIPD. She is a former Minister for Food,
Agriculture and Fisheries and currently a MP for the Danish Social Democrats. She
is the chairman of the Committee on Foreign Affairs in Parliament and the Social
Democratic spokesperson on Development Cooperation. Ms. Gjerskov holds a MA
in Agronomics from the Royal Danish Veterinary and Agricultural University. Previously, she has been the Chief Executive of the Volunteer Center in Denmark and
the Head of Section at the BioTIK Secretariat at the National Consumer Agency of
Denmark. She has also served as Vice President of the Danish Red Cross.
Ms. Nina Groes
Director of KVINFO, the Danish Centre of Gender, Equality and Diversity, Denmark
Nina Groes is the director of KVINFO. Before joining KVINFO, as an entrepreneur
Ms. Groes in 2012 founded her own counseling business Change Agency; working
with the implementation of strategies and processes of change in the public as well
as in the private sector. Previously Ms. Groes has been the Head of Division of the
Centre of Growth Analysis as well as Head of Section at the Agency for Modernisation in the Ministry of Finance. Being interested in politics, Ms. Groes has been politically active. She holds a Master in Administration and Sociology from Roskilde
University.
Ms. Lina Abou Habib
Director of CRTD-A, Lebanon
Lina Abu Habib is the Director of the Collective for Research and Training on Development–Action, a regional organization working in research, programme interventions, campaigning and lobbying on gender equality and social justice in the
MENA region. She has been involved in the design and management of research and
development programmes on gender and citizenship, economy, trade and gender
and leadership; is a programme advisor for the Women’s Learning Partnership and
the Global Fund for Women; and on the editorial board of Oxfam’s journal, Gender
and Development. Currently, she is coordinating CRTD-A’s Arab Women’s Right to
Nationality Campaign.
Ms. Eva Kjer Hansen
MP, former minister and MEP, Liberal Party, Denmark
Ms. Kjer Hansen is the former minister of social affairs and gender equality (20042007) and agriculture and fisheries (2007-2010). She currently serves as Member of
Parliament and chair of the committee on European Affairs, and before the change
in government she held the position as chair of the parliamentary committee on
foreign policy. She has also been a member of the European parliament and served
as vice president of ELDR. Ms. Kjer Hansen holds a Master degree in Economics
from the University of Copenhagen.
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Ms. Reem Abu Hassan
Minister of Social Development of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan
Since April 2013 Her Excellency Reem Abu Hassan has been the Minister of Social
Development in Jordan. She holds a Master in Law, and as a human rights activist she has been focusing on family protection and women’s empowerment. She
has established the Human Rights and Family Affairs Directorate of the Ministry
of Justice, and in 2010 HE was head of Family Counselling and Reconciliation
Committee. In 2011-13, she became Secretary-General of the National Council for
Family Affairs. She is also President of the Jordanian Society for Protecting Victims of Family Violence and a member of the Board of Directors, National Center
for Human Rights.
Mr. Martin Bille Hermann
State Secretary for Development Policy, Denmark
Before starting as State Secretary for Development Policy in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 2014, he was Danish Ambassador in Indonesia 2012-2014 and also
accredited to East Timor and Papua New Guinea and Representative of Denmark
to ASEAN. He has also been Head of Department for Asia and Pacific Ocean;
Deputy Head of Department for Development Policy; and Deputy Head at the
Danish Embassy in Nepal. He has a Master of Economics from the University of
Copenhagen and a M.Sc. in Development Management from the London School
of Economics.
Ms. Martha Karua
Member of Parliament, former minister and Presidential Candidate, Kenya
Martha Karua has been Member of Parliament since 1992. She was the only woman standing for the Kenyan presidency in 2013. She has gained a reputation for
her contributions to the development of constitutional, administrative and family law, and she has served as Minister for Justice until her resignation in 2009.
Leading the League of Women Voters, Karua has won several awards praising her
work in both parliament and the high court, to advance and protect women’s
rights. She has consistently been one of the leading voices in calling for the expansion of democratic space and gender issues. She holds a Masters in law and
worked as a Magistrate from 1981 to 1987.
Ms. Astrid Krag
Member of Parliament, Denmark
Ms. Krag is a former Danish Minister of the Interior and Health, representing
the Socialist People’s Party(SF). She now serves as a member of parliament for
the Danish Social Democrats (Socialdemokraterne). Among other positions she
is member of the Danish parliament’s committee on gender equality. Furthermore she was the leader of the youth wing of Danish Socialist People’s Party
from 2005 to 2007. Ms. Krag holds a bachelor’s degree in Political Science.
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Ms. Jytte Larsen
Senior Research Consultant with KVINFO, Denmark
Ms. Larsen is a historian and research librarian at KVINFO, the Danish Centre
for Gender, Equality and Diversity. In her research and publications Ms. Larsen
focuses on gender history, feminism and equality. Over the last twenty years
Ms. Larsen has contributed extensively with scientific articles and lectures on
these issues, especially for the Danish Labour Union and several women’s organizations. She is producing book reviews for Danish and international gender
research periodicals, and has contributed to several anthologies. Her latest book
“Også andre hensyn. Dansk ligestillingspolitik 1849-1915” is the first volume of a
handbook about the history of Danish equality policies.
Mr. Martin Lidegaard
Minister of Foreign Affairs, Social Liberal Party, Denmark
Martin Lidegaard was appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs in February of 2014.
From 2011-2014 he served as the Minister for Climate and Energy. Mr. Lidegaard
has previously been a Member of Parliament representing the Danish Social
Liberal Party from 2001 to 2007. He holds a Master’s Degree in communication
from the University of Roskilde and has previously worked as Head of Information at the major Danish NGO Mellemfolkeligt Samvirke. He was the founder
and chair of the think-tank on green energy and climate, CONCITO.
Ms. Lone Loklindt
Member of Parliament, Social Liberal Party, Denmark
Lone Loklindt is a Member of Parliament for the Social Liberal Party, chairperson
for the Environment Committee and spokesperson on areas such as environment, development cooperation and human rights. She holds an MSc in Business and Development from Copenhagen Business School, and an MBA from European University in Brussels. Ms. Loklindt’s working career includes positions
abroad, intercultural management, entrepreneurship and CSR consulting. She
has also been elected as a councillor to the local municipality of Frederiksberg.
Ms. Trine Pertou Mach
Member of Parliament for Socialist People’s Party, Denmark
Trine Pertou Mach has been a member of parliament for the Socialist People’s
Party since 2013. She has previously served as Chair of the Board of the Danish
NGO Mellemfolkeligt Samvirke and has an in-depth knowledge and experience
with international affairs and development cooperation from having worked
with the Danish Institute for Human Rights, DanChurch Aid and from having
been a Social Affairs Advisor to the EU-Commission delegation to Cairo. Trine
Pertou Mach holds a MA in Political Science from the University of Aarhus.
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Ms. Clara Mary Makungwa
Former Minister, Malawi
Ms. Makungwa is the former minister of Gender, Children and Social Welfare.
She holds a Bachelor of Education along with several certificates in gender studies. She is currently the National Director of Women in the People’s Party, Advisor to the party’s President on women affairs and Board member at the Centre
for Multi-Party Democracy (CMD). Ms. Makungwa also served as a Special Assistant to the first female President of Malawi, Dr. Joyce Banda. She has attended
several commissions on women’s Status at the United Nations and gender platforms at the African Union.
Ms. Asha-Rose Mtengeti-Migiro
Minister of Justice, Tanzania
Asha-Rose Mtengeti-Migiro has served in three ministries, including Foreign Affairs and Community Development, Women and Children. She is currently serving as Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs. She has been MP for two
terms 2000-2010. In 2007, she was appointed as UN Deputy Secretary General
by Ban-Ki Moon. During her time in the UN, one of her focus areas was elimination of violence against women. She was also Chair of the SADC Ministerial Committee of the Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation; and President of the UN Security Council during its open debate on peace, security and
development in the Great Lakes Region. Ms. Mtengeti-Migiro holds a PhD in legal
studies from Konstanz University.
Ms. Wafaa Bani Mustafa
Member of Parliament, Jordan
Elected for a second term to Parliament in 2012, Ms. Bani Mustafa won her seat
competitively outside the women’s quota. She is well- known and respected as a
leading female figure, who has adopted several legislative amendments for the
benefit of women, e.g. the right of Jordanian women married to non-Jordanians
to pass their citizenship to their children. Ms. Wafaa Bani Mustafa was the first
to hold the seat of Coordinator in the first-ever established Jordanian Parliamentary Women’s Caucus. She was selected to head the Pan-Arab Women’s Parliamentary Coalition to Combat Domestic Violence, and selected to sit on the Advisory Board of the National Center for Human Rights. Wafaa Bani Mustafa holds
a Master in Law.
Mr. Dennis Nørmark
Consultant, DIPD Board Member, Denmark
Dennis Nørmark is a writer and commentator at the daily newspaper Politiken,
and a former lecturer at Aarhus University, Department of Anthropology. He
writes books, and gives lectures on popular science in the humanities and social
sciences, and develops teaching and consultancy work in cultural understanding. Mr. Nørmark is a former chief consultant and currently a board member of
both DIPD and the Danish Broadcasting Corporation (DR). He is a regular guest
on Danish television and radio, both as an opinion maker and as a professional
anthropologist.
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Mr. Steen Nørskov
Journalist at the Danish Broadcasting Corporation, Denmark
Steen Nørskov is an award winning Danish presenter and foreign affairs correspondent. He works for Danish Broadcasting Corporation and is currently the
presenter of the daily current affairs radio program ‘Orientering’, as well as presenter and editor of his own weekly program on life and developments in the
Arab World. Mr. Nørskov is a former Middle East and North Africa correspondent, but has also covered human rights and development issues, international
politics and security affairs. He is an experienced moderator and has facilitated
debates for among others the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Danish Institute for Human Rights.
Ms. Namgay Pelden
Gup (locally elected at district level), Bhutan
Namgay Pelden was only 25 years old when she was elected as the Chair or “Gup”
of one of 14 Local Governments of her District in Bhutan. She was one of 22 women across the country whose nominations were endorsed by respective communities and the Election Commission of Bhutan since democracy was introduced
by the King in Bhutan. On 27 June 2011, when the results of the first local elections were announced, Namgay stood out as the only female candidate who had
won from her constituency and thus elected as the Gup. The position of a Gup
has traditionally been held by generations of men. Before joining politics, Mrs.
Namgay Peldon was a non-formal education instructor.
Ms. Shrishti Rana
DIPD Representative, Nepal
Shristy Rana heads the DIPD office in Nepal. Prior to working with DIPD, she was
involved in numerous international non-profit organizations, like the Danish International Development Assistance Human Rights and Good Governance Unit
(Danida HUGOU), the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES), International IDEA, and the National Democratic Institute (NDI). She taught as a
guest lecturer in Tribhuvan University, Kathmandu and has experience of working for the Election Commission and the Women’s Commission in Nepal. She
holds a Masters in Peace Studies from United Kingdom and a Masters in Politics
from Jawaharlal Nehru University, India.
Mr. Manu Sareen
MP and Minister for Gender Equality, Social Liberal Party, Denmark
He was elected to parliament in 2011 and appointed as minister in the new government. In addition to gender equality, he is also Minister for Ecclesiastical Affairs as well as Minister for Nordic Cooperation. From 2008 to 2010 he worked as
Auditor of Public Accounts. From 2002 to 2011, he served as a member of the City
Council in the municipality of Copenhagen. The minister is educated as a social
worker and he has previously among other things worked as lecturer, teacher
and integration consultant. He is also the author of several children’s books as
well as academic publications.
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Mr. Helle Sjelle
Former member of Parliament, the Conservatives, Denmark
Helle Sjelle is a former member of parliament for the Danish Conservative Party.
When in parliament, she held positions as spokesperson for her party on issues
like gender equality, the European Union and development cooperation. She
was Member of Parliament from 2001 to 2011. Ms. Sjelle has also been elected
councilwoman to the City Council of Copenhagen, where she served from 1998
to 2005. She is presently active in the work of the Conservatives in Tanzania. She
holds a degree in Political Science from the University of Copenhagen.
Ms. Azza Soliman
Director of the CEWLA Foundation, Egypt
Azza Soliman co-founded and chairs the board of trustees for the Center for
Egyptian Women’s Legal Assistance (CEWLA) in Cairo. CEWLA provides free legal,
social, and psychological services to women and marginalized groups, and advocates for improved protections of their rights. Ms. Soliman, an acclaimed leader
in her field, has worked with CEWLA for a decade and has more than 20 years of
experience in the field of women’s rights in Egypt. Ms. Soliman received degrees
in human rights and civil society studies from the Faculty of Economics and Political Science and an LL.B. from Cairo University.
Ms. Chitra Lekha Yadav
Minister of Education, Nepali Congress Party, Nepal
She has held several prestigious ministerial posts, e.g. as Deputy Speaker of the
House of Representative 1999-2008. She has worked as Central Working Committee member and Chief of the women’s department of her party, and as Eastern Regional coordinator of Nepal Women’s Association. Ms. Yadav is well versed
in issues of gender equality, equity and social inclusion. She is one of the key initiators in the formation of the multi-party Women Caucus that has contributed
significantly in advancing women’s issues. Ms. Yadav took major initiative for
adopting the policy of 33% representation of women in parliament, and holds an
MA from Tribhuwan University, Nepal.
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© DIPD and KVINFO
DIPD
Danish Institute for Parties and Democracy
Jemtelandsgade 1, 2300 Copenhagen S, Tel +45 38 40 28 00, Email: dipd@dipd.dk
KVINFO
The Danish Centre for Research and Information on Gender, Equality and Diversity
Christians Brygge 3, 1219 Copenhagen K, Tel +45 33 13 50 88, Email: kvinfo@kvinfo.dk
Responsible Editor:
Bjørn Førde
Editorial Group:
Bjørn Førde, Rebekka Randarsól Vilhelmsen, Trine Tornfeldt Sørensen
Conference Planning:
Susanne Adelhardt, Katarina Blomqvist, Cecilie Poulsen-Hansen Mehyar,
Rebekka Randarsól Vilhelmsen, Trine Tornfeldt Sørensen
Design: Move Copenhagen
Print: TopTryk A/S
May 2015
PAGE 24
KVINFO is the Danish Centre for Research and Information on
Gender, Equality and Diversity. KVINFO works to ensure the documentation and communication of knowledge about gender,
equality and diversity, in Denmark as well as around the world.
Overall aims of the KVINFO programmes in the MENA region are
to address and reduce barriers to women’s political, economic
and social participation and improve the dialogue and strengthen
partnerships between Denmark and the MENA region.
www.kvinfo.org
DANISH INSTITUTE FOR
PARTIES AND DEMOCRACY
DIPD is the Danish Institute for Parties and Democracy. The vision
of DIPD is to contribute to the development of well-functioning
democratic political parties, multi-party systems and other institutions as central stakeholders in the democratic culture of selected developing countries. This is implemented through partnerships with political parties, multi-party platforms, and other
institutions, with the active involvement of Danish political parties, Danish stakeholders, and international partners.
www.dipd.dk
The “Women in Politics” conference has received generous support
from The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and The Arab Initiative.