"Women's number in Azerbaijani Parliament should increase 2-3 times"

Chingiz Dadashov, chairman of the Democratic Elections Support Centre said July 30 at the presentation of the ELS Independent Studies Center's project on the topic "Use of international practice to increase women's electoral activity."

"At present, women MPs are much more active than their male counterparts. We must use this power and abilities of women," Dadashov said.

ELS Independent Studies Center's Irada Yagubova said that an international conference will be held within this project Aug. 24-25 in Ganja with participation of independent experts from the U.S. and representatives of public organizations in the USA and Bulgaria, which work in attracting women to the election.  

Within the project it is also scheduled to conduct research related to participation of the Ganja region's women in the election.

Yagubova said ELS Independent Studies Center has monitored women's participation in the elections in May in this region. The monitoring results will be announced at the conference. Yagubova said women who are going to run for parliamentary elections, will be given the necessary legal assistance and support. ELS's partner in this project is the League of Women Voters of the United States.

The project aims at promoting women in political life, as well as bringing the electoral rights of citizens of the regions to the forefront in advance of parliamentary elections, women's participation in decision-making and other matters.

The event's participants said that women's electoral activity is growing every year. Thus, women accounted for 3.4 per cent among the elected candidates in the municipal elections in 2004, while in last year's elections - 26.1%. Some 406 women were elected as municipality heads.

ELS Independent Studies Center functions for five years. He is responsible for monitoring elections. During the period of existence the organization has held five exit polls.


/Trend/