UNDEF launches new initiative in Algeria

In Algeria -- as in Tunisia and Egypt -- greater participation by women is crucial to building better governance and genuine democracy. UNDEF has just launched a new initiative to strengthen the leadership of Algerian women in political parties, trade unions and professional associations. The project, implemented by Association Culturelle Amusnaw, will work to address the legacy of both Algeria's traditional male domination, and the years of terrorism during the 1990s which further inhibited women's political participation. The project will consist of training, seminars and thematic sessions, as well as a survey of existing women's leadership in their communities. It will raise awareness of legal and constitutional tools that guarantee women's equal rights, and draw on examples of women who have overcome obstacles to assume leadership roles.