Cablegate: Female Local Council Quota Expected to Be

This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

UNCLAS SANAA 003003

SIPDIS

STATE FOR NEA, NEA/ARP, NEA/PD, NEA/RA, DS/OP/NEA, S/CT
CENTCOM FOR POLAD
NEA/PPD FOR AFERNANDEZ
WHITE HOUSE PASS TO NSC

SENSITIVE

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KDEM KMPI PGOV PHUM PREL YM DEMOCRATIC REFORM
SUBJECT: FEMALE LOCAL COUNCIL QUOTA EXPECTED TO BE
ANNOUNCED AT DECEMBER CONFERENCE

1. (U) SUMMARY: At a signing ceremony on October 9 for a
USAID grant for women's rights projects, Minister of Human
Rights Amat al-Alim Soswa conveyed invitations for several
high-ranking current and former USG officials to a December
conference in Sanaa on women's issues in the Arab world.
She said that at the conference, President Saleh is expected
to announce a quota of 20 percent female representation in
upcoming local council (LC) elections. In view of the home-
grown nature of the conference and of Soswa's efforts, with
considerable USG support, to increase the enfranchisement
and political participation of women, Post encourages the
attendance of a suitable USG representative at this
conference. End Summary

2. (U) On October 9, Ambassador Krajeski and MHR Soswa,
together with Flavia Pansieri, Resident Representative of
the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), signed a
USAID grant for $463,300 to support women's rights programs
under Ministry of Human Rights auspices.

3. (U) Following the ceremony, Soswa conveyed to the
Ambassador formal invitations for Secretary Rice, former
Secretary Albright, and Senator Clinton to a conference

SIPDIS
entitled "Women's Rights in the Arab World: From Words to
Deeds." The conference, to be held in Sanaa on December 3-
5, is being organized in collaboration with the UNDP. Soswa
urged high-level USG representation at the conference.

4. (U) Excerpted text of the invitation reads: "The
proposed conference will provide a platform for the exchange
of experiences and discussions on issues related to the
empowerment of women in the Arab world and their
participation in public life [and] will cover three main
themes: women and political participation, women as clients
of justice, and women as providers of justice. Therefore,
it is with great pleasure that I would like to invite you to
attend and participate as a keynote speaker in this
important regional conference. As the undersecretary [sic]
of state and one of the most prominent female international
figures, your participation in this conference whose main
themes are women and political participation and women and
justice, is most fitting."

5. (U) Soswa also said that at the conference Saleh intends
to announce a 20 percent female representation quota for the
2006 LC elections. She noted that this announcement
requires no changes to the law and that the two primary
opposition parties, Islah and the Yemen Socialist Party,
have already agreed in principle to the quota. Soswa
acknowledged that the outcome likely would be less than 20
percent in many regions, notwithstanding an announced quota,
as there are few women prepared to run for office in some
tribal areas.

6. (SBU) COMMENT: Post recommends that a suitable USG
representative attend this conference. The conference is a
home-grown initiative and merits USG support particularly in
light of the prospective increase in local female political
participation if President Saleh's announcement transpires
as anticipated by Soswa. In view of Soswa's past efforts on
behalf of the USG and the cause of human right, as well as
her efforts to increase the enfranchisement and political
participation of women, this conference merits high-level
representation to increase her credibility and to
demonstrate the USG commitment to human rights in the
region. End comment.

KRAJESKI

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