Luanda - The Speaker of the National Assembly, Carolina Cerqueira, on Wednesday reaffirmed the need for the legislative body to continue to advocate for more resources allocation for programs and actions aimed at materializing policies to promote women in the next State Budget.
Speaking at the opening of the workshop promoted by the Group of Women Parliamentarians as part of the African Women's Day celebrations on July 31, the parliament leader defended a gender-sensitive budget that benefits communities, taking into account the needs of families, which are the core of the society.
The leader of the Angolan parliament recalled that the girls' empowerment program focuses on the prevention and recovery of girls and adolescents, especially those in rural areas, preventing them from social problems such as dropping out of school, early pregnancy, sex education and reproductive health.
Carolina Cerqueira said public policies have become fundamental tools to promote and protect women's rights, increase society's engagement in implementing programs aimed at transforming equality rights based on an increasingly interventionist approach by women and greater social inclusion and participation in good governance.
The Speaker emphasized that sustainable and lasting empowerment will only be possible through free access to training, new technologies and modern techniques for producing, transforming and marketing goods.
Carolina Cerqueira stressed the need to invest in education as the most appropriate measure and policy to naturally overcome the barriers to social inclusion and guarantee the development of skills and the empowerment of women.
On the occasion, the lawmaker highlighted the Parliament's commitment to promote and defend women's rights, as well as its full willingness to support political and legislative initiatives to add more value to the capacity of Angolan and African women.
Carolina Cerqueira revealed that, at the level of the Southern African Development Community (SADC), the education and skills development sector faces common challenges, particularly unequal access for disadvantaged groups and inefficient education and training policies.
For her, investing in African women “is investing in the future and sustainable development of the continent, in peace, dialogue and tolerance”.
Throughout Africa, women are commemorating July 31, the day dedicated to African women, for their leading role in preserving and transmitting civic and moral values and in strengthening the cohesion and unity of families, as the fundamental nucleus of society. MGM/DC/TED/AMP
