H.E. Vestine Nahimana, Ambassador of Burundi to the Netherlands  and Caroline Klaver-Bouman.

‘Women in action’ was the theme of a VVD meeting on International Women’s Day, calling in Wassenaar as in the rest of the world for gender parity.  The meeting was hosted by Caroline Klaver-Bouman, the only female party chairman of all eight political parties represented in the town, to reflect on her combined mission to encourage more women to stand up, speak out and get involved.

‘In the Netherlands’ said Ms Klaver-Boumam ‘Female representation in boardrooms and politics is shamefully low and equal pay for men and women is still not common practice.’

‘In Wassenaar’s municipal council female representation is also very low.  In the past four years there were only six female council members of a total of 21’  She explained.

A significant group of ladies from Wassenaar attended the meeting to listen to inspirational and dynamic speeches from others but the main course was delivered by Her Excellency Vestine Nahimana, Ambassador of Burundi and  resident in Wassenaar who was invited to present a courageous review of the women situation  in her country based on her own experiences and fight over the years.

‘she is an inspiring example of the possibilities for women to take part in politics and government, even in more difficult circumstances than we are facing in the Netherlands.’ Expressed Caroline Klaver-Bouman.

Here ambassador Nahimana’s speech to mark International Women’s day in Wassenaar.

‘Allow me to express my sincere thanks to the organizers of this event for inviting me to speak in front of you. This is a great honour for me as a woman, and a female leader, to encourage my sisters to embrace politics in order to advocate for our cause, for which I am proud to be a fighter: the rights of women.

Tonight, I would like to paint a partial portrait of the struggle that is ours, from the perspective of a Burundian woman. For a long time, the Burundian woman has been relegated to a supporting role. However, traditionally, the woman had a great political influence during the period where the kings ruled Burundi. The contemporary period has seen the gap between men and women deepen further. Recurring wars and other crises in Burundi have brought death to many men, leaving widows and orphans behind. Although with difficulties, women have raised children alone.

With the Arusha peace negotiations, women have risen to demand their participation in governing bodies in order to cope with the various crises that, as an outcome, cause more problems to women than men, given that they find themselves raising children alone with no help.

This struggle has borne fruit that women enjoy today. Among the several achievements, allow me to mention:

The establishment of a 30% quota reserved for women in institutions. This is a major breakthrough because women, although represented in institutions, were much less so.

The setting of this quota has allowed women to become even more aware that without their participation in the governing bodies, their condition will not change.

Women are sensitised to integrate institutions: women lead Key State departments such as Justice or Education or Health. We have had female vice-presidents and prime-ministers. We have females as presidents of political parties. Some large corporations are women-run, and even in diplomacy, we have women ambassadors. You have proof in front you.

The electoral lists must consist of 30% of the women. In the Senate, we have 50% women.

Health measures aimed at improving the conditions of women such as free childbirth and free health care for children under 5 in State institutions. Free basic education to encourage parents in the education of young girls.

Regardless of these non-exhaustive achievements, it is important to remember that in my country, inequalities between men and women still exist. The President of the Republic understood that without women, there is no development, and therefore continues to support the cause of equality and equity in rights for women. By addressing cultural practices, the debate about succession and inheritance is one of the next struggles for equality in Burundi, without forgetting the parity in the professional world, where we are still cited as an example. As for the Burundian women, they understood that without their participation in institutions, or their votes during the various elections to make their voices heard, the condition of the woman would be a futile struggle.

My personal commitment to politics was motivated by a number of socio-economic and political factors observed in my country. Having been a refugee, the living conditions of my family and my sisters around me pushed me to think about the future of my daughter and now of my granddaughter. Upon returning to my country, through associations, I engaged in the empowerment of women. Together with colleagues, we set up a microfinance structure that helps finance income-generating activities for our sisters.

Appointed President of the National Council of Communication, my fight was to prove the value of a woman in a high-level position and this one to lead different actors in a process of peaceful resolution of conflicts. As an Ambassador to this beautiful country, I am carrying a message of peace and cooperation so that our two nations can walk together towards a better future for our girls and little girls. We must leave our children a world without discrimination and violence against women. I work every day to fight for women’s rights, and I encourage all of you women in Wassenaar and all the other parts of the country to advocate for women’s rights through your participation in processes and in the institutions.’

   

OPCW Director-General Congratulates Iraq on Complete Destruction of Chemical Weapons Remnants THE HAGUE, Netherlands — 13 March 2018 — The Director-General of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), Ambassador Ahmet Üzümcü, congratulated the Government of Iraq on the completion of the destruction of the country’s chemical weapons remnants, during today’s visit of the Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research of Iraq, H.E. Dr Abdulrazzaq Al Jaleel Essa. “I welcome this notable achievement and congratulate the Iraqi Government for their efforts in ensuring the proper destruction of these dangerous chemicals and for fulfilling its obligations deriving from the Chemical Weapons Convention,” stated the Director-General. Ambassador Üzümcü presented to the Minister a certificate recognising the Iraqi Government’s complete destruction of its chemical weapons remnants. The Director-General further briefed Minister Al Jaleel Essa on the OPCW’s latest activities, including progress in the destruction of the declared former chemical weapons production facilities, the threat posed by non-State actors’ access to chemical weapons, and peaceful uses of chemistry. Minister Al Jaleel Essa’s delegation included Iraq’s Permanent Representative to the OPCW, H.E. Dr Hisham Al-Alawi; the Head of the Al Muthana project, Mr Magid Shannoon Khalaf, Spokesperson to the Minister, Dr Hayder Mohammed Jebur; and Ms Kani Shareef, First Secretary, Permanent Representation of Iraq to the OPCW.

The Attorney General of Uganda; representatives of the ICC Office of the Prosecutor with other trainers and trainees ICC Office of the Prosecutor participates in training initiative in Uganda: Collaboration is key to closing the impunity gap. In collaboration with the Ugandan national authorities and with the support and financial assistance of the Danish Embassy in Kampala, Uganda, the Office of the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (“ICC“ or “the Court”) contributed to a three-day seminar on addressing international crimes, held from the 6^th to the 9^th of March, in Kampala. At the workshop, representatives from the ICC Office of the Prosecutor (“Office”) in attendance shared their experiences, lessons learned and best practices with a wide range of stakeholders, namely law enforcement and justice sectors.  In addition to the Office, participants included Judges of the International Crimes Division of the High Court of Uganda; Prosecutors of the Directorate of Public Prosecutions; police and intelligence officers, as well as representatives of the Ugandan Prisons Service.  Trainers were drawn from the three Divisions of the Office, as well as from the Ugandan Directorate of Public Prosecutions and the Ugandan Criminal Investigative Division. In addition to sharing best practices, participants exchanged on ways to transfer skills and share information, as appropriate, in an effort to advance the collective obligation to fight against impunity for international crimes. In his opening address, Mr. Phakiso Mochochoko, Director of the Jurisdiction, Complementarity, and Cooperation Division of the Office of the Prosecutor of the ICC, highlighted the importance of cooperation and complementarity as enshrined in the Rome Statute. He thanked Uganda for its cooperation with the ICC since the opening of the investigation into the situation. “This workshop is an opportunity for the Office of the Prosecutor to contribute to the Ugandan justice system through the sharing of experiences the Office has gained, and best practices it has developed over the years,” he told the audience. He stressed that collaboration is key to closing the impunity gap and bringing a measure of justice to the victims. The Attorney General of Uganda, The Honourable Mr. William Byaruhanga, thanked the Office of the Prosecutor for participating in the seminar with Kampala as the venue. He highlighted that equipping those involved in criminal investigations, at all levels, with practical skills drawn from experience, “is not a luxury, but a necessity. The seminar fits very well with Uganda’s objective of making the complementarity principle a reality,” he added. The Honourable Justice Moses Mukiibi, Head of the International Crimes Division of the High Court of Uganda, welcomed the initiative. He outlined some of the challenges faced by the Ugandan judicial system before concluding that “effective investigation of international crimes and prosecuting those found to be responsible will set Uganda on a path towards sustainable peace, democracy and observance of the rule of law.” In closing the event, the Ambassador of Denmark in Kampala, H.E. Mr. Mogens Pedersen, stressed the importance of justice for the affected communities in Uganda and expressed his appreciation for “the effort of the ICC in partnering with the Uganda Directorate of Public Prosecutions, Judiciary, and the Police in organising this training on sharing of best practices and experience in the investigation and prosecution of international crimes.”

Ambassador of Georgia H.E. Mr. Konstantine Surguladze and Georgian participants of two training programs The Administration of Justice and Integrity of Civil Servants. On March 13, at the premises of the Embassy of Georgia, in The Hague, the Helsinki Committee organized a networking reception in the framework of Matra Rule of Law two training programs The Administration of Justice and Integrity of Civil Servants. The Matra Rule of Law Training Programme is a four-year (2017 – 2020) programme designed to strengthen institutional capacity in the field of Rule of Law within government organizations in Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Georgia, Kosovo, Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro, Serbia, Turkey, and Ukraine. The training introduces the participants to Dutch best practices in a particular rule of law theme within the European Union framework and provides opportunities to exchange experiences. The Matra programme is funded by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands. Two training programs from Georgian side was attended by the representatives of the Ministry of Justice, Administration of the Government, State Audit Office, Public Defenders Office, High Council of Justice, Prosecutors Office and High Council of Justice.

Ambassador of Georgia H.E. Mr. Konstantine Surguladze welcomed the audience and thanked the Netherlands Helsinki Committee, Leiden Law School, The Hague Academy for Local Governance, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands for implementing and financing very valuable and useful programme. A networking reception was attended by the participants, Ambassadors of the participants’ countries, policy officer of the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and representatives of the organizations contributing to the training programme. During the reception, the guest had the opportunity to taste Georgian wine and traditional dishes.

On the picture H.E. Mrs. Vestine Nahimana, Ambassador of Burundi, H.E. Ms. Sahar Ghanem, Ambassador of Yemen and Latvia Ambassador, HE Mrs Ilze Ruse and H.E. Mrs. Katri Viinikka, Ambassador of Finland. The Ladies Ambassadors’ group celebrated together the International Women’s Day, with a memorable Vin d’honneur organised by the Ambassador of Guatemala, H.E. Marithza Ruiz, who is the coordinator of this group of women in the Netherlands after taking the lead from the Ambassador of Tanzania, H.E.  Ms. Irene Florence M. Kasyanju. For additional Hester Dijkstra’s images, please open the link below: https://www.flickr.com/photos/121611753@N07/albums/72157694441342205

The International Women’s Day, originally called International Working Women’s Day, is celebrated on Match 8^th every year. This tradition dates back to 1910, began during the 1910 International Socialist Women’s Conference, and Marc 8^th soon became a national holiday in Russia and the communist bloc. Years later, in 1975, it was adopted by the United Nations, thus losing its political connotation and becoming a universal day for women across the globe.

Across different regions, the focus of the celebrations is different, although the common feature is the demonstration of respect, appreciation, and love towards women and their economic, political, and social achievements. This day is also the main day in the movement for women’s rights, and it is often use to claim for an array of new causes too. In The Hague, the Ambassadors discussed recent global issues and enjoyed lively conversations at Kookstudio France in Javastraat.

The Ambassador of Guatemala also described more in detail the nature of the meeting: “As in past years – she said – we will organise meetings with ministers, state secretaries, and other officials of the Dutch government, and international organisations based in The Hague. More importantly, as coordinator of the Lady Ambassadors, I will make a special effort to ensure it becomes a two-way exercise.”

“We wish to better understand our host country, and we also have much to share about our individual countries and regions. It is more than networking; it is about exploring how we can help each other, and make more lasting contributions to advance our mutual agendas.”