Westminster Foundation for Democracy (WFD), Regional Director for Africa Mr. Michael Nevin has called for more women participation in political matters as this is key in facilitating their direct engagement in public decision making. He was speaking during a courtesy call paid on the First Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly, Hon. Malungo A Chisangano, MP, on Wednesday, 19th June, 2024 at Parliament Buildings.

The main purpose of the visit was to discuss women in political leadership and their participation in political matters. The Regional Deputy Director said that he wanted to know what support the government and other organizations were rendering to National Assembly in regard to women participation in political leadership and how the National Assembly could collaborate with Westminster Foundation to increase women involvement in political leadership. He was accompanied by Maureen Oduori, Country Director (Kenya), Sue Cunningham, Senior Programme Manager (UK) and William Chilufya, Partner-CIDE (Zambia).

Hon. Chisangano, expressed her appreciation to Westminster Foundation for Democracy for taking an active role in strengthening and promoting democracy around the world, through policy support, collaboration with other organizations and enforcing good democratic cultures and values. She further mentioned that the principles of democracy, rule of law and human rights have over the past thirty years (30) since Zambia returned to multi-party democracy earned the country admiration as a model of multi -party democracy and peace, regionally and globally.

Hon Chisangano was appreciative that the National Assembly of Zambia could forge relations with the Westminster Foundation for more women participation in political affairs. The Regional Deputy Director and the team also discussed how the National Assembly could increase the number of women Parliamentarians in the next elections in 2026.