International Parliaments

Lesley Abdela

Lesley Abdela needs no introduction in the world of women and politics. She has worked in over 30 countries advising on gender and democratic development. She is now Vice-President of the Electoral Reform Society and is a partner in Shevolution and Chief Executive of Project Parity. In 1980 she co-founded the 300 group, to get more women into the UK parliament, has received a UK Woman of Europe award, and written and broadcast on the subject of women in politics. 90 years since women achieved the vote Boni Sones asked her how she rated the UK's progress on female representation in our parliament against other countries.

Lesley began by talking about Rwanda and Sweden which have the highest number of women in their parliaments of any country, and she's convinced that Britain needs both a proportional voting system and quotas to achieve change here.

Thanks to the Electoral Reform Society for sponsoring this interview.

File size 7MB approx 1.5 mins Cable/DSL

Sandra Gidley MP

Sandra Gidley is the Liberal Democrat MP for Romsey and the Health Spokesperson for her Party. She has used her professional training as a pharmacist to champion all kinds of health issues here and globally. In the UK she has been at the forefront of getting men to take health prevention seriously, improving alcohol awareness, and she is working across party on mental health issues. As a member of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Aids, she has visited Africa. Boni Sones asked her what could be done to further the Millennium Development Goals on health for women.

File size 12MB approx 2.5 mins Cable/DSL

The Christian organisation "The Mothers' Union", is a formidable campaigning organisation globally with 3.6 million members in 78 countries. It is asking governments to give financing to help achieve the UN's Millennium Development Goal 3. This uses the elimination of gender disparity in primary and secondary education as the indicator of the empowerment of women.

Boni Sones spoke to three MU members about the Mothers' Union work. Rachel Aston, Social Policy Officer, Vivian Kityo from Uganda, and Elizabeth Brown from Cantebury.

File size 20MB approx 4 mins Cable/DSL

John Bercow MP

The Conservative backbench MP for Buckingham John Bercow is a supporter of human rights and women's rights internationally. A former backbencher of the year, Mr Bercow sits on the International Affairs Select Committee and chairs a committee looking into Genocide. He is a supporter of All Women Shortlists for his party, something others oppose, to get more women into Westminster and talks movingly of his visits to a Darfur refuge camp where he believes women and the love of their children, have been instrumental in rebuilding their war torn communities. Boni Sones asked him why he has championed women's rights here and internationally with such commitment and passion.

File size 28MB approx 5.5 mins Cable/DSL

Women Matter :

Andrew Selous the Conservative MP for South West Befordshire has signed a motion in Parliament calling on the government to help women affected by HIV and AIDS in the developing world. The Women Matter campaign, has been launched by the leading international development charity VSO. It is asking the UK's Department for International Development to put women at the heart of its new global HIV and AIDS strategy. Brian Shallcross of GCap Media spoke to him. Thanks to GCap for the interview.

File size 7MB approx 1.5 mins Cable/DSL

International challenge on women's health:

Women's Parliamentary Radio is teaming up with Diana Wallis, Vice President of the European Parliament to progress women's health issues.

Our new International Producer, Daisy Ayliffe is going to be interviewing women in the EU about the implementation of Millennium Development Goals 5 and 6.

Millennium Development Goal 5 aims to “improve maternal health”, and to reduce by three quarters, between 1990 and 2015, the maternal mortality ratio.

Millennium Development Goal 6 sets out to “Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases”.

Daisy will be asking MEPs to debate these goals in their respective domestic parliaments throughout this year. Daisy will be reporting back on their progress. You can listen to her reports on wpradio International.

Diana Wallis, Vice President of the European Parliament said: "I am delighted to be working with Women's Parliamentary Radio to ensure the Millennium Development Goals 5 and 6 are met. There is not enough reporting of the work that goes on in the EU and parliaments all over Europe to progress issues on behalf of women and children. It is fantastic that a new web platform such as wpradio.co.uk can be listened to anywhere in the World and is a truly international broadcaster.

"Meeting these Millennium Goals is essential to ensure women and their families receive all the protection that a civilised state would wish. The explotation of women in all walks of life is still one of the most pressing problems the developing world faces. I wish Daisy luck with her series of interviews on Millennium Development Goals 5 and 6."

Diana Wallis MEP - Liberal Democrat
Vice President of the European Parliament

The British Liberal Democrat MEP for Yorkshire and the Humber, Diana Wallis is Vice President of the European Parliament. Diana is the first British female of any party to be elected to this position. Her roots in politics began in 1994 as a councillor on Humberside County Council. She became an MEP in 1999. In Europe Diana, a solicitor, is a spokesperson on the Legal Affairs Committee, she is also a full member of the Petitions Committee, in which she has championed citizen friendly legislation. On a flying visit to Westminster, she snatched a few moments to talk to Boni Sones and admitted her early fears of chairing those huge committee meetings.

File size 12MB approx 2.5 mins Cable/DSL

A New Year wish for "Disarmament and Globalisation" from Baroness Williams
of Crosby

Shirley Williams is an unofficial advisor to the Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, on Nuclear Proliferation and Safety. She was a member of the Wilson and Callaghan Governments in the 1960s and 1970s. In 1981 she co-founded the Social Democratic Party, becoming the first MP elected for the SDP in 1981. Here she tells Boni Sones, why disarmament is the most pressing problem the World now needs to address.

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File size 8MB approx 2 mins Cable/DSL

Rhoda Kalema
Rhoda Kalema, the “Mother” of the Ugandan Parliament, tells here in her own words her story of imprisonment in Uganda before going on to become an MP herself and helping to set up a Commission to help women and their families. She talked to Boni Sones.

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File size 8MB approx 2 mins Cable/DSL

A Rising Tide
Women in the UK have been at the forefront of helping women internationally to progress their careers in politics. Many have to struggle to get their voices heard and suffer at the hands of oppressive regimes. No more so than in modern Uganda. A book "A Rising Tide", tells the histories of modern women politicians there from the 1940s through to the present time. "A Ugandan women's Struggle for a Public Voice 1940-2004" is published by Forwode. Here Sue Woodsford, tells how she supported one of those women, Rhoda Kalema, when she was in prison. Sue begins by reading Rhoda's story. Other stories in the book are read in this one hour radio documentary by Patricia Lashely, of Momentum Arts, and Boni Sones.

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File size 19MB approx 4 mins Cable/DSL