Women want more posts in transitional administration

An association grouping several women's organisations in the Central African Republic (CAR), the Organisation des femmes centrafricaines, has asked the country’s new rulers to appoint more women to the recently established transitional institutions, the body’s chairwoman told IRIN on Tuesday.

The official, Helene Kaine, said women should comprise at least 30 percent of the transitional government members announced by Prime Minister Abel Goumba, and the National Transitional Council established by the self-declared CAR president, Francois Bozize.

The 28-member government has only two women and the 63-member Transitional Council, whose members have not yet been named, will have two representatives from women’s organisations.

Kaine said her organisation met Bozize on Monday in the capital, Bangui, and he promised to consider their request. Although women outnumber men in CAR, they remain underrepresented in most sectors, including education, administration and the public service.

Kaine said the public rejected the administration of Ange-Felix Patasse, whom Bozize ousted as president on 15 March, because of the atrocities a Congolese militia supporting Patasse had perpetrated. Militiamen of the Mouvement de liberation du congo (MLC) were accused of raping of hundreds of CAR women. Kaine said it was because of women that the 15 March changeover took place.

The MLC, which controls northern DRC, was also accused of massive pillaging during the months of fighting that preceded the coup.