“Our goals: peace, democracy and development”

Mr. Teshome Toga, Speaker of the House of Peoples' Representatives of Ethiopia, gave The World of Parliaments his views on the next IPU Assembly, to be held from 5 to 10 April 2009 in Addis Ababa.

Q: Why did Ethiopia decide to host the 120th IPU Assembly?
Mr. Teshome Toga: For two reasons. Last year, we celebrated the Ethiopian Millennium and we wanted to have the IPU celebrate it with us. For certain reasons, we agreed to pave the way for our South African counterparts to host the Assembly in Cape Town last year, thereby allowing us to host the 120th Assembly in April this year. The second reason is that the Ethiopian Parliament has been a Member of the IPU for over 50 years, and we felt that it was time for us to host an IPU Assembly.

Q: What for you is the added value of an IPU Assembly?
T.T.: The IPU Assemblies represent the largest parliamentary forum globally. These important forums for parliamentarians from the world over give us the opportunity to deal with relevant issues and to meet with colleagues from different parliaments. When you network and meet with members of other national parliaments, you complement the overall relations between two countries. Parliaments are the representatives of people and it is important that people have good relationships.

Q: The general debate of the Addis Ababa Assembly will focus on the role of parliaments in building peace, democracy and development in times of crisis. Can you share with us the Ethiopian experience in this field?
T.T.: Two decades ago, we found ourselves in a situation of conflict and instability. We had to struggle for a long time to make the transition from an undemocratic, unstable situation of conflict to what we have today. At the same time we had to move from a central economy to a market economy. Peace, democracy, good governance and development are the major national goals that we are trying to achieve. We defined our strategies to achieve peace through institutional mechanisms and legal frameworks to have a multiparty parliamentary democracy in Ethiopia, to eradicate poverty and develop our nation. The efforts we have made over the past fifteen years are bearing fruits and the parliament plays a very important role in this regard. But implementing policies requires a lot of resources. Given the current crisis, parliaments should play a greater role and the choice of this item for debate at the Assembly in Addis Ababa is highly relevant.

Q: How do you implement democracy, good governance and development?
T.T.: In Ethiopia, we have a highly decentralized administrative system that allows for the participation of all citizens. We are working to ensure that peace and multiparty parliamentary democracy take root in order to build a democratic culture.

Q: The Assembly will also address the question of advancing nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament, and securing the entry into force of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty: What can be the role of parliaments in this respect?
T.T.: This is an issue of concern to all of us. As parliamentarians, we have been advocating non-proliferation of nuclear weapons and the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty because a nuclear weapon is a weapon of mass destruction. Different views prevail and many legislators from less developed countries feel that there are double standards in this area. All governments should sign the Treaty. Parliamentarians should make an effort to convince national parliaments that have not yet ratified the Treaty to do so in order to facilitate its entry into force.

Q: The third item is related to freedom of expression and the right to information. What can legislators do to defend these two pillars of democracy and to support some of their colleagues whose rights are not respected?
T.T.: The first thing is to recognize that these are fundamental freedoms which should be respected by all countries and governments. Legislators should create an enabling environment and pass appropriate laws to defend them. In my country, we recently enacted a law on the mass media and the right to information. As legislators, we should ensure that these laws are implemented for all citizens. In building democratic institutions, if people do not have access to these two pillars of democracy, other rights cannot be respected. Under every national constitution there are guarantees that recognize these freedoms, but sometimes it is difficult to implement these rights. Legislators have an important oversight role to play to ensure that they are respected.

Q: What about legislators whose rights are not respected?
T.T.: The IPU has a track record of fighting for the rights of colleagues whose rights are not respected. National parliaments have an obligation to respect the rights of elected parliamentarians, their participation in the work of parliament and their immunity. The IPU provides a forum to express our solidarity and support to these colleagues. Its Committee on the Human Rights of Parliamentarians has been working hard. The IPU should continue to express itself. It has done a good job and I encourage the Committee on the Human Rights of Parliamentarians, which is one of the most important Committees within the IPU structure, to continue to address this problem.

Q: The delegates will also have an opportunity to attend a panel discussion entitled “Adolescent girls: The girls left behind?” Could you elaborate on the problems that Ethiopian adolescent girls are facing?
T.T.: Ethiopian girls are facing more or less the same problems as other girls in developing countries. The traditional perception of women has a very negative impact on the development of adolescent girls. The fundamental problem is that traditional culture has imposed a norm whereby adolescent girls should confine themselves to household activities. The general view is that girls cannot achieve what boys can. Once the girls are confined to the house, the next step is to get them married at a young age so they can start their own family. Their participation in development activities is also very limited although they contribute a lot to household development, but that is not recognized. In Ethiopia, in the past decade and a half, we have recognized that adolescent girls should be empowered as stipulated in our Constitution, which provides for equality of men and women. We recognize that adolescent girls should have equal opportunities and access to education. Girls usually depend either on their husbands or their families for their income so it is also important to empower them financially. We have a policy that ensures their active participation in our development effort both in rural and urban areas. We try to ensure that adolescent girls are not left behind and that they also participate in the democratization and development process.

Q: You mentioned cultural perceptions. How would you handle this issue?
T.T.: First through education, not only for girls but also for boys and adults. I am referring to civic education, wherein the role of the media is important. In addressing HIV/AIDS or problems related to harmful practices, we must have public debate so that all sectors of society can share their views. We must ensure that society and all “owners” ofculture take part in the discussion, in terms of the impact such traditions have on adolescent girls and on the community as a whole. Imposing laws or policies on communities has never achieved much. Only through dialogue and education, supported by family laws to protect women and adolescent girls, can we really convince people.

Q: Is Ethiopian society ready to tackle traditional practices?
T.T.: There has been some encouraging progress. Gradually, society is opening up. Everybody cannot be placed in the same basket. Among youth there is an awareness and understanding of the problem. For older people, however, it will take more time to let go of tradition. Regarding HIV/AIDS, traditional, religious and other leaders have played an important role in educating people and dispelling myths and society is opening up.