'Women need to be on development bullet train'

Women worldwide face many similar problems, which sometimes are not related to their countries’ economic status. The percentage of women in decision-making positions remains low, whether in rich countries or poor. Sometimes, in developing countries, that percentage is higher than in developed countries, she notes. In 1995, for example, the percentage of women in Tanzania’s parliament was higher than in Japan’s parliament.

International cooperation could help women’s careers, she said, by setting up internationally accepted standards that respect women’s rights.

“I would encourage women in the world to make more effort to study, to work and to seek a better economic situation,” she said.

Some of the agreements established in 1995 have met with difficulties in implementation. That often is related to larger issues, such as when security and stability are lacking.

In some African countries, political instability has caused women to become refugees, she noted. When they are homeless, it is more difficult for women to care about education and other issues.

“Women need to care about changes in the international situation because, whether they like or not, we are all affected by these changes,” Mongella said.

Construction of international systems is still underway, and there are more programs now taking women into account. However, when governments deal with women’s issues, there are still too many complications. She said she would like to see women’s issues expedited more often.

In Europe, North America and Asia, industrialization took place before the development of women issues, but Africa’s industrialization and the rise of the women’s agenda are happening at the same time. A key issue is how to advance women’s issues while developing the economy.

“We’d better pay attention to (industrialization) and ask if it is helping the development of women if we industrialize this way, and not allow women to be spectators,” Mongella said

She said she hopes her granddaughter’s generation will be able to live in a society where infrastructure is completed and poverty is eradicated, and she would like to encourage more of the younger generation to seize Africa’s opportunities as much as they can.

Contact the writer at chenyingqun@chinadaily.com.cn