Photos below
Assuring the rights of
women and their participation in politics is a matter of
human rights, said Charlotte Ponticelli, Senior Coordinator
for International Women’s Issues for the U.S. Department
of State.
Ms. Ponticelli spoke at the
conference, “How to Increase the Participation of
Women in Politics,” Wednesday (Nov. 5). The conference,
organized by the U.S. Embassy and the Uruguayan Ministry
of Foreign Affairs, was held in the theatre of the ministry.
First lady Mercedes Menafra de Batlle, Minister of Foreign
Affairs Dr. Didier Opertti and U.S. Ambassador Martin J.
Silverstein gave opening remarks.
Ms. Ponticelli participated
in a panel discussion with Congresswomen Beatriz Argimon,
Glenda Rondan and Daisy Tourne, and with Gloria Robaina,
the representative of Uruguay’s Inter American Women’s
Commission and Dr. Cristina Grela, coordinator of Uruguay’s
Women’s Commission.
Ms. Ponticelli
emphasized the importance of the role of women helping one
anther and said that during her visit to Uruguay, she had
conversations with numerous women trying to tackle issues
such as poverty, domestic violence and barriers to women’s
participation in politics.
In his speech, Ambassador
Silverstein said, “Empowering women is not a threat
to the status of men. Rather it’s a way to ensure
that the best and brightest, no matter what their sex have
an opportunity to serve our community, our nation and our
world.”
The Ambassador added that
the U.S. has declared that one of o the priorities of U.S.
foreign policy is increasing political participation of
women.
During her visit, Ms. Ponticelli
also met with women working in the U.S. Embassy, Montevideo,
(Nov. 3). She encouraged them to become involved in their
communities and government as a way to affect change from
the local to national levels.
At a working breakfast Tuesday
(Nov. 4) with women from the business and education communities,
Ms. Ponticelli talked about where women are in the Uruguayan
society and what their goals are. The attendees voiced a
wide range of political views, but all were concerned with
education and access to political and economic power in
Uruguay.
Later on Tuesday, Ms. Ponticelli
visited Ce.Pro.Di.H. (Centro de Promocion de la Dignidad
Human), a women’s center. She was joined by Mrs. Audrey
Silverstein, a supporter of Ce.Pro.Di.H, and Emma Baraibar
of INAMI. They spoke with Adriana Abraham, the director
of the center about her ideas for helping the women become
self-sufficient and self-supporting. They also spent time
with some of the women at the center and listened to their
stories of hardship in their previous homes and in the streets
before coming to Ce.Pro.Di.H.
Tuesday night at a round-table
discussion with Red Tematica de Genero of the University
of the Republic, Ms. Ponticelli spoke of her visits to Iraq
and Afghanistan and commented that if the women there could
become involved and invoke changes in their communities,
women anywhere could do the same. The Red representatives
described their involvement in bringing women’s issues
to the forefront in Uruguay, especially in the areas of
health, domestic violence and education.
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| Charlotte Ponticelli speaks
to women at the U.S. Embassy, Montevideo |
Ms. Ponticelli at a working
breakfast at the Sheraton Hotel with Uruguayan businesswomen.
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| Ms. Ponticelli listens
as women in Ce.Pro.Di.H shelter recount their stories.
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Ms. Ponticelli and Mrs.
Audrey Silverstein are greeted by children at Ce.Pro.Di.H.
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| From Left:
Ambassador Martin J. Silverstein, First Lady of Uruguay
Mercedes Menafra de Batlle, Foreign Affairs Minister
Didier Opertti making opening remarks at the conference.
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Ms. Ponticelli serves on
a panel with members of the House Special Commission
on Gender and Equal Opportunities during the conference.
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