CHAPTER THREE: DEMOCRACY AND POLITICAL GOVERNANCE _____________________________________________________________________ girls and women over the age of 15 years) are illiterate, without taking this issue any further. However, it does raise once again issues such as the predominance of traditional representation, obsolete practices and the sexist perception of roles that perpetuate the submission of women and prevent them from exercising their right to citizenship. 321. With a view to reversing the current trend and promoting greater participation of women in society, the report recommends action with regard to those persistent factors blocking participation, and specifically by undertaking a series of actions in three areas: information/sensitisation, education and support/promotion. • The provision of information on, or sensitisation with regard to, the rights of the woman should, according to the report, focus on both men and women, and various communication vectors should be employed in this regard. Such actions should also serve to promote equal participation in the management of public affairs, to promote solidarity among women, and to teach women how to organise themselves. The report insists that there is a need to sensitise the public authorities to ensure effective application of the legal instruments that the country has signed. • The education of girls and the elimination of illiteracy among women are mentioned as two priority areas of intervention for the advancement of women. The report mentions, in this regard, the national action plan for the education and schooling of girls. It also stresses the need to introduce young people to democratic values and human rights by including these aspects in school and educational programmes. • Assistance, support and promotion are indispensable in order to empower women financially. Training in management and providing easy access to credit, notably through the FAARF, are two approaches recommended by the CSAR to increase women’s economic activities. 322. The report also analyses the very low level of participation of women in the political life of the country and attributes this to multiple obstacles, one of them being the fact that engaging in politics is not considered a ‘good activity for a real woman’. Owing to her various responsibilities as both a wife and mother, a woman finds it difficult to overcome the constraints arising from political commitments and therefore rather avoids them. The CSAR invites parties to consider creating political parties for women that will allow women to better organise themselves for participation in the decision-making process. 323. In this regard, the report raises the issue of quotas, indicating that this would ensure more balanced representation of women at all political and administrative levels. However, while indicating that a policy of quotas in state decision-making bodies should be adopted as a transitional measure (for various reasons, according to the report), it invites political parties and CSOs to set quotas for women within their different structures, in electoral lists, etc. 143