Angelika Mlinar, Liberal Forum Austria, President.Born in 1970, studied law in Salzburg, Austria and at the American University in Washington D.C.; doctorate in "Women's rights as human rights".
Worked in 1997 at the European Parliament for liberal Austrian MEP Dr. Friedhelm Frischenschlager; from 1998-2005 in the framework of enlargement of the European Union at the Delegation of the European Commission in the Republic of Slovenia mainly in the area of Justice an Home Affairs; from 2007-2009 at the International Centre for Migration Policy Development in Vienna as a Programme Manager.
Since June 2009 president of the Liberales Forum and main candidate for the local elections in Vienna in October 2010.
"The 'Gender Issue': Liberal Principles, the Austrian Situation and Liberal Answers
Liberal principles on women's emancipation are still to be implemented all over the world. We have to see and admit that the Austrian figures do not look encouraging in this respect.
What are liberal answers in to cope with this worldwide problem? In my view, education is key to the improvement of the situation. By education I do not mean the formal qualification levels: the content of education must give boys and girls equal access to all types of knowledge; girls must be encouraged to not confine themselves to the traditional pattern to become teachers, nurses, and alike. The education system must orient itself towards equal education and develop measures to encourage migrant children, and more specifically, migrant girls to aim at higher education. The state must ensure education from early on, providing a range of different types of kindergartens and schools. This allows both the integration of women in the labour market and the development of their careers and the improvement of the educational standards for their kids.
Women's emancipation cannot be simply reduced to the improvement of their income. The issues are equal opportunities and rights for women worldwide, of no matter what cultural, social and economic condition.
Austrian Liberals, together with the Liberals worldwide, will be at the forefront to achieve these goals.
