Body:
Read the complete interview at Australia Network News, published 7 Feburary 2012.
Summary:
The Timorese-born Australian Angelita Pires recently declared her nomination in East Timor's Presidential election and is now preparing to begin her campaign. Pires says she's running to address problems in the justice system and to help provide universal access to justice.
"My candidacy was mostly due to the request of many, many people, many poor people and many of those youths and women who felt that they don't have access to justice and they felt that they wanted a change. Until today they insist that they want a new face and new ideas," said Peres in this interview.
How women participate in political parties – and how those parties encourage and nurture women’s involvement and incorporate gender-equality issues – are key determinants of women’s political empowerment. They are also key to ensuring gender-equality issues are addressed in the wider society. If strategies to promote women’s involvement in the political process are to be effective, they should be linked to steps parties can take across the specific phases of the electoral cycle – the preelectoral, electoral and post-electoral phases – and to the organization and financing of the parties themselves. 
