Glasgow MP Ann McKechin is one of several UK politicians participating in a Women in Politics and Leadership programme in East and Central Africa.  As part of this project, she is taking part in an MP shadowing exchange with Zambia.

The Hon. Regina Mufokotwane, a Zambian politician, spent a week in Ann McKechin’s Glasgow Maryhill constituency earlier this year.  Ann is now paying her a return visit, spending a few days in Livingstone, home of Victoria Falls and Regina’s constituency.

During the visit, the MPs will go to schools, clinics and hospitals and talk to local people in the constituency about the issues that are of concern to them.

As both Ann and Regina are interested in third world debt and international development, they will also meet people running the local Jubilee 2000 Drop the Debt campaign and working for AIDS charities.

Before departing, Ann said:

"I hope these visits will allow women parliamentarians from across the continents to form better links and networks to assist us in our work and develop a better understanding of the global issues that we need to address."

The Women in Politics and Leadership programme has also seen a number of Tanzanian MPs visit the Scottish Parliament and MSPs in their constituencies.

The aims of the programme are for the African MPs to learn about:

• how women become leaders in the UK
• the election and campaigning process
• how constituency meetings are run
• addressing different issues that concern local constituents.

African politicians visiting the Scottish Parliament have been particularly interested to learn about the campaigns and procedures that contributed to the fact that 40% of MSPs are female.  

The exchanges have also been an opportunity for the UK politicians to learn about the issues facing African women MPs.