WPL is pleased to announce three new WPL Ambassadors: Ms. Wafa Bani Mustafa for Jordan; Ms. Amal Deroua for Algeria; and Ms. Nelia Tazi for Morocco.
Ms. Wafa Bani Mustafa, new WPL Ambassador for Jordan, is an elected Member of the Jordanian Parliament (for three subsequent terms 2010-2017) and Chair of the Coalition of Women MPs in Arab countries to Combat Violence against Women. She was the youngest elected MP and won her second Parliamentary seat outside of the reserved woman’s quota seat. She was the first woman to head a bloc in the Jordanian Parliament. She has served as Chairwoman of the Order and Conduct Committee, and is a founding member of the Climate Parliament Network. She was selected among 50 international women leaders. Throughout her career, Wafa Bani Mustafa has launched and served on committees to propel women rights in Jordan and the broader Middle East. She has worked on several legislative amendments for the benefit of woman, advocating civil rights for the children of Jordanian women married to non-Jordanians. In addition, she called for amendments to the Residency and Foreign Affairs Law on behalf of granting residency for the children of Jordanian women married to non-Jordanians. She has been the force behind the lobby to include a new article in the Penal Code, criminalising acts of sexual harassment and advocated for the elimination of Article 308, which waives charges against a rapist if he marries his victim.Bani Mustafa is a practicing lawyer and an active member of the Jordanian Lawyer’s Association. She is currently working as a member in the Public Freedom and Human Rights Committee and Women and Family Affairs Committee.
Ms. Amal Deroua, new WPL Ambassador for Algeria, is a Member of the National People’s Assembly, Vice President of the Committee on Agriculture, Fisheries and Environmental Protection, and Member of the Finance Committee.She was Vice-President of the National People”s Assembly, in charge of the Culture, Communications, Publishing and Training Portfolio from 2014 to 2016. She has a Degree in applied foreign languages, French, English and German, from the University of Grenoble in France. She speaks French, German, English, Arabic and Spanish.
Ms. Nelia Tazi, new WPL Ambassador for Morocco, is Vice-President of the Moroccan House of Councillors. Tazi is an entrepreneur turned Politician, Founder and President of the “A3 Group”, that specialises in Communications, Events, Public and Media Relations. Ms Tazi admits that business had always been her passion and that the transition into politics happened serendipitously, thanks to the new Moroccan Constitution, adopted by referendum in 2011, which provided for a a representation of Moroccan business owners within the House of Councilors. In October 2015, Neila Tazi made her entry within a group of eight elected from the General Confederation of Enterprises of Morocco (CGEM). Neila Tazi, the only woman in the group, is presented as a candidate for the presidency of the chamber and wins. She is now currently also the Vice President of the Confederation of Moroccan Enterprises (CGEM). Tazi is also President of the Yerma Gnaoua Association for the Preservation and Safeguarding of the Gnawa Heritage.
