As part of the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence Campaign, the Algerian Parliament organized on 8 December 2011 an open day at the National People’s Assembly. Members of parliament, representatives of the media and various associations were present.

The inaugural addresses made by the Speaker of the National People’s Assembly and the Minister Delegate for Families set the tone for the day. Three communications were subsequently presented. They dealt with the most recent annual report submitted by Algeria on the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, on the problem as a social ill and on the activities of the Wassila Network, which offers medical and legal assistance, as well as counselling, to women and children who are victims of violence.

The debates focused on the need to strengthen the legal framework, draft laws on combating this problem and promoting the implementation of sensitization and prevention programmes through education about eliminating violence. These can be carried out in partnership with different institutions, notably civil society stakeholders.