SEEKING NAMES OF INFLUENTIAL WOMEN - REPLY TO ACTION

UNCLAS SAN JOSE 000188

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KWMN PHUM PREL CS
SUBJECT: SEEKING NAMES OF INFLUENTIAL WOMEN - REPLY TO ACTION
REQUEST


DEPT FOR WHA/CEN JASON MACK AND S/WE SASHA MEHRA AND GERDA LANE

REF: 2006 STATE 202341


1. Pursuant to S/WE request reftel, Post has identified six
influential women in host country, drawing from both government and
civil society (media, industry, and education).

GOVERNMENT

NAME: Laura Chinchilla
TITLE AND INSTITUTION: First Vice President of Costa Rica and
Minister of Justice
CONTACT INFORMATION: Tel: (506) 280-7776
Chinchilla currently serves simultaneous roles as vice-president and
justice minister in the Oscar Arias administration. She was
minister of public security from 1996-1998 and a deputy in the
national legislature from 2002-2006. She is an expert in judicial
and public security reform in Latin America and has a master's
degree in public policy from Georgetown University.

NAME: Yalile Esna Williams
TITLE AND INSTITUTION: Deputy in the Costa Rican Legislative
Assembly
CONTACT INFORMATION: Tel: 506) 243-2372/2373
EMAIL: yesna@asamblea.go.cr
Esna Williams is the sole Afro-Caribbean member of the national
legislature. She is involved in many social, economic, and security
issues in the Caribbean area of Limon. This region is important to
U.S. trade and security interests and would be even more so with an
approved free trade treaty.

GOVERNMENT AND INDUSTRY

NAME: Mayi Antillon
TITLE AND INSTITUTION: Deputy in the Costa Rican Legislative
Assembly
CONTACT INFORMATION: Tel: (506) 243-2006/07.
EMAIL: mantillon@asamblea.go.cr
Antillon is the legislative party chief of the majority National
Liberation Party and plays a major role in the pro-CAFTA legislative
bloc. She is a former vice-president of the Costa Rican chamber of
industry.




EDUCATION

NAME: Clotilde Fonseca
TITLE AND INSTITUTION: Executive Director of the Omar Dengo
Foundation
CONTACT INFORMATION: Tel: (506) 257-6263 / 222-1654
EMAIL: clotilde.fonseca@fod.ac.cr
The dynamic Fonseca was one of the founding directors of Costa
Rica's educational informatics program created in 1988 by the Omar
Dengo Foundation and the Ministry of Public Education that has
reached over one million children. The Omar Dengo Foundation
promotes the economic, social, and human development of Costa Rica
through innovative programs to improve educational quality. Fonseca
is particularly interested in the use of technology to develop
talent, creativity, and cognitive skills.

MEDIA

NAME: Amelia Rueda
TITLE AND INSTITUTION: News Director of Radio Monumental
CONTACT INFORMATION: Tel: (506) 232-4590
EMAIL: arueda@monumental.co.cr
Rueda has over 30 years experience in Costa Rican radio and
television. She hosts a popular radio call-in program that
discusses a wide-range of issues impacting Costa Rica. She
interviews prominent Costa Ricans, including presidents and
legislative leaders. Considered a voice of credibility in Costa
Rica, even by those not in agreement with her views.

CIVIL RIGHTS

NAME: Sonia Picado
TITLE AND INSTITUTION: President of the General Assembly of the
Inter-American Institute of Human Rights
CONTACT INFORMATIN: Tel: (506)234-0240
EMAIL: spicado@iidh.ed.cr
Picado has a wide range of experience in Costa Rican government and
legal circles. She is a former national legislative deputy,
ambassador to the U.S, judge in the Inter-American Court of Human
Rights, and dean of the national university's law school.


2. The officer at post responsible for women's issues is political
officer Andrew Prater (prateral@state.gov, 506-519-2256) until May
1, 2007 when political officer Dorian Hurtado (hurtadodx@state.gov,
506-519-2000) assumes the portfolio.

LANGDALE