INLW elects first president from Asia

INLW elects first president from Asia

18/01/2019

Jayanthi Balaguru has been elected as the new president of the International Network of Liberal Women (INLW – LI full member) during the global liberal women’s general meeting in the margin of Liberal International’s 62^nd congress in Dakar, Senegal.

Ms Balaguru, who succeeds Margaret de Vos van Steenwijk, is a politician and lawyer from Malaysia and member of Gerakan (LI full member) – she becomes the first president of the organisation from Asia.

Margaret de Vos van Steenwijk (VVD – LI full member, who served two mandates as president of INLW, has been instrumental in broadening the global reach and appeal of INLW. Under her premiership, new chapters were established in Morocco and Taiwan while she delivered events at the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women alongside the human rights committee of Liberal International.

Margaret de Vos said: “I am pleased that I have been able to make INLW a strong and relevant advocate of gender equal rights… INLW is now known by many more ngo’s and the Dutch government delegation to CSW and NGO’s now come to ask our (liberal) opinion.”

“Jayanthi will bring a wealth of experience to the role of INLW president. She has great experience to share having been President of CALD Women’s caucus and as a lawyer she brings a lot of practical knowledge”, added the immediate past president.

Liberal International mourns the passing of Sidya Touré, former Prime Minister of Guinea and leader of UFR

28/09/2026

Liberal International mourns the passing of Sidya Touré, former Prime Minister of Guinea and leader of the Union of Republican Forces (UFR), LI's member party. A distinguished statesman, accomplished technocrat and committed liberal, Sidya Touré dedicated his life to public service, democratic values and strengthening ties between Guinea, Africa and Europe. His political career spanned Côte d’Ivoire and Guinea, where he served in senior government positions, including as Chief of Staff to Prime Minister Alassane Ouattara under President Félix Houphouët-Boigny, before becoming Prime Minister of Guinea.

H.E. Sidya Touré

LI bureau welcomes New York agreement on Greenland

22/09/2026

The bureau of Liberal International welcomes the agreement published in New York on Greenland today between the Kingdom of Denmark, Greenland and the US. The new agreement is a modernation of the security agreement between Denmark and the US from 1951. The opening statement confirms the Sovereignty and integrity of The Kingdom of Denmark and Greenland.

Greenland

LI Appeals to the UN Human Rights Council regarding persecution as State policy in Venezuela and the case for renewing the Fact-Finding Mission

22/09/2026

Liberal International continues to urgently call on the United Nations Human Rights Council to address Venezuela's persistent, serious violations of human rights. In this written statement LI focuses attention to the necessary renewal of a mandate for the independent international fact-finding mission on the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela to continue monitoring and investigating the grave human rights violations on the ground. LI calls on the Venezuelan authorities, the UN, and the broader international community to act with urgency and resolve to uphold human rights, defend democratic freedoms, and hold those responsible for violations to account.

Venezuela