Some activists have expressed discontent over Hungarian President, Katalin Novák, who on Monday, July 17 attended the opening ceremony of the ongoing Women Deliver Conference.
The criticism centered mainly on her stand on different issues including abortion and LGBTQ+ rights, especially back when she was the Minister of Family in her country.
Novák attended the conference as part of her state visit to Rwanda.
Those who opposed her presence in the feminist meeting particularly criticised the organisers for giving Novák a platform at the meeting, which prompted Maliha Khan, the President and CEO of Women Deliver to address the matter, saying that it was healthy to provide a platform to even those with divergent views.
“If we want to achieve what we want to achieve, we will often have to partner with and talk to people that we don’t agree with on many things. Personally, I agree with very little that President Novák, believes in, espouses, or takes forward. I’m sure she agrees with very little that I believe in,” said Maliha on July 18, at the sidelines of the Women Deliver Conference.