COMMONWEALTH WOMEN PARLIAMENTARIANS NEWS COMMONWEALTH PARLIAMENTARIANS CELEBRATE INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY 2022 WITH EVENT IN PAKISTAN
To mark International Women's Day 2022, Parliaments and Parliamentarians across the Commonwealth celebrated women's achievements and joined the global #BreakTheBias and ‘Gender equality today for a sustainable tomorrow’ campaigns. The CPA Acting Chairperson, Hon. Ian Liddell-Grainger, MP (UK) and the CPA Secretary-General, Stephen Twigg joined the Chairperson of the Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians (CWP) network, Hon. Shandana Gulzar Khan, MNA, at an International Women's Day event in Islamabad, hosted by the SDGs Secretariat of the National Assembly of Pakistan. The event marked the launch a year of activity on UN Sustainable Development Goal 5 (SDG5) - Empowering Women and Girls - and celebrated the historical, cultural and political achievements of women. The then Speaker of the National Assembly of Pakistan, Hon. Asad Qaiser, MNA and Hon. Riaz Fatyana, MNA, Convener of the National Parliamentary Taskforce on SDGs, also gave remarks at the event, which saw women and organisations working towards gender equality share their stories and experiences with Parliamentarians from the National Assembly of Pakistan. Reflecting on International Women's Day 2022, the CWP Chairperson said: “The Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians network is working to build ‘gender equality today for a sustainable tomorrow’. From training Parliamentarians on the links between gender and climate change, to providing Parliaments with tools and strategies for tackling financial inequity, sexism and harassment, the CWP has continued to work hard during COVID-19 to institutionalise gender sensitive policymaking, including our next goals: gender sensitive budgets and free-trade agreements. We aim to make Parliament that hallowed space where women can work, represent and lead without fear. On behalf of women in Parliament everywhere across the Commonwealth, I wish everyone a happy International Women’s Day.” The CPA Secretary-General, Stephen Twigg, added: “On International Women’s Day 2022, the CPA celebrates the contribution of women to parliamentary democracy in the Commonwealth. We remain committed to promoting women’s full and equal participation in decisionmaking and supporting women to be effective political leaders. Through the Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians network, we will continue to grow our community of women Parliamentarians, bringing together women leaders to share knowledge and drive progress on gender equality in Parliament.”
SEYCHELLES WOMEN'S PARLIAMENTARY CAUCUS COMMEMORATE INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY 2022 The National Assembly of Seychelles joined with the Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians network for International Women’s Day 2022 with an address by the Chairperson of the Women’s Parliamentary Caucus (WPC) in the National Assembly, Hon. Regina Esparon. In her address, Hon. Regina Esparon stressed the importance of education for women especially on environmental issues and aspects of climate change to give greater participation in the fight against climate change. The WPC Chair also highlighted the empowering role of women in Seychelles and urged every woman to empower each other positively to reinforce their goals. The Speaker of the National Assembly of Seychelles, Hon. Roger Mancienne also presented awards to two former women Members - Noline Sophola and Jany Letourdie who both served in the 6th and 7th National Assembly - in recognition of their work dedicated to the Caucus and the National Assembly and their ongoing support for women in the wider community.
156 | The Parliamentarian | 2022: Issue Two | 100 years of publishing
FALKLAND ISLANDS MARKS INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY 2022 WITH A FOCUS ON GENDER STEREOTYPES
Two Members of the Falkland Islands Legislative Assembly – Hon. Leona Roberts MLA and Hon. Teslyn Barkman MLA – participated in a series of International Women’s Day events on the theme of ‘Breaking the Bias’. Three women from different professions – commercial pilot MariLou Delignieres, Police Constable Gemma Webb and RAF Squadron Leader Kerry Shardlow – spoke to a group of school pupils and girl guides to discuss gender stereotypes and to understand the views of the next generation in the Islands. An exhibition of work from the Infant and Junior school was on display as well as a slideshow of inspirational Falkland Islands women identified with the help of the ‘Dark Room’ a popular photography Facebook page.