The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, has urged Parliaments all over the world to act collectively to ensure that individuals, especially women and girls, are not left behind in any aspect of national life.
“A just and peaceful world will be realised when people enjoy same rights and opportunities in all sectors of society, such as cultural, social, political, economic participation and decision-making,” he noted.
Mr Bagbin indicated that there could be no peace without justice, peace, prosperity and sustainable development would continue to elude the world without gender equality since women constituted majority of the world’s population, their interest must equally find expression in whatever was done.
Speaking at the 145th Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) Assembly in Kigali, Rwanda, the Speaker pointed out that there was sine qua non to ensuring more resilient and peaceful world which reverse produced antithesis– polarised, divisive, bitter, poor, unjust, undeveloped and war-prone world.
The event, was held on the theme: ‘Gender equality and gender-sensitive parliaments as drivers of change for a more resilient and peaceful world’ attracted 1,200 delegates, including Speakers and Deputy Speakers of Parliaments, representative of diplomatic corps and international observer bodies.
Mr Bagbin observed that given current demographics of more than 50 per cent of global population being females, their equal participation in whatever society did was imperative to ensure inclusive and responsive governance.
“Gender equality, when promoted through gender-sensitive parliaments, will be most reliable and effective drivers of change for more resilient and peaceful world,
it is against this background goal five of Sustainable Development Goals target seeks to ensure women’s full, effective participation and equal opportunities for leadership at all levels of public life.
“The legislature is the heart, life blood of democracy, good governance, parliament is the House of the people and its composition ought to be a true reflection, a mirror of the people it represented.
“Through legislation, regulation and policy adaptation mechanisms Parliaments can remove barriers to full participation of all sections of society, such as women, youth, physically-challenged and minorities to ascertain whether gender differentiated outcomes put them on equal footing with boys and men,” Mr Bagbin contended.
