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How women parliamentarians advance gender equality and sustainable development

Por United Nations Development Programme

08 de March de 2022

Women remain underrepresented in parliaments. Yet, when they have the opportunity to lead, it is evident they can and do make a difference. Building effective, inclusive, and accountable governance is critical for countries wanting transformational change.

The engagement of legislators in this global agenda is key to provide accountability, and to push past the inertia.

As the world’s largest provider of parliamentary development support, UNDP is uniquely positioned to build cooperation with civil society and marginalized groups to support parliaments in promoting the 2030 Agenda.

Pacific

The Pacific has the world’s lowest levels of women’s political representation. Yet strong women’s leadership does exist, and remedial steps have had promising results.

COVID-19 has represented a significant challenge for human security in the region. Even before the surge in cases in 2021, communities had been affected by travel restrictions, school closures, curfews, and border lockdowns. The international tourism industry came to a halt. Import and export industries and food security was affected. Incidences of violence have dramatically risen during lockdowns; women have lost their livelihoods; and their care responsibilities have increased.

How women parliamentarians advance gender equality and sustainable development

UNDP offered masterclasses on “Building back better by supporting women, peace and security”. Women parliamentarians and others were provided with practical advice, tools and information on human development and security challenges, with a part focus on the devastating consequences of climate change in the region and the economic crisis unleashed by the pandemic.

One of the facilitators, Sharon Bhagwan Rolls, Regional Manager of the Shifting Power Coalition, was subsequently invited by Fijian Members of Parliament to present the findings of a regional report on mobilizing women’s leadership.

“This was a valuable opportunity to present how the women, peace and security agenda is being localized by women in the Pacific. The response to the presentation further demonstrates the role of women’s civil society to present evidence-based recommendations for women parliamentarians to make the case for gender inclusive action,” she said.

Women take part in Infomesen activities in Bougainville, Papua New Guinea. Photo: Shifting the Power Coalition/ActionAid Australia

The Equal Future Platform

Over the last 26 years, since the adoption of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action by the United Nations in 1995, the number of women parliamentarians has more than doubled worldwide. Yet, with a global average of only 25.6 percent in 2020, women’s representation in parliaments continues to be very low.

As of 2020, women have at least 30 percent of seats in parliament in only 24 of the 56 countries in the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) region, and 40 percent in only nine of these.

The Equal Future Platform was created in 2020 by UNDP’s Istanbul Regional Hub. It contains data and stories on women’s political representation in some 60 countries.

One features Kira Marie Peter-Hansen, the youngest woman member of the European Parliament. It addresses how she sees climate action as a parliamentarian.

Kyrgyzstan

While the political turmoil that followed the annulled 2020 election has posed challenges, the country has also seen new women leaders entering politics. Still, a lack of support and resources, combined with widespread stereotyping and gender-based violence, have threatened to undo this positive trend.

The First Women’s Kurultai of the Kyrgyz Republic, a non-partisan initiative for inclusive dialogue, leadership, and solidarity, was formed with support from UNDP together with UN Women, UNICEF, UNODC and UNFPA. Modeled on the newly established People’s Kurultai (People’s Assembly), it connects women leaders of diverse backgrounds and from all levels of society.

Created at the initiative of Aida Kasymalieva, the then-Deputy Speaker of Parliament, the Kurultai convened meetings in Chui, Osh and Naryn. UNDP’s long-standing partners, the Kyrgyz Parliament’s Council on Gender Equality and the Prevention of Gender-Based Violence; and the Forum of Women Members of Parliament, have been among the key supporters.

“The institution of Kurultai was historically a channel for men’s leadership and their engagement in decision-making. Now, women leaders of Kyrgyzstan are initiating their own Kurultai to build dialogue and connection with one another, to address the situation of women, and to search for solutions to the most pressing challenges together. United women leaders are the most effective advocates for the rights of women and for inclusion in society,” Aida Kasmalieva said.

Each Kurultai meeting adopted a resolution on urgent local priorities on women’s leadership. Informed by inclusive dialogues, the latter ranged from countering harmful stereotypes, to promoting women’s representation in political leadership roles, addressing intersectional vulnerabilities and gender-based violence, supporting women’s entrepreneurship and healthcare, and recognizing and protecting their peace building contribution.

Event participants are introduced in Osh. Photo: UNDP Kyrgyzstan

Nepal

In Nepal, parliament has become increasingly aware of the growing challenge that gendered cyberviolence poses to the hard-won advances in political participation and representation of women and LGBTQI+ people. A primetime TV discussion, facilitated by UNDP and featuring the Chair of the Parliament’s Development and Technology Committee, the Sub-Attorney General, the spokesperson of the Nepal Police Cybercrime Bureau, and testimonies from women and LGBTQI+ activists, revealed that out of 3,906 digital violence cases reported in 2021, more than 2,000 targeted women.

“Changes in the law and in the public awareness of the use of technology are equally important means for addressing digital violence,” said Ganga Prasad Poudel, Nepal’s Sub Attorney General.

Southern Africa

The Southern African Development Community Parliamentary Forum (SADC-PF) was established in 1997. It is composed of more than 3,500 parliamentarians from Angola, Botswana, Democratic Republic of Congo, Lesotho, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, South, Africa, Seychelles, Swaziland, Tanzania, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.

One of its key activities, supported by UNDP over many years of partnership, has been to write “model laws” on development and gender. UNDP and SADC-PF have worked together to create model laws against HIV, child marriage, for free and fair elections and transparent public finance management.

In late February Charles Chauvel, UNDP’s parliamentary specialist, was invited be an expert resource person at a virtual meeting of parliamentary researchers in Johannesburg on PFM. It looked at how parliaments can make sure the national budget deals appropriately with the sexual and reproductive health rights (SRHR) of women and girls.

The sexual and reproductive health rights of women and girls needs to be made more of a priority worldwide. Photo: UNDP Zimbabwe

Ms Boemo Sekgoma, Secretary-General of SADC-PF, said budgeting was key. “Having a robust grasp of the processes and legislative steps associated with it will help the mainstreaming of SRHR, democracy, human rights, the SDGs, and other related themes.”

“In the national budget, as in much else, that which is counted is valued, Charles Chauvel said. Gender-responsive budgeting, where spending at whatever level is explicitly identified as intended to target women and girls, is crucial in this process, so that such commitments can be tracked and evaluated accordingly.

International Women’s Day and beyond

UNDP will continue to help identify and foster parliament-led partnerships with civil society; governments; independent oversight bodies; and new and old media to support countries in fragile situations to recognize and address the root causes of fragility in a gender-responsive manner, foster gender equitable engagement, and accelerate the implementation of the 2030 Agenda through peer-learning.

And while we highlight these efforts on International Women’s Day, our commitment is constant throughout the year.

Footnotes

For more information on UNDP’s support to parliamentary development, please contact Charles Chauvel (Charles.Chauvel@undp.org).

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FootNotes

For more information on UNDP’s support to parliamentary development, please contact Charles Chauvel (Charles.Chauvel@undp.org).

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How women parliamentarians advance gender equality and sustainable development

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