Partner News

This article was published by UNDP on March 8, 2018.

Avarua, Cook Islands - With the establishment of the Women Parliamentarians Caucus, Cook Islands aims to further advance the effective participation of women at the highest decision-making body: the legislature.      

Appropriately launched on International Women’s Day, Thursday 8 March, the Women’s Caucus is a strong call to action to press forward and progress gender equality. 

Now called the Cook Islands Women Parliamentarians Caucus, the membership is bi-partisan in nature as it involves women MPs from the Government and Opposition sides of the House.  

Internationally, the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) has found that 81 Parliaments have established some form of women’s caucus. 

The Speaker of the Cook Islands Parliament, Honourable Niki Rattle, as a passionate advocate for gender equality in Parliament, was excited about the prospects and opportunities the Women’s Parliamentary Caucus will bring. She hopes that this can help tip the balance for representation. 

“While the status of women in the Cook Islands has improved, men still outnumber women in jobs with status, power and authority,” said Hon. Rattle. 

“The Cook Islands Women Parliamentarians Caucus is a proactive approach that advocates for equitable outcomes for all through law-making, budgeting, oversight and representation.” 

She added, “through this approach, we hope to reach out to women in the Cook Islands and encourage them to stand for elections which will increase the number of women in Parliament.” 

“The significance of the launch was also underscored with the visit of the Prime Minister of New Zealand, the Rt Honourable, Jacinda Adern - a woman holding the highest political office,” said Hon. Rattle. 

“I hope that women of Cook Islands will be able to see that they too, can stand and lead.”  

Confirmed by the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) studies on Equality in Politics and Gender Sensitive Parliaments, the establishment of women’s parliamentary caucuses is one of the mechanisms that have enabled women to strengthen their political impact. 

Only 23% of the world’s MPs are women, so they are a minority in male-dominated institutions (only Rwanda has more than 50% female MPs). 

Across the Pacific (excluding Australia and New Zealand), the average number of women MPs is 7.2%, the lowest in the world.  With four women MPs, the Cook Islands is better than the Pacific average, at 16.6% female representation plus a woman Speaker.

The Country Director, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Pacific Office in Fiji and Head of Pacific Regional Programme and Policy, Bakhodir Burkhanov echoed the sentiments of the Hon. Speaker and congratulated the efforts of the founding members of the Cook Islands Women’s Parliament Caucus.  

“The achievement of the sustainable development goals (SDGs) cannot be met if women are denied meaningful political participation,” said Burkhanov. 

“International agreements such as CEDAW, the Beijing Platform for Action and the Pacific Leaders Gender Equality Declaration all stress the importance of increasing the numbers of women in political and other leadership, as part of gender equality strategies.” 

He added, “women’s caucuses can also help to bring together equality between men and women in the daily operation and work of Parliament.” 

The formation of the Cook Islands Women Caucus is part of a programme of support by the Pacific Parliamentary Effectiveness Initiative (PPEI) implemented by the UNDP Pacific Office in Fiji with funding support from the Government of New Zealand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT). 

The UNDP PPEI is a three-year programme implemented in collaboration with the Parliaments of Cook Islands, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Tonga and Vanuatu, focusing on a number of areas including improving procedures and processes in Parliaments and building the capacity of Members of Parliament and Secretariat staff.

This article was published by UNDP on March 8, 2018.

Avarua, Cook Islands - With the establishment of the Women Parliamentarians Caucus, Cook Islands aims to further advance the effective participation of women at the highest decision-making body: the legislature.      

Appropriately launched on International Women’s Day, Thursday 8 March, the Women’s Caucus is a strong call to action to press forward and progress gender equality. 

Now called the Cook Islands Women Parliamentarians Caucus, the membership is bi-partisan in nature as it involves women MPs from the Government and Opposition sides of the House.  

Internationally, the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) has found that 81 Parliaments have established some form of women’s caucus. 

The Speaker of the Cook Islands Parliament, Honourable Niki Rattle, as a passionate advocate for gender equality in Parliament, was excited about the prospects and opportunities the Women’s Parliamentary Caucus will bring. She hopes that this can help tip the balance for representation. 

“While the status of women in the Cook Islands has improved, men still outnumber women in jobs with status, power and authority,” said Hon. Rattle. 

“The Cook Islands Women Parliamentarians Caucus is a proactive approach that advocates for equitable outcomes for all through law-making, budgeting, oversight and representation.” 

She added, “through this approach, we hope to reach out to women in the Cook Islands and encourage them to stand for elections which will increase the number of women in Parliament.” 

“The significance of the launch was also underscored with the visit of the Prime Minister of New Zealand, the Rt Honourable, Jacinda Adern - a woman holding the highest political office,” said Hon. Rattle. 

“I hope that women of Cook Islands will be able to see that they too, can stand and lead.”  

Confirmed by the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) studies on Equality in Politics and Gender Sensitive Parliaments, the establishment of women’s parliamentary caucuses is one of the mechanisms that have enabled women to strengthen their political impact. 

Only 23% of the world’s MPs are women, so they are a minority in male-dominated institutions (only Rwanda has more than 50% female MPs). 

Across the Pacific (excluding Australia and New Zealand), the average number of women MPs is 7.2%, the lowest in the world.  With four women MPs, the Cook Islands is better than the Pacific average, at 16.6% female representation plus a woman Speaker.

The Country Director, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Pacific Office in Fiji and Head of Pacific Regional Programme and Policy, Bakhodir Burkhanov echoed the sentiments of the Hon. Speaker and congratulated the efforts of the founding members of the Cook Islands Women’s Parliament Caucus.  

“The achievement of the sustainable development goals (SDGs) cannot be met if women are denied meaningful political participation,” said Burkhanov. 

“International agreements such as CEDAW, the Beijing Platform for Action and the Pacific Leaders Gender Equality Declaration all stress the importance of increasing the numbers of women in political and other leadership, as part of gender equality strategies.” 

He added, “women’s caucuses can also help to bring together equality between men and women in the daily operation and work of Parliament.” 

The formation of the Cook Islands Women Caucus is part of a programme of support by the Pacific Parliamentary Effectiveness Initiative (PPEI) implemented by the UNDP Pacific Office in Fiji with funding support from the Government of New Zealand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT). 

The UNDP PPEI is a three-year programme implemented in collaboration with the Parliaments of Cook Islands, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Tonga and Vanuatu, focusing on a number of areas including improving procedures and processes in Parliaments and building the capacity of Members of Parliament and Secretariat staff.

This article was published by UNDP on March 8, 2018.

Avarua, Cook Islands - With the establishment of the Women Parliamentarians Caucus, Cook Islands aims to further advance the effective participation of women at the highest decision-making body: the legislature.      

Appropriately launched on International Women’s Day, Thursday 8 March, the Women’s Caucus is a strong call to action to press forward and progress gender equality. 

Now called the Cook Islands Women Parliamentarians Caucus, the membership is bi-partisan in nature as it involves women MPs from the Government and Opposition sides of the House.  

Internationally, the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) has found that 81 Parliaments have established some form of women’s caucus. 

The Speaker of the Cook Islands Parliament, Honourable Niki Rattle, as a passionate advocate for gender equality in Parliament, was excited about the prospects and opportunities the Women’s Parliamentary Caucus will bring. She hopes that this can help tip the balance for representation. 

“While the status of women in the Cook Islands has improved, men still outnumber women in jobs with status, power and authority,” said Hon. Rattle. 

“The Cook Islands Women Parliamentarians Caucus is a proactive approach that advocates for equitable outcomes for all through law-making, budgeting, oversight and representation.” 

She added, “through this approach, we hope to reach out to women in the Cook Islands and encourage them to stand for elections which will increase the number of women in Parliament.” 

“The significance of the launch was also underscored with the visit of the Prime Minister of New Zealand, the Rt Honourable, Jacinda Adern - a woman holding the highest political office,” said Hon. Rattle. 

“I hope that women of Cook Islands will be able to see that they too, can stand and lead.”  

Confirmed by the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) studies on Equality in Politics and Gender Sensitive Parliaments, the establishment of women’s parliamentary caucuses is one of the mechanisms that have enabled women to strengthen their political impact. 

Only 23% of the world’s MPs are women, so they are a minority in male-dominated institutions (only Rwanda has more than 50% female MPs). 

Across the Pacific (excluding Australia and New Zealand), the average number of women MPs is 7.2%, the lowest in the world.  With four women MPs, the Cook Islands is better than the Pacific average, at 16.6% female representation plus a woman Speaker.

The Country Director, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Pacific Office in Fiji and Head of Pacific Regional Programme and Policy, Bakhodir Burkhanov echoed the sentiments of the Hon. Speaker and congratulated the efforts of the founding members of the Cook Islands Women’s Parliament Caucus.  

“The achievement of the sustainable development goals (SDGs) cannot be met if women are denied meaningful political participation,” said Burkhanov. 

“International agreements such as CEDAW, the Beijing Platform for Action and the Pacific Leaders Gender Equality Declaration all stress the importance of increasing the numbers of women in political and other leadership, as part of gender equality strategies.” 

He added, “women’s caucuses can also help to bring together equality between men and women in the daily operation and work of Parliament.” 

The formation of the Cook Islands Women Caucus is part of a programme of support by the Pacific Parliamentary Effectiveness Initiative (PPEI) implemented by the UNDP Pacific Office in Fiji with funding support from the Government of New Zealand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT). 

The UNDP PPEI is a three-year programme implemented in collaboration with the Parliaments of Cook Islands, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Tonga and Vanuatu, focusing on a number of areas including improving procedures and processes in Parliaments and building the capacity of Members of Parliament and Secretariat staff.

This article was published by UNDP on March 8, 2018.

Avarua, Cook Islands - With the establishment of the Women Parliamentarians Caucus, Cook Islands aims to further advance the effective participation of women at the highest decision-making body: the legislature.      

Appropriately launched on International Women’s Day, Thursday 8 March, the Women’s Caucus is a strong call to action to press forward and progress gender equality. 

Now called the Cook Islands Women Parliamentarians Caucus, the membership is bi-partisan in nature as it involves women MPs from the Government and Opposition sides of the House.  

Internationally, the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) has found that 81 Parliaments have established some form of women’s caucus. 

The Speaker of the Cook Islands Parliament, Honourable Niki Rattle, as a passionate advocate for gender equality in Parliament, was excited about the prospects and opportunities the Women’s Parliamentary Caucus will bring. She hopes that this can help tip the balance for representation. 

“While the status of women in the Cook Islands has improved, men still outnumber women in jobs with status, power and authority,” said Hon. Rattle. 

“The Cook Islands Women Parliamentarians Caucus is a proactive approach that advocates for equitable outcomes for all through law-making, budgeting, oversight and representation.” 

She added, “through this approach, we hope to reach out to women in the Cook Islands and encourage them to stand for elections which will increase the number of women in Parliament.” 

“The significance of the launch was also underscored with the visit of the Prime Minister of New Zealand, the Rt Honourable, Jacinda Adern - a woman holding the highest political office,” said Hon. Rattle. 

“I hope that women of Cook Islands will be able to see that they too, can stand and lead.”  

Confirmed by the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) studies on Equality in Politics and Gender Sensitive Parliaments, the establishment of women’s parliamentary caucuses is one of the mechanisms that have enabled women to strengthen their political impact. 

Only 23% of the world’s MPs are women, so they are a minority in male-dominated institutions (only Rwanda has more than 50% female MPs). 

Across the Pacific (excluding Australia and New Zealand), the average number of women MPs is 7.2%, the lowest in the world.  With four women MPs, the Cook Islands is better than the Pacific average, at 16.6% female representation plus a woman Speaker.

The Country Director, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Pacific Office in Fiji and Head of Pacific Regional Programme and Policy, Bakhodir Burkhanov echoed the sentiments of the Hon. Speaker and congratulated the efforts of the founding members of the Cook Islands Women’s Parliament Caucus.  

“The achievement of the sustainable development goals (SDGs) cannot be met if women are denied meaningful political participation,” said Burkhanov. 

“International agreements such as CEDAW, the Beijing Platform for Action and the Pacific Leaders Gender Equality Declaration all stress the importance of increasing the numbers of women in political and other leadership, as part of gender equality strategies.” 

He added, “women’s caucuses can also help to bring together equality between men and women in the daily operation and work of Parliament.” 

The formation of the Cook Islands Women Caucus is part of a programme of support by the Pacific Parliamentary Effectiveness Initiative (PPEI) implemented by the UNDP Pacific Office in Fiji with funding support from the Government of New Zealand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT). 

The UNDP PPEI is a three-year programme implemented in collaboration with the Parliaments of Cook Islands, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Tonga and Vanuatu, focusing on a number of areas including improving procedures and processes in Parliaments and building the capacity of Members of Parliament and Secretariat staff.

Statement by Senator Gabriela Cuevas Barron, President of the Inter-Parliamentary Union

On International Women’s Day, the Inter-Parliamentary Union proudly joins the worldwide efforts to achieve gender equality. As IPU President, I call upon male and female parliamentarians and men and women of all ages to join the fight for a better society marked by justice, equality and parity.

In its work the IPU focuses on promoting gender equality and increasing the number of women parliamentarians which, I acknowledge, has been a slow process. The IPU’s report titled Women in Parliament in 2017 shows that women’s low representation in parliament remains an issue as most legislatures continue to have a significant male majority. The 0.1 percentage point increase in 2017 - compared to 2016 - in women parliamentarians in the world is unacceptable. We have to move much faster.

Shortly after the fall of the Berlin Wall almost 30 years ago, the average number of women parliamentarians stood below 10 per cent worldwide. Today that number has risen to 23.4 per cent, which represents both a remarkable advance but is also a reminder of the fact that in the world today there is only one woman to every three men legislators.

Progress can be achieved by ensuring that decision-makers design policies that positively affect women and girls. One example of effective action can be gleaned from the results of parliamentary elections held around the world in 2017. Countries that imposed gender quotas on their political processes garnered twice as many female representatives as those that did not – 30 per cent in 20 countries with quotas and 15.4 per cent in 16 countries without quotas.

I am proud of the fact that my region of origin, the Americas, has more women parliamentarians than other regions and that women make up 28.4 per cent of the total number of parliamentary representatives. This is in no small part due to the fact that many countries in the Americas have promoted parity in their legislative frameworks, and have simultaneously adopted provisions on quotas where between 40 and 50 per cent of female political participation is guaranteed.

I invite my colleagues from other countries and regions to study our experience, which can be useful for the challenges we still have ahead of us. The IPU welcomes all those interested in advancing global parity and invites them to consult our research publications and obtain information about our programmes on promoting gender equality in politics.

I recognize that progress has been achieved thanks to the activism of millions of women throughout history. One of these women is Margaret Mensah-Williams who currently heads the IPU Bureau of Women Parliamentarians. A tireless fighter for equal rights, Mensah-Williams has accrued in her lifetime a series of impressive firsts in her home country of Namibia. Rising through the ranks in Parliament, Mensah-Williams has constantly stood for equality both in matters of gender and race.

As Chair of the Parliamentary Meeting at the 62nd session of the Commission on the Status of Women and President of the National Council of the Parliament of Namibia, Margaret Mensah-Williams urged her parliamentary colleagues to continue standing up for their political rights and to participate in global leadership. She celebrated the fact that the IPU is currently presided by a woman, the second time in IPU’s 129-year history. Fighting the underlying hierarchical structures that create inequality and promote division has been at the core of her efforts. Mensah-Williams’ vision has undoubtedly informed much of what the IPU’s goals are in terms of female inclusion and empowerment.

The participation of women in political life requires a new and strong impetus. If we continue at this pace we will achieve parity in 250 years, which is clearly unacceptable for us, our daughters, grand-daughters and great-granddaughters. So, let’s get to work!

Statement by Senator Gabriela Cuevas Barron, President of the Inter-Parliamentary Union

On International Women’s Day, the Inter-Parliamentary Union proudly joins the worldwide efforts to achieve gender equality. As IPU President, I call upon male and female parliamentarians and men and women of all ages to join the fight for a better society marked by justice, equality and parity.

In its work the IPU focuses on promoting gender equality and increasing the number of women parliamentarians which, I acknowledge, has been a slow process. The IPU’s report titled Women in Parliament in 2017 shows that women’s low representation in parliament remains an issue as most legislatures continue to have a significant male majority. The 0.1 percentage point increase in 2017 - compared to 2016 - in women parliamentarians in the world is unacceptable. We have to move much faster.

Shortly after the fall of the Berlin Wall almost 30 years ago, the average number of women parliamentarians stood below 10 per cent worldwide. Today that number has risen to 23.4 per cent, which represents both a remarkable advance but is also a reminder of the fact that in the world today there is only one woman to every three men legislators.

Progress can be achieved by ensuring that decision-makers design policies that positively affect women and girls. One example of effective action can be gleaned from the results of parliamentary elections held around the world in 2017. Countries that imposed gender quotas on their political processes garnered twice as many female representatives as those that did not – 30 per cent in 20 countries with quotas and 15.4 per cent in 16 countries without quotas.

I am proud of the fact that my region of origin, the Americas, has more women parliamentarians than other regions and that women make up 28.4 per cent of the total number of parliamentary representatives. This is in no small part due to the fact that many countries in the Americas have promoted parity in their legislative frameworks, and have simultaneously adopted provisions on quotas where between 40 and 50 per cent of female political participation is guaranteed.

I invite my colleagues from other countries and regions to study our experience, which can be useful for the challenges we still have ahead of us. The IPU welcomes all those interested in advancing global parity and invites them to consult our research publications and obtain information about our programmes on promoting gender equality in politics.

I recognize that progress has been achieved thanks to the activism of millions of women throughout history. One of these women is Margaret Mensah-Williams who currently heads the IPU Bureau of Women Parliamentarians. A tireless fighter for equal rights, Mensah-Williams has accrued in her lifetime a series of impressive firsts in her home country of Namibia. Rising through the ranks in Parliament, Mensah-Williams has constantly stood for equality both in matters of gender and race.

As Chair of the Parliamentary Meeting at the 62nd session of the Commission on the Status of Women and President of the National Council of the Parliament of Namibia, Margaret Mensah-Williams urged her parliamentary colleagues to continue standing up for their political rights and to participate in global leadership. She celebrated the fact that the IPU is currently presided by a woman, the second time in IPU’s 129-year history. Fighting the underlying hierarchical structures that create inequality and promote division has been at the core of her efforts. Mensah-Williams’ vision has undoubtedly informed much of what the IPU’s goals are in terms of female inclusion and empowerment.

The participation of women in political life requires a new and strong impetus. If we continue at this pace we will achieve parity in 250 years, which is clearly unacceptable for us, our daughters, grand-daughters and great-granddaughters. So, let’s get to work!

Statement by Senator Gabriela Cuevas Barron, President of the Inter-Parliamentary Union

On International Women’s Day, the Inter-Parliamentary Union proudly joins the worldwide efforts to achieve gender equality. As IPU President, I call upon male and female parliamentarians and men and women of all ages to join the fight for a better society marked by justice, equality and parity.

In its work the IPU focuses on promoting gender equality and increasing the number of women parliamentarians which, I acknowledge, has been a slow process. The IPU’s report titled Women in Parliament in 2017 shows that women’s low representation in parliament remains an issue as most legislatures continue to have a significant male majority. The 0.1 percentage point increase in 2017 - compared to 2016 - in women parliamentarians in the world is unacceptable. We have to move much faster.

Shortly after the fall of the Berlin Wall almost 30 years ago, the average number of women parliamentarians stood below 10 per cent worldwide. Today that number has risen to 23.4 per cent, which represents both a remarkable advance but is also a reminder of the fact that in the world today there is only one woman to every three men legislators.

Progress can be achieved by ensuring that decision-makers design policies that positively affect women and girls. One example of effective action can be gleaned from the results of parliamentary elections held around the world in 2017. Countries that imposed gender quotas on their political processes garnered twice as many female representatives as those that did not – 30 per cent in 20 countries with quotas and 15.4 per cent in 16 countries without quotas.

I am proud of the fact that my region of origin, the Americas, has more women parliamentarians than other regions and that women make up 28.4 per cent of the total number of parliamentary representatives. This is in no small part due to the fact that many countries in the Americas have promoted parity in their legislative frameworks, and have simultaneously adopted provisions on quotas where between 40 and 50 per cent of female political participation is guaranteed.

I invite my colleagues from other countries and regions to study our experience, which can be useful for the challenges we still have ahead of us. The IPU welcomes all those interested in advancing global parity and invites them to consult our research publications and obtain information about our programmes on promoting gender equality in politics.

I recognize that progress has been achieved thanks to the activism of millions of women throughout history. One of these women is Margaret Mensah-Williams who currently heads the IPU Bureau of Women Parliamentarians. A tireless fighter for equal rights, Mensah-Williams has accrued in her lifetime a series of impressive firsts in her home country of Namibia. Rising through the ranks in Parliament, Mensah-Williams has constantly stood for equality both in matters of gender and race.

As Chair of the Parliamentary Meeting at the 62nd session of the Commission on the Status of Women and President of the National Council of the Parliament of Namibia, Margaret Mensah-Williams urged her parliamentary colleagues to continue standing up for their political rights and to participate in global leadership. She celebrated the fact that the IPU is currently presided by a woman, the second time in IPU’s 129-year history. Fighting the underlying hierarchical structures that create inequality and promote division has been at the core of her efforts. Mensah-Williams’ vision has undoubtedly informed much of what the IPU’s goals are in terms of female inclusion and empowerment.

The participation of women in political life requires a new and strong impetus. If we continue at this pace we will achieve parity in 250 years, which is clearly unacceptable for us, our daughters, grand-daughters and great-granddaughters. So, let’s get to work!

Statement by Senator Gabriela Cuevas Barron, President of the Inter-Parliamentary Union

On International Women’s Day, the Inter-Parliamentary Union proudly joins the worldwide efforts to achieve gender equality. As IPU President, I call upon male and female parliamentarians and men and women of all ages to join the fight for a better society marked by justice, equality and parity.

In its work the IPU focuses on promoting gender equality and increasing the number of women parliamentarians which, I acknowledge, has been a slow process. The IPU’s report titled Women in Parliament in 2017 shows that women’s low representation in parliament remains an issue as most legislatures continue to have a significant male majority. The 0.1 percentage point increase in 2017 - compared to 2016 - in women parliamentarians in the world is unacceptable. We have to move much faster.

Shortly after the fall of the Berlin Wall almost 30 years ago, the average number of women parliamentarians stood below 10 per cent worldwide. Today that number has risen to 23.4 per cent, which represents both a remarkable advance but is also a reminder of the fact that in the world today there is only one woman to every three men legislators.

Progress can be achieved by ensuring that decision-makers design policies that positively affect women and girls. One example of effective action can be gleaned from the results of parliamentary elections held around the world in 2017. Countries that imposed gender quotas on their political processes garnered twice as many female representatives as those that did not – 30 per cent in 20 countries with quotas and 15.4 per cent in 16 countries without quotas.

I am proud of the fact that my region of origin, the Americas, has more women parliamentarians than other regions and that women make up 28.4 per cent of the total number of parliamentary representatives. This is in no small part due to the fact that many countries in the Americas have promoted parity in their legislative frameworks, and have simultaneously adopted provisions on quotas where between 40 and 50 per cent of female political participation is guaranteed.

I invite my colleagues from other countries and regions to study our experience, which can be useful for the challenges we still have ahead of us. The IPU welcomes all those interested in advancing global parity and invites them to consult our research publications and obtain information about our programmes on promoting gender equality in politics.

I recognize that progress has been achieved thanks to the activism of millions of women throughout history. One of these women is Margaret Mensah-Williams who currently heads the IPU Bureau of Women Parliamentarians. A tireless fighter for equal rights, Mensah-Williams has accrued in her lifetime a series of impressive firsts in her home country of Namibia. Rising through the ranks in Parliament, Mensah-Williams has constantly stood for equality both in matters of gender and race.

As Chair of the Parliamentary Meeting at the 62nd session of the Commission on the Status of Women and President of the National Council of the Parliament of Namibia, Margaret Mensah-Williams urged her parliamentary colleagues to continue standing up for their political rights and to participate in global leadership. She celebrated the fact that the IPU is currently presided by a woman, the second time in IPU’s 129-year history. Fighting the underlying hierarchical structures that create inequality and promote division has been at the core of her efforts. Mensah-Williams’ vision has undoubtedly informed much of what the IPU’s goals are in terms of female inclusion and empowerment.

The participation of women in political life requires a new and strong impetus. If we continue at this pace we will achieve parity in 250 years, which is clearly unacceptable for us, our daughters, grand-daughters and great-granddaughters. So, let’s get to work!

Statement by Senator Gabriela Cuevas Barron, President of the Inter-Parliamentary Union

On International Women’s Day, the Inter-Parliamentary Union proudly joins the worldwide efforts to achieve gender equality. As IPU President, I call upon male and female parliamentarians and men and women of all ages to join the fight for a better society marked by justice, equality and parity.

In its work the IPU focuses on promoting gender equality and increasing the number of women parliamentarians which, I acknowledge, has been a slow process. The IPU’s report titled Women in Parliament in 2017 shows that women’s low representation in parliament remains an issue as most legislatures continue to have a significant male majority. The 0.1 percentage point increase in 2017 - compared to 2016 - in women parliamentarians in the world is unacceptable. We have to move much faster.

Shortly after the fall of the Berlin Wall almost 30 years ago, the average number of women parliamentarians stood below 10 per cent worldwide. Today that number has risen to 23.4 per cent, which represents both a remarkable advance but is also a reminder of the fact that in the world today there is only one woman to every three men legislators.

Progress can be achieved by ensuring that decision-makers design policies that positively affect women and girls. One example of effective action can be gleaned from the results of parliamentary elections held around the world in 2017. Countries that imposed gender quotas on their political processes garnered twice as many female representatives as those that did not – 30 per cent in 20 countries with quotas and 15.4 per cent in 16 countries without quotas.

I am proud of the fact that my region of origin, the Americas, has more women parliamentarians than other regions and that women make up 28.4 per cent of the total number of parliamentary representatives. This is in no small part due to the fact that many countries in the Americas have promoted parity in their legislative frameworks, and have simultaneously adopted provisions on quotas where between 40 and 50 per cent of female political participation is guaranteed.

I invite my colleagues from other countries and regions to study our experience, which can be useful for the challenges we still have ahead of us. The IPU welcomes all those interested in advancing global parity and invites them to consult our research publications and obtain information about our programmes on promoting gender equality in politics.

I recognize that progress has been achieved thanks to the activism of millions of women throughout history. One of these women is Margaret Mensah-Williams who currently heads the IPU Bureau of Women Parliamentarians. A tireless fighter for equal rights, Mensah-Williams has accrued in her lifetime a series of impressive firsts in her home country of Namibia. Rising through the ranks in Parliament, Mensah-Williams has constantly stood for equality both in matters of gender and race.

As Chair of the Parliamentary Meeting at the 62nd session of the Commission on the Status of Women and President of the National Council of the Parliament of Namibia, Margaret Mensah-Williams urged her parliamentary colleagues to continue standing up for their political rights and to participate in global leadership. She celebrated the fact that the IPU is currently presided by a woman, the second time in IPU’s 129-year history. Fighting the underlying hierarchical structures that create inequality and promote division has been at the core of her efforts. Mensah-Williams’ vision has undoubtedly informed much of what the IPU’s goals are in terms of female inclusion and empowerment.

The participation of women in political life requires a new and strong impetus. If we continue at this pace we will achieve parity in 250 years, which is clearly unacceptable for us, our daughters, grand-daughters and great-granddaughters. So, let’s get to work!

Statement by Senator Gabriela Cuevas Barron, President of the Inter-Parliamentary Union

On International Women’s Day, the Inter-Parliamentary Union proudly joins the worldwide efforts to achieve gender equality. As IPU President, I call upon male and female parliamentarians and men and women of all ages to join the fight for a better society marked by justice, equality and parity.

In its work the IPU focuses on promoting gender equality and increasing the number of women parliamentarians which, I acknowledge, has been a slow process. The IPU’s report titled Women in Parliament in 2017 shows that women’s low representation in parliament remains an issue as most legislatures continue to have a significant male majority. The 0.1 percentage point increase in 2017 - compared to 2016 - in women parliamentarians in the world is unacceptable. We have to move much faster.

Shortly after the fall of the Berlin Wall almost 30 years ago, the average number of women parliamentarians stood below 10 per cent worldwide. Today that number has risen to 23.4 per cent, which represents both a remarkable advance but is also a reminder of the fact that in the world today there is only one woman to every three men legislators.

Progress can be achieved by ensuring that decision-makers design policies that positively affect women and girls. One example of effective action can be gleaned from the results of parliamentary elections held around the world in 2017. Countries that imposed gender quotas on their political processes garnered twice as many female representatives as those that did not – 30 per cent in 20 countries with quotas and 15.4 per cent in 16 countries without quotas.

I am proud of the fact that my region of origin, the Americas, has more women parliamentarians than other regions and that women make up 28.4 per cent of the total number of parliamentary representatives. This is in no small part due to the fact that many countries in the Americas have promoted parity in their legislative frameworks, and have simultaneously adopted provisions on quotas where between 40 and 50 per cent of female political participation is guaranteed.

I invite my colleagues from other countries and regions to study our experience, which can be useful for the challenges we still have ahead of us. The IPU welcomes all those interested in advancing global parity and invites them to consult our research publications and obtain information about our programmes on promoting gender equality in politics.

I recognize that progress has been achieved thanks to the activism of millions of women throughout history. One of these women is Margaret Mensah-Williams who currently heads the IPU Bureau of Women Parliamentarians. A tireless fighter for equal rights, Mensah-Williams has accrued in her lifetime a series of impressive firsts in her home country of Namibia. Rising through the ranks in Parliament, Mensah-Williams has constantly stood for equality both in matters of gender and race.

As Chair of the Parliamentary Meeting at the 62nd session of the Commission on the Status of Women and President of the National Council of the Parliament of Namibia, Margaret Mensah-Williams urged her parliamentary colleagues to continue standing up for their political rights and to participate in global leadership. She celebrated the fact that the IPU is currently presided by a woman, the second time in IPU’s 129-year history. Fighting the underlying hierarchical structures that create inequality and promote division has been at the core of her efforts. Mensah-Williams’ vision has undoubtedly informed much of what the IPU’s goals are in terms of female inclusion and empowerment.

The participation of women in political life requires a new and strong impetus. If we continue at this pace we will achieve parity in 250 years, which is clearly unacceptable for us, our daughters, grand-daughters and great-granddaughters. So, let’s get to work!

Statement by Senator Gabriela Cuevas Barron, President of the Inter-Parliamentary Union

On International Women’s Day, the Inter-Parliamentary Union proudly joins the worldwide efforts to achieve gender equality. As IPU President, I call upon male and female parliamentarians and men and women of all ages to join the fight for a better society marked by justice, equality and parity.

In its work the IPU focuses on promoting gender equality and increasing the number of women parliamentarians which, I acknowledge, has been a slow process. The IPU’s report titled Women in Parliament in 2017 shows that women’s low representation in parliament remains an issue as most legislatures continue to have a significant male majority. The 0.1 percentage point increase in 2017 - compared to 2016 - in women parliamentarians in the world is unacceptable. We have to move much faster.

Shortly after the fall of the Berlin Wall almost 30 years ago, the average number of women parliamentarians stood below 10 per cent worldwide. Today that number has risen to 23.4 per cent, which represents both a remarkable advance but is also a reminder of the fact that in the world today there is only one woman to every three men legislators.

Progress can be achieved by ensuring that decision-makers design policies that positively affect women and girls. One example of effective action can be gleaned from the results of parliamentary elections held around the world in 2017. Countries that imposed gender quotas on their political processes garnered twice as many female representatives as those that did not – 30 per cent in 20 countries with quotas and 15.4 per cent in 16 countries without quotas.

I am proud of the fact that my region of origin, the Americas, has more women parliamentarians than other regions and that women make up 28.4 per cent of the total number of parliamentary representatives. This is in no small part due to the fact that many countries in the Americas have promoted parity in their legislative frameworks, and have simultaneously adopted provisions on quotas where between 40 and 50 per cent of female political participation is guaranteed.

I invite my colleagues from other countries and regions to study our experience, which can be useful for the challenges we still have ahead of us. The IPU welcomes all those interested in advancing global parity and invites them to consult our research publications and obtain information about our programmes on promoting gender equality in politics.

I recognize that progress has been achieved thanks to the activism of millions of women throughout history. One of these women is Margaret Mensah-Williams who currently heads the IPU Bureau of Women Parliamentarians. A tireless fighter for equal rights, Mensah-Williams has accrued in her lifetime a series of impressive firsts in her home country of Namibia. Rising through the ranks in Parliament, Mensah-Williams has constantly stood for equality both in matters of gender and race.

As Chair of the Parliamentary Meeting at the 62nd session of the Commission on the Status of Women and President of the National Council of the Parliament of Namibia, Margaret Mensah-Williams urged her parliamentary colleagues to continue standing up for their political rights and to participate in global leadership. She celebrated the fact that the IPU is currently presided by a woman, the second time in IPU’s 129-year history. Fighting the underlying hierarchical structures that create inequality and promote division has been at the core of her efforts. Mensah-Williams’ vision has undoubtedly informed much of what the IPU’s goals are in terms of female inclusion and empowerment.

The participation of women in political life requires a new and strong impetus. If we continue at this pace we will achieve parity in 250 years, which is clearly unacceptable for us, our daughters, grand-daughters and great-granddaughters. So, let’s get to work!

Statement by Senator Gabriela Cuevas Barron, President of the Inter-Parliamentary Union

On International Women’s Day, the Inter-Parliamentary Union proudly joins the worldwide efforts to achieve gender equality. As IPU President, I call upon male and female parliamentarians and men and women of all ages to join the fight for a better society marked by justice, equality and parity.

In its work the IPU focuses on promoting gender equality and increasing the number of women parliamentarians which, I acknowledge, has been a slow process. The IPU’s report titled Women in Parliament in 2017 shows that women’s low representation in parliament remains an issue as most legislatures continue to have a significant male majority. The 0.1 percentage point increase in 2017 - compared to 2016 - in women parliamentarians in the world is unacceptable. We have to move much faster.

Shortly after the fall of the Berlin Wall almost 30 years ago, the average number of women parliamentarians stood below 10 per cent worldwide. Today that number has risen to 23.4 per cent, which represents both a remarkable advance but is also a reminder of the fact that in the world today there is only one woman to every three men legislators.

Progress can be achieved by ensuring that decision-makers design policies that positively affect women and girls. One example of effective action can be gleaned from the results of parliamentary elections held around the world in 2017. Countries that imposed gender quotas on their political processes garnered twice as many female representatives as those that did not – 30 per cent in 20 countries with quotas and 15.4 per cent in 16 countries without quotas.

I am proud of the fact that my region of origin, the Americas, has more women parliamentarians than other regions and that women make up 28.4 per cent of the total number of parliamentary representatives. This is in no small part due to the fact that many countries in the Americas have promoted parity in their legislative frameworks, and have simultaneously adopted provisions on quotas where between 40 and 50 per cent of female political participation is guaranteed.

I invite my colleagues from other countries and regions to study our experience, which can be useful for the challenges we still have ahead of us. The IPU welcomes all those interested in advancing global parity and invites them to consult our research publications and obtain information about our programmes on promoting gender equality in politics.

I recognize that progress has been achieved thanks to the activism of millions of women throughout history. One of these women is Margaret Mensah-Williams who currently heads the IPU Bureau of Women Parliamentarians. A tireless fighter for equal rights, Mensah-Williams has accrued in her lifetime a series of impressive firsts in her home country of Namibia. Rising through the ranks in Parliament, Mensah-Williams has constantly stood for equality both in matters of gender and race.

As Chair of the Parliamentary Meeting at the 62nd session of the Commission on the Status of Women and President of the National Council of the Parliament of Namibia, Margaret Mensah-Williams urged her parliamentary colleagues to continue standing up for their political rights and to participate in global leadership. She celebrated the fact that the IPU is currently presided by a woman, the second time in IPU’s 129-year history. Fighting the underlying hierarchical structures that create inequality and promote division has been at the core of her efforts. Mensah-Williams’ vision has undoubtedly informed much of what the IPU’s goals are in terms of female inclusion and empowerment.

The participation of women in political life requires a new and strong impetus. If we continue at this pace we will achieve parity in 250 years, which is clearly unacceptable for us, our daughters, grand-daughters and great-granddaughters. So, let’s get to work!

Statement by Senator Gabriela Cuevas Barron, President of the Inter-Parliamentary Union

On International Women’s Day, the Inter-Parliamentary Union proudly joins the worldwide efforts to achieve gender equality. As IPU President, I call upon male and female parliamentarians and men and women of all ages to join the fight for a better society marked by justice, equality and parity.

In its work the IPU focuses on promoting gender equality and increasing the number of women parliamentarians which, I acknowledge, has been a slow process. The IPU’s report titled Women in Parliament in 2017 shows that women’s low representation in parliament remains an issue as most legislatures continue to have a significant male majority. The 0.1 percentage point increase in 2017 - compared to 2016 - in women parliamentarians in the world is unacceptable. We have to move much faster.

Shortly after the fall of the Berlin Wall almost 30 years ago, the average number of women parliamentarians stood below 10 per cent worldwide. Today that number has risen to 23.4 per cent, which represents both a remarkable advance but is also a reminder of the fact that in the world today there is only one woman to every three men legislators.

Progress can be achieved by ensuring that decision-makers design policies that positively affect women and girls. One example of effective action can be gleaned from the results of parliamentary elections held around the world in 2017. Countries that imposed gender quotas on their political processes garnered twice as many female representatives as those that did not – 30 per cent in 20 countries with quotas and 15.4 per cent in 16 countries without quotas.

I am proud of the fact that my region of origin, the Americas, has more women parliamentarians than other regions and that women make up 28.4 per cent of the total number of parliamentary representatives. This is in no small part due to the fact that many countries in the Americas have promoted parity in their legislative frameworks, and have simultaneously adopted provisions on quotas where between 40 and 50 per cent of female political participation is guaranteed.

I invite my colleagues from other countries and regions to study our experience, which can be useful for the challenges we still have ahead of us. The IPU welcomes all those interested in advancing global parity and invites them to consult our research publications and obtain information about our programmes on promoting gender equality in politics.

I recognize that progress has been achieved thanks to the activism of millions of women throughout history. One of these women is Margaret Mensah-Williams who currently heads the IPU Bureau of Women Parliamentarians. A tireless fighter for equal rights, Mensah-Williams has accrued in her lifetime a series of impressive firsts in her home country of Namibia. Rising through the ranks in Parliament, Mensah-Williams has constantly stood for equality both in matters of gender and race.

As Chair of the Parliamentary Meeting at the 62nd session of the Commission on the Status of Women and President of the National Council of the Parliament of Namibia, Margaret Mensah-Williams urged her parliamentary colleagues to continue standing up for their political rights and to participate in global leadership. She celebrated the fact that the IPU is currently presided by a woman, the second time in IPU’s 129-year history. Fighting the underlying hierarchical structures that create inequality and promote division has been at the core of her efforts. Mensah-Williams’ vision has undoubtedly informed much of what the IPU’s goals are in terms of female inclusion and empowerment.

The participation of women in political life requires a new and strong impetus. If we continue at this pace we will achieve parity in 250 years, which is clearly unacceptable for us, our daughters, grand-daughters and great-granddaughters. So, let’s get to work!

Statement by Senator Gabriela Cuevas Barron, President of the Inter-Parliamentary Union

On International Women’s Day, the Inter-Parliamentary Union proudly joins the worldwide efforts to achieve gender equality. As IPU President, I call upon male and female parliamentarians and men and women of all ages to join the fight for a better society marked by justice, equality and parity.

In its work the IPU focuses on promoting gender equality and increasing the number of women parliamentarians which, I acknowledge, has been a slow process. The IPU’s report titled Women in Parliament in 2017 shows that women’s low representation in parliament remains an issue as most legislatures continue to have a significant male majority. The 0.1 percentage point increase in 2017 - compared to 2016 - in women parliamentarians in the world is unacceptable. We have to move much faster.

Shortly after the fall of the Berlin Wall almost 30 years ago, the average number of women parliamentarians stood below 10 per cent worldwide. Today that number has risen to 23.4 per cent, which represents both a remarkable advance but is also a reminder of the fact that in the world today there is only one woman to every three men legislators.

Progress can be achieved by ensuring that decision-makers design policies that positively affect women and girls. One example of effective action can be gleaned from the results of parliamentary elections held around the world in 2017. Countries that imposed gender quotas on their political processes garnered twice as many female representatives as those that did not – 30 per cent in 20 countries with quotas and 15.4 per cent in 16 countries without quotas.

I am proud of the fact that my region of origin, the Americas, has more women parliamentarians than other regions and that women make up 28.4 per cent of the total number of parliamentary representatives. This is in no small part due to the fact that many countries in the Americas have promoted parity in their legislative frameworks, and have simultaneously adopted provisions on quotas where between 40 and 50 per cent of female political participation is guaranteed.

I invite my colleagues from other countries and regions to study our experience, which can be useful for the challenges we still have ahead of us. The IPU welcomes all those interested in advancing global parity and invites them to consult our research publications and obtain information about our programmes on promoting gender equality in politics.

I recognize that progress has been achieved thanks to the activism of millions of women throughout history. One of these women is Margaret Mensah-Williams who currently heads the IPU Bureau of Women Parliamentarians. A tireless fighter for equal rights, Mensah-Williams has accrued in her lifetime a series of impressive firsts in her home country of Namibia. Rising through the ranks in Parliament, Mensah-Williams has constantly stood for equality both in matters of gender and race.

As Chair of the Parliamentary Meeting at the 62nd session of the Commission on the Status of Women and President of the National Council of the Parliament of Namibia, Margaret Mensah-Williams urged her parliamentary colleagues to continue standing up for their political rights and to participate in global leadership. She celebrated the fact that the IPU is currently presided by a woman, the second time in IPU’s 129-year history. Fighting the underlying hierarchical structures that create inequality and promote division has been at the core of her efforts. Mensah-Williams’ vision has undoubtedly informed much of what the IPU’s goals are in terms of female inclusion and empowerment.

The participation of women in political life requires a new and strong impetus. If we continue at this pace we will achieve parity in 250 years, which is clearly unacceptable for us, our daughters, grand-daughters and great-granddaughters. So, let’s get to work!

Statement by Senator Gabriela Cuevas Barron, President of the Inter-Parliamentary Union

On International Women’s Day, the Inter-Parliamentary Union proudly joins the worldwide efforts to achieve gender equality. As IPU President, I call upon male and female parliamentarians and men and women of all ages to join the fight for a better society marked by justice, equality and parity.

In its work the IPU focuses on promoting gender equality and increasing the number of women parliamentarians which, I acknowledge, has been a slow process. The IPU’s report titled Women in Parliament in 2017 shows that women’s low representation in parliament remains an issue as most legislatures continue to have a significant male majority. The 0.1 percentage point increase in 2017 - compared to 2016 - in women parliamentarians in the world is unacceptable. We have to move much faster.

Shortly after the fall of the Berlin Wall almost 30 years ago, the average number of women parliamentarians stood below 10 per cent worldwide. Today that number has risen to 23.4 per cent, which represents both a remarkable advance but is also a reminder of the fact that in the world today there is only one woman to every three men legislators.

Progress can be achieved by ensuring that decision-makers design policies that positively affect women and girls. One example of effective action can be gleaned from the results of parliamentary elections held around the world in 2017. Countries that imposed gender quotas on their political processes garnered twice as many female representatives as those that did not – 30 per cent in 20 countries with quotas and 15.4 per cent in 16 countries without quotas.

I am proud of the fact that my region of origin, the Americas, has more women parliamentarians than other regions and that women make up 28.4 per cent of the total number of parliamentary representatives. This is in no small part due to the fact that many countries in the Americas have promoted parity in their legislative frameworks, and have simultaneously adopted provisions on quotas where between 40 and 50 per cent of female political participation is guaranteed.

I invite my colleagues from other countries and regions to study our experience, which can be useful for the challenges we still have ahead of us. The IPU welcomes all those interested in advancing global parity and invites them to consult our research publications and obtain information about our programmes on promoting gender equality in politics.

I recognize that progress has been achieved thanks to the activism of millions of women throughout history. One of these women is Margaret Mensah-Williams who currently heads the IPU Bureau of Women Parliamentarians. A tireless fighter for equal rights, Mensah-Williams has accrued in her lifetime a series of impressive firsts in her home country of Namibia. Rising through the ranks in Parliament, Mensah-Williams has constantly stood for equality both in matters of gender and race.

As Chair of the Parliamentary Meeting at the 62nd session of the Commission on the Status of Women and President of the National Council of the Parliament of Namibia, Margaret Mensah-Williams urged her parliamentary colleagues to continue standing up for their political rights and to participate in global leadership. She celebrated the fact that the IPU is currently presided by a woman, the second time in IPU’s 129-year history. Fighting the underlying hierarchical structures that create inequality and promote division has been at the core of her efforts. Mensah-Williams’ vision has undoubtedly informed much of what the IPU’s goals are in terms of female inclusion and empowerment.

The participation of women in political life requires a new and strong impetus. If we continue at this pace we will achieve parity in 250 years, which is clearly unacceptable for us, our daughters, grand-daughters and great-granddaughters. So, let’s get to work!

Statement by Senator Gabriela Cuevas Barron, President of the Inter-Parliamentary Union

On International Women’s Day, the Inter-Parliamentary Union proudly joins the worldwide efforts to achieve gender equality. As IPU President, I call upon male and female parliamentarians and men and women of all ages to join the fight for a better society marked by justice, equality and parity.

In its work the IPU focuses on promoting gender equality and increasing the number of women parliamentarians which, I acknowledge, has been a slow process. The IPU’s report titled Women in Parliament in 2017 shows that women’s low representation in parliament remains an issue as most legislatures continue to have a significant male majority. The 0.1 percentage point increase in 2017 - compared to 2016 - in women parliamentarians in the world is unacceptable. We have to move much faster.

Shortly after the fall of the Berlin Wall almost 30 years ago, the average number of women parliamentarians stood below 10 per cent worldwide. Today that number has risen to 23.4 per cent, which represents both a remarkable advance but is also a reminder of the fact that in the world today there is only one woman to every three men legislators.

Progress can be achieved by ensuring that decision-makers design policies that positively affect women and girls. One example of effective action can be gleaned from the results of parliamentary elections held around the world in 2017. Countries that imposed gender quotas on their political processes garnered twice as many female representatives as those that did not – 30 per cent in 20 countries with quotas and 15.4 per cent in 16 countries without quotas.

I am proud of the fact that my region of origin, the Americas, has more women parliamentarians than other regions and that women make up 28.4 per cent of the total number of parliamentary representatives. This is in no small part due to the fact that many countries in the Americas have promoted parity in their legislative frameworks, and have simultaneously adopted provisions on quotas where between 40 and 50 per cent of female political participation is guaranteed.

I invite my colleagues from other countries and regions to study our experience, which can be useful for the challenges we still have ahead of us. The IPU welcomes all those interested in advancing global parity and invites them to consult our research publications and obtain information about our programmes on promoting gender equality in politics.

I recognize that progress has been achieved thanks to the activism of millions of women throughout history. One of these women is Margaret Mensah-Williams who currently heads the IPU Bureau of Women Parliamentarians. A tireless fighter for equal rights, Mensah-Williams has accrued in her lifetime a series of impressive firsts in her home country of Namibia. Rising through the ranks in Parliament, Mensah-Williams has constantly stood for equality both in matters of gender and race.

As Chair of the Parliamentary Meeting at the 62nd session of the Commission on the Status of Women and President of the National Council of the Parliament of Namibia, Margaret Mensah-Williams urged her parliamentary colleagues to continue standing up for their political rights and to participate in global leadership. She celebrated the fact that the IPU is currently presided by a woman, the second time in IPU’s 129-year history. Fighting the underlying hierarchical structures that create inequality and promote division has been at the core of her efforts. Mensah-Williams’ vision has undoubtedly informed much of what the IPU’s goals are in terms of female inclusion and empowerment.

The participation of women in political life requires a new and strong impetus. If we continue at this pace we will achieve parity in 250 years, which is clearly unacceptable for us, our daughters, grand-daughters and great-granddaughters. So, let’s get to work!

Statement by Senator Gabriela Cuevas Barron, President of the Inter-Parliamentary Union

On International Women’s Day, the Inter-Parliamentary Union proudly joins the worldwide efforts to achieve gender equality. As IPU President, I call upon male and female parliamentarians and men and women of all ages to join the fight for a better society marked by justice, equality and parity.

In its work the IPU focuses on promoting gender equality and increasing the number of women parliamentarians which, I acknowledge, has been a slow process. The IPU’s report titled Women in Parliament in 2017 shows that women’s low representation in parliament remains an issue as most legislatures continue to have a significant male majority. The 0.1 percentage point increase in 2017 - compared to 2016 - in women parliamentarians in the world is unacceptable. We have to move much faster.

Shortly after the fall of the Berlin Wall almost 30 years ago, the average number of women parliamentarians stood below 10 per cent worldwide. Today that number has risen to 23.4 per cent, which represents both a remarkable advance but is also a reminder of the fact that in the world today there is only one woman to every three men legislators.

Progress can be achieved by ensuring that decision-makers design policies that positively affect women and girls. One example of effective action can be gleaned from the results of parliamentary elections held around the world in 2017. Countries that imposed gender quotas on their political processes garnered twice as many female representatives as those that did not – 30 per cent in 20 countries with quotas and 15.4 per cent in 16 countries without quotas.

I am proud of the fact that my region of origin, the Americas, has more women parliamentarians than other regions and that women make up 28.4 per cent of the total number of parliamentary representatives. This is in no small part due to the fact that many countries in the Americas have promoted parity in their legislative frameworks, and have simultaneously adopted provisions on quotas where between 40 and 50 per cent of female political participation is guaranteed.

I invite my colleagues from other countries and regions to study our experience, which can be useful for the challenges we still have ahead of us. The IPU welcomes all those interested in advancing global parity and invites them to consult our research publications and obtain information about our programmes on promoting gender equality in politics.

I recognize that progress has been achieved thanks to the activism of millions of women throughout history. One of these women is Margaret Mensah-Williams who currently heads the IPU Bureau of Women Parliamentarians. A tireless fighter for equal rights, Mensah-Williams has accrued in her lifetime a series of impressive firsts in her home country of Namibia. Rising through the ranks in Parliament, Mensah-Williams has constantly stood for equality both in matters of gender and race.

As Chair of the Parliamentary Meeting at the 62nd session of the Commission on the Status of Women and President of the National Council of the Parliament of Namibia, Margaret Mensah-Williams urged her parliamentary colleagues to continue standing up for their political rights and to participate in global leadership. She celebrated the fact that the IPU is currently presided by a woman, the second time in IPU’s 129-year history. Fighting the underlying hierarchical structures that create inequality and promote division has been at the core of her efforts. Mensah-Williams’ vision has undoubtedly informed much of what the IPU’s goals are in terms of female inclusion and empowerment.

The participation of women in political life requires a new and strong impetus. If we continue at this pace we will achieve parity in 250 years, which is clearly unacceptable for us, our daughters, grand-daughters and great-granddaughters. So, let’s get to work!

Statement by Senator Gabriela Cuevas Barron, President of the Inter-Parliamentary Union

On International Women’s Day, the Inter-Parliamentary Union proudly joins the worldwide efforts to achieve gender equality. As IPU President, I call upon male and female parliamentarians and men and women of all ages to join the fight for a better society marked by justice, equality and parity.

In its work the IPU focuses on promoting gender equality and increasing the number of women parliamentarians which, I acknowledge, has been a slow process. The IPU’s report titled Women in Parliament in 2017 shows that women’s low representation in parliament remains an issue as most legislatures continue to have a significant male majority. The 0.1 percentage point increase in 2017 - compared to 2016 - in women parliamentarians in the world is unacceptable. We have to move much faster.

Shortly after the fall of the Berlin Wall almost 30 years ago, the average number of women parliamentarians stood below 10 per cent worldwide. Today that number has risen to 23.4 per cent, which represents both a remarkable advance but is also a reminder of the fact that in the world today there is only one woman to every three men legislators.

Progress can be achieved by ensuring that decision-makers design policies that positively affect women and girls. One example of effective action can be gleaned from the results of parliamentary elections held around the world in 2017. Countries that imposed gender quotas on their political processes garnered twice as many female representatives as those that did not – 30 per cent in 20 countries with quotas and 15.4 per cent in 16 countries without quotas.

I am proud of the fact that my region of origin, the Americas, has more women parliamentarians than other regions and that women make up 28.4 per cent of the total number of parliamentary representatives. This is in no small part due to the fact that many countries in the Americas have promoted parity in their legislative frameworks, and have simultaneously adopted provisions on quotas where between 40 and 50 per cent of female political participation is guaranteed.

I invite my colleagues from other countries and regions to study our experience, which can be useful for the challenges we still have ahead of us. The IPU welcomes all those interested in advancing global parity and invites them to consult our research publications and obtain information about our programmes on promoting gender equality in politics.

I recognize that progress has been achieved thanks to the activism of millions of women throughout history. One of these women is Margaret Mensah-Williams who currently heads the IPU Bureau of Women Parliamentarians. A tireless fighter for equal rights, Mensah-Williams has accrued in her lifetime a series of impressive firsts in her home country of Namibia. Rising through the ranks in Parliament, Mensah-Williams has constantly stood for equality both in matters of gender and race.

As Chair of the Parliamentary Meeting at the 62nd session of the Commission on the Status of Women and President of the National Council of the Parliament of Namibia, Margaret Mensah-Williams urged her parliamentary colleagues to continue standing up for their political rights and to participate in global leadership. She celebrated the fact that the IPU is currently presided by a woman, the second time in IPU’s 129-year history. Fighting the underlying hierarchical structures that create inequality and promote division has been at the core of her efforts. Mensah-Williams’ vision has undoubtedly informed much of what the IPU’s goals are in terms of female inclusion and empowerment.

The participation of women in political life requires a new and strong impetus. If we continue at this pace we will achieve parity in 250 years, which is clearly unacceptable for us, our daughters, grand-daughters and great-granddaughters. So, let’s get to work!

Statement by Senator Gabriela Cuevas Barron, President of the Inter-Parliamentary Union

On International Women’s Day, the Inter-Parliamentary Union proudly joins the worldwide efforts to achieve gender equality. As IPU President, I call upon male and female parliamentarians and men and women of all ages to join the fight for a better society marked by justice, equality and parity.

In its work the IPU focuses on promoting gender equality and increasing the number of women parliamentarians which, I acknowledge, has been a slow process. The IPU’s report titled Women in Parliament in 2017 shows that women’s low representation in parliament remains an issue as most legislatures continue to have a significant male majority. The 0.1 percentage point increase in 2017 - compared to 2016 - in women parliamentarians in the world is unacceptable. We have to move much faster.

Shortly after the fall of the Berlin Wall almost 30 years ago, the average number of women parliamentarians stood below 10 per cent worldwide. Today that number has risen to 23.4 per cent, which represents both a remarkable advance but is also a reminder of the fact that in the world today there is only one woman to every three men legislators.

Progress can be achieved by ensuring that decision-makers design policies that positively affect women and girls. One example of effective action can be gleaned from the results of parliamentary elections held around the world in 2017. Countries that imposed gender quotas on their political processes garnered twice as many female representatives as those that did not – 30 per cent in 20 countries with quotas and 15.4 per cent in 16 countries without quotas.

I am proud of the fact that my region of origin, the Americas, has more women parliamentarians than other regions and that women make up 28.4 per cent of the total number of parliamentary representatives. This is in no small part due to the fact that many countries in the Americas have promoted parity in their legislative frameworks, and have simultaneously adopted provisions on quotas where between 40 and 50 per cent of female political participation is guaranteed.

I invite my colleagues from other countries and regions to study our experience, which can be useful for the challenges we still have ahead of us. The IPU welcomes all those interested in advancing global parity and invites them to consult our research publications and obtain information about our programmes on promoting gender equality in politics.

I recognize that progress has been achieved thanks to the activism of millions of women throughout history. One of these women is Margaret Mensah-Williams who currently heads the IPU Bureau of Women Parliamentarians. A tireless fighter for equal rights, Mensah-Williams has accrued in her lifetime a series of impressive firsts in her home country of Namibia. Rising through the ranks in Parliament, Mensah-Williams has constantly stood for equality both in matters of gender and race.

As Chair of the Parliamentary Meeting at the 62nd session of the Commission on the Status of Women and President of the National Council of the Parliament of Namibia, Margaret Mensah-Williams urged her parliamentary colleagues to continue standing up for their political rights and to participate in global leadership. She celebrated the fact that the IPU is currently presided by a woman, the second time in IPU’s 129-year history. Fighting the underlying hierarchical structures that create inequality and promote division has been at the core of her efforts. Mensah-Williams’ vision has undoubtedly informed much of what the IPU’s goals are in terms of female inclusion and empowerment.

The participation of women in political life requires a new and strong impetus. If we continue at this pace we will achieve parity in 250 years, which is clearly unacceptable for us, our daughters, grand-daughters and great-granddaughters. So, let’s get to work!

Statement by Senator Gabriela Cuevas Barron, President of the Inter-Parliamentary Union

On International Women’s Day, the Inter-Parliamentary Union proudly joins the worldwide efforts to achieve gender equality. As IPU President, I call upon male and female parliamentarians and men and women of all ages to join the fight for a better society marked by justice, equality and parity.

In its work the IPU focuses on promoting gender equality and increasing the number of women parliamentarians which, I acknowledge, has been a slow process. The IPU’s report titled Women in Parliament in 2017 shows that women’s low representation in parliament remains an issue as most legislatures continue to have a significant male majority. The 0.1 percentage point increase in 2017 - compared to 2016 - in women parliamentarians in the world is unacceptable. We have to move much faster.

Shortly after the fall of the Berlin Wall almost 30 years ago, the average number of women parliamentarians stood below 10 per cent worldwide. Today that number has risen to 23.4 per cent, which represents both a remarkable advance but is also a reminder of the fact that in the world today there is only one woman to every three men legislators.

Progress can be achieved by ensuring that decision-makers design policies that positively affect women and girls. One example of effective action can be gleaned from the results of parliamentary elections held around the world in 2017. Countries that imposed gender quotas on their political processes garnered twice as many female representatives as those that did not – 30 per cent in 20 countries with quotas and 15.4 per cent in 16 countries without quotas.

I am proud of the fact that my region of origin, the Americas, has more women parliamentarians than other regions and that women make up 28.4 per cent of the total number of parliamentary representatives. This is in no small part due to the fact that many countries in the Americas have promoted parity in their legislative frameworks, and have simultaneously adopted provisions on quotas where between 40 and 50 per cent of female political participation is guaranteed.

I invite my colleagues from other countries and regions to study our experience, which can be useful for the challenges we still have ahead of us. The IPU welcomes all those interested in advancing global parity and invites them to consult our research publications and obtain information about our programmes on promoting gender equality in politics.

I recognize that progress has been achieved thanks to the activism of millions of women throughout history. One of these women is Margaret Mensah-Williams who currently heads the IPU Bureau of Women Parliamentarians. A tireless fighter for equal rights, Mensah-Williams has accrued in her lifetime a series of impressive firsts in her home country of Namibia. Rising through the ranks in Parliament, Mensah-Williams has constantly stood for equality both in matters of gender and race.

As Chair of the Parliamentary Meeting at the 62nd session of the Commission on the Status of Women and President of the National Council of the Parliament of Namibia, Margaret Mensah-Williams urged her parliamentary colleagues to continue standing up for their political rights and to participate in global leadership. She celebrated the fact that the IPU is currently presided by a woman, the second time in IPU’s 129-year history. Fighting the underlying hierarchical structures that create inequality and promote division has been at the core of her efforts. Mensah-Williams’ vision has undoubtedly informed much of what the IPU’s goals are in terms of female inclusion and empowerment.

The participation of women in political life requires a new and strong impetus. If we continue at this pace we will achieve parity in 250 years, which is clearly unacceptable for us, our daughters, grand-daughters and great-granddaughters. So, let’s get to work!

Beautiful, talented, successful and modest – the women of Turkmenistan achieve outstanding results but rarely talk about it. In honour of International Women’s Day, UNDP, UNFPA, and UNODC invited eight incredible women who are engaged in a variety of fields to talk about their lives, how they cope with daily difficulties and what advice they would give to younger women on how to achieve success.

Click here to learn more.

Beautiful, talented, successful and modest – the women of Turkmenistan achieve outstanding results but rarely talk about it. In honour of International Women’s Day, UNDP, UNFPA, and UNODC invited eight incredible women who are engaged in a variety of fields to talk about their lives, how they cope with daily difficulties and what advice they would give to younger women on how to achieve success.

Click here to learn more.

Beautiful, talented, successful and modest – the women of Turkmenistan achieve outstanding results but rarely talk about it. In honour of International Women’s Day, UNDP, UNFPA, and UNODC invited eight incredible women who are engaged in a variety of fields to talk about their lives, how they cope with daily difficulties and what advice they would give to younger women on how to achieve success.

Click here to learn more.

Beautiful, talented, successful and modest – the women of Turkmenistan achieve outstanding results but rarely talk about it. In honour of International Women’s Day, UNDP, UNFPA, and UNODC invited eight incredible women who are engaged in a variety of fields to talk about their lives, how they cope with daily difficulties and what advice they would give to younger women on how to achieve success.

Click here to learn more.

Beautiful, talented, successful and modest – the women of Turkmenistan achieve outstanding results but rarely talk about it. In honour of International Women’s Day, UNDP, UNFPA, and UNODC invited eight incredible women who are engaged in a variety of fields to talk about their lives, how they cope with daily difficulties and what advice they would give to younger women on how to achieve success.

Click here to learn more.