Report on the Annual Gathering of the Group of Women Parliamentarians
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management, business law, and marketing for women entrepreneurs. The Group should provide training in parliamentary tools to support better work and wages for women. Its advocacy should furthermore focus on holding countries accountable to their regional and international commitments.
Overall, conversations reflected the belief that the Group has the potential to contribute to the cultural revolution that needs to take place to debunk gender stereotypes hindering women’s professional development or discouraging men from taking on equal parenting responsibilities. As legislators, delegates can lead initiatives for better maternity and paternity leaves (there was much enthusiasm for equal time off), flexible workplace arrangements, and the protection of the rights of domestic workers. The focus should be on women’s ability to manage healthy personal, family, and work lives simultaneously.
Women’s Political Leadership
In terms of individual actions, discussions on this theme revolved around what parliamentarians can do in communities and schools, within their parties or parliaments, through the media, and from their personal approach as women legislators. They were committed to modelling the positive principles they promote, and to bringing new and unique perspectives to law and politics.
Participants emphasized proactively reaching out to various local groups to arrange for speaking, consultation, learning, or
networking events on the topic of women and girls’ political leadership. For instance, they can approach civil society groups, remote and Indigenous communities, radio stations, and university professors.
In these various spaces, parliamentarians can inspire and identify young leaders and mentor those interested in politics
but who may not have considered getting involved before. It is important to then introduce potential candidates to the community, “connect them with other connectors,” and strengthen their voices. In their parties, women parliamentarians should band together and advocate for budgets to support coaching for women candidates. They can also sign up for non-traditional responsibilities to demonstrate that women can be efficient leaders in any area. Finally, constituents can be invited to parliament sessions so that they see strong women at work.
For Group-level action, conversations centred on effective
online networks and communication. Participants recommended the creation of online leadership training courses, chats, live-streamed radio and television, country reports, directories, and databases. These virtual spaces would maintain contact among women leaders from across the region, and allow them to exchange information about legislation impacting women’s empowerment and party policies in support of gender quotas. They also suggested that university students interested in politics should be invited to participate in the Group’s events. Lastly, the Group should strengthen partnerships with international organizations also working on women’s political leadership.