Women Speakers vow to promote tolerance

Women Speakers of Parliament from across the globe have agreed to promote and uphold human rights and the principle of tolerance in efforts to combat terrorism and violent extremism.

They have also agreed to rapidly develop parliamentary objectives and action plans that put at the core integrity, peace and prosperity of the world.

This was at the conclusion of a two-day Global Summit of Women Speakers of Parliament held in Abu Dhabi, according to the organisers.

 The Summit, organised by the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) and the United Arab Emirates Federal National Council (FNC), was attended by 34 female Speakers of Parliament and parliamentarians from 50 countries, information released Tuesday said.

"As part of the Summit outcomes, women Speakers agreed to promote and uphold human rights and the principle of tolerance in efforts to combat terrorism and violent extremism and advance peace and security," according to IPU.

 They also stressed that action to eliminate all forms of discrimination and violence against women and girls and the promotion of women's economic empowerment are central to resolving problems and challenges to the society as a whole.

Women Speakers reiterated their commitment to achieving gender equality in politics and in parliament by 2030. They advocated that each parliament assess institutional gender sensitivity.

They unanimously adopted the Abu Dhabi declaration that defines concrete steps to tackle geopolitical, socioeconomic, environmental and technological challenges to ensure a more gender sensitive and inclusive world and a better quality of life for generations to come.

Statistics from a recent IPU study showed that violence and harassment against women MPs is widespread, and more needs to be done to ensure parliaments are role models of gender sensitivity and equality. 

Women Speakers urged parliaments to set up structures that examine future megatrends, and how they will affect our nations and our world. They encouraged more widespread use of digital technology to make parliaments more transparent and accessible. They also proposed that parliaments develop or modify existing future-oriented strategic plans, which include steps to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.

The Women Speakers stressed the importance of associating youth to parliamentary work through representation and participation in policymaking. They also encouraged parliaments to do more to promote youth economic empowerment and create more opportunities for education and employment.

IPU President Saber Chowdury, in his concluding remarks, said that "We owe it to the people we represent to take our achievements here in Abu Dhabi and apply them. The Declaration provides parliaments with the ideas and actions to transform their work and ensure their preparedness to respond to current and future challenges."

Dr. Amal Al Qubaisi, Speaker of the FNC declared, "The success of the Summit will be measured over the coming months and years as we, women Speakers and parliamentarians, work to implement the actions detailed in the Abu Dhabi Declaration."