President of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association
Chairperson of the CPA International
Chairperson of CWP International
Vice Chairperson of the CWP
Secretary General of the CPA
Members of the CWP Steering Committee
Fellow delegates
Members of the Secretariat
Ladies and gentlemen
I wish to begin by extending special warm and heartfelt greetings to all the delegates who have crossed the length and breadth of the Commonwealth to attend the 59th Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference hosted in the shores of our rainbow nation. Equally, I am honoured to address you on the occasion of the Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians Conference.
Programme Director,
Coincidentally, this international conference takes place at an opportune moment in the political calendar of South Africa. During the month of August, women across the country convened in different platforms to commemorate the brave struggles by the women of South Africa against their enslavement under apartheid regime.
The Women’s Day was celebrated under the theme: “A Centenary of Working Together towards Sustainable Women Empowerment and Gender Equality”, with a special focus to accelerate women’s access to land. This celebration also served to highlight the exceptional contributions made by women in the struggle for a just, democratic, non-racial and non-sexist society, as well as to advance the march towards women emancipation and women empowerment.
Today’s theme “Engendering Democracy” resonates well with the efforts of women all over the Commonwealth who have taken it upon themselves to usher in a fundamental transformation process that seeks to enhance women’s empowerment, through knowledge advancement, skills development and political equality.
The gender-centred democracy is therefore one that creates conducive conditions for development. It secures equal opportunities for women, regardless of race, colour or creed and seeks to remove all social, economic, political and legal constraints within the broader framework of the protection of women and children’s rights.
It is against this backdrop that the issues to be addressed in this conference include the need to:
- increase woman’s political leadership, electoral systems and funding campaigns
- encourage women parliamentarians to utilise social media to advance the struggle for gender equity
- broaden and deepen women participation in the informal economy and entrepreneurship
- to highlight the plight of women’s homelessness and access to land.
Honourable delegates
In his foreword to the Commonwealth Plan of Action for Gender Equality, the former Commonwealth Secretary General, Hon Don McKinnon contends that, “Gender equality is viewed not only as a goal in its own right but also as a key factor in enhancing democracy and enhancing peace, eradicating poverty and violence against women, ensuring education for all, improving maternal health, reducing child mortality and combating HIV/AIDS. Advancing Gender Equality will contribute to development, democracy and peace”.
Hon McKinnon’s assertion is consistent with the United Nations Development Programme Report of 2010, which is premised on the understanding that women`s empowerment is central to human development.The developing nations of the Commonwealth continue to face challenges of poverty and underdevelopment. Many of us agree that the reasons for this are the legacy born of centuries of colonialism and imperialism which expressed itself in political, economic exploitation, social and cultural subjugation. These were compounded by democratisation gaps which featured in the post-colonial era.
Accordingly, for many years the critical matter of gender equality remained on the sidelines. The margilisation of women has contributed to further underdevelopment of society. Women across the Commonwealth continue to suffer the triple challenges of being oppressed on the grounds of race, class and gender. Women across the Commonwealth and beyond continue to suffer from patriarchal attitudes which translate into gender violence.The 2012 World Bank Gender Equality and Development Report revealed that economic development is not enough to shrink all gender disparities. Corrective policies that focus on women empowerment are essential.
Furthermore, the World Bank report acknowledges that gender equality is a core development objective in its own right. It will be recalled that gender equality is also about smart economics, enhancing productivity and improving gender-based development outcomes. Our collective efforts to engender democracy must also provide prospects for the next generation and ensure societal policies that are meant to democratise the institutions of governance.
During the times of political conflicts, women are always adversely affected. Women in Parliaments must use their voting power to avert the unilateral decisions that are taken to reverse the gains of women, thus putting them women in vulnerable positions during the times of conflicts.
Programme Director,
The engendering of democracy is something that needs to be cherished as a source strength and unity. Women parliamentarians have a moral responsibility to ensure that all the stereotypes which manifest themselves through cultural practises, ethnicity, sexual orientation and violence must be obliterated and discouraged at all times. Changing patriarchal attitudes and practises go to the very heart of democracy and the spirit of the Commonwealth Charter.
One of the greatest challenges to engendering democracy and changing patriarchal attitudes and practices is that patriarchy is ingrained in all the structures and institutions of societies. In trying to change these attitudes and practices, therefore, both women and men need to work in partnership at all times. In the African continent as well as other developing regions of the Commonwealth, initiatives to ensure gender parity and the emancipation of women must also be seen within the context of the Beijing Platform for Action.
The Beijing Platform serves as an agenda for women's empowerment. It aims to remove all the obstacles to women's active participation in all spheres of public and private life through a full and equal share in economic, social, cultural and political decision-making. As we all know, women constitute more than half of the continent population and working force, democracy cannot be fully realised without their empowerment and involvement.
Honourable Delegates,
Despite the challenges faced by women, we are proud as a Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians for many ground-breaking achievements we have made in terms of gender relations. There is general consensus that Commonwealth Parliaments have some of the most progressive programmes and policies that are aimed at advancing women empowerment and gender equality. However, the challenge that we face is to enhance the implementation process of these policies.
Our Parliaments must heed the call of ensuring equal gender representation in our respective legislative institutions. Equally, the CWP branches need to channel their energies towards developing programmes that are aimed at educating the girl child. Parliaments should allocate sufficient resources for empowering women and create opportunities for their development.
I have complete confidence that there is political will from CWP branches to ensure the realisation of the core objectives of the Strategic Plan of the CWP, which seeks to secure adequate representation of women in our Parliaments.
In conclusion, let me recall President Samora Machel’s words of wisdom, when he said:
“The emancipation of women is not an act of charity, or the result of humanitarian or compassionate attitude. The liberation of women is a fundamental necessity of the revolution, the guarantee of its continuity and precondition of its victory.”
The struggle for gender equity and women emancipation is daunting, but not insurmountable. The victory is certain!
Honourable Members: May I take this opportunity to wish you fruitful deliberations.
I thank you.
