The Women in Parliaments Global Forum (WIP) was invited to administrate the social media accounts of the European Year for Development from 28 to 31 December 2015, which was a unique opportunity to promote the conversation about the impact of women’s political participation on democracy and good governance.
Female Parliamentarians from all around the globe, as well as members of the WIP Advisory Board, joined this online conversation and shared their ideas on how to increase the participation of women in politics.
The EYD social media accounts provided Female Parliamentarians from all around the globe with the opportunity to share their wishes for 2016. For Reem Badran, Former Member of Parliament of Jordan and Chairperson of Al Hurra for Management and Business Development Co., “In 2016 it is a priority to promote gender equality and ensure women’s active political, economic, and social participation, not only out of morality and justice, but also out of necessity corresponding to the fact that the world cannot achieve peace and lasting progress if women and girls in the 21st century are denied their rights and left behind.”
Minister for Education of Moldova and WIP Country Ambassador, Corina Fusu to add that “the efficiency of a democratic system of governance can’t be assessed without taking into account the representation of citizens in decision making. Equality between women and men means equal participation in all spheres of public and private life, including politics. Increasing women’s participation in governance structures is considered one of the main ways of strengthening gender balance in society”
The 2015 United Nations Climate Change Conference, or COP 21, that was held in Paris in November and December proved that, despite calls from the international community, very few women are part of negotiation talks. WIP Global Forum and NDI have developed a programme to facilitate the participation of female MPs in high-level global fora. (Read the report about the WIP-NDI Delegation to COP21 in Paris).
In the words of Linda Lanzillotta, Vice-President of the Italian Senate and WIP Country Ambassador, the “political institutions have to promote human rights giving women more responsibilities at every single level of government: local, national and European”. “Gender equality is both about human rights and growth. Closing the labour force gender gap can lead to a 12% gain in GDP across the OECD,” stressed Mari Kiviniemi, OECD Deputy Secretary-General.
In conclusion, one of the main takeaways of the WIP Global Forum in the 2015 European Year for Development is summarised in following quote from Jóhanna Sigurðardóttir, first female Prime Minister of Iceland (2009-2013) and WIP Advisory Board Member: “We must increase women‘s influence, all over the globe. That is the only way to make the world better and more just.”
