CPA Parliamentary Academy
8th Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians (CWP) Conference

CWP Workshop C: Future-Proofing Democracy: Innovations in Security and Support for Women Parliamentarians

About the Workshop

CWP Workshop C: Future-Proofing Democracy: Innovations in Security and Support for Women Parliamentarians
Future-Proofing Democracy: Innovations in Security and Support for Women Parliamentarians

In recent years, the escalation of risks faced by Members of Parliament, especially women, has become a pressing concern that demands immediate attention. The surge in threats and unfortunate incidents of violence against Parliamentarians correlates strongly with the rise of social media platforms, which have inadvertently facilitated the spread of extremist ideologies and targeted harassment.

This alarming trend not only undermines the safety and well-being of our elected representatives but also poses a significant threat to the very foundation of our democratic institutions. It is now time to explore the multifaceted security challenges faced by women in Parliament and critically assess the existing protective measures in place to address them.

This workshop session, which is the New South Wales Parliament and CPA Australia Region’s host topic for the the CWP Conference, will engage in a comprehensive dialogue to identify innovative strategies and robust policy interventions that can fortify the security framework for women Members of Parliament.

By fostering a collaborative environment, the session will seek to offer insights on how Parliaments can work towards implementing more effective safeguards and support systems that not only shield women Parliamentarians from imminent threats but also preserve the integrity of our democratic processes.

Panellists

CWP Workshop C: Future-Proofing Democracy: Innovations in Security and Support for Women Parliamentarians
Panel Chair (TBC)
Ms Lynda Voltz, MP, CWP President (New South Wales)

Ms Lynda Voltz, MP is the current President of the Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians (CWP) network and was first elected to represent the constituency of Auburn in the Legislative Assembly of New South Wales in 2019.

Having previously served as the Shadow Minister for Police and Counter Terrorism, Ms Voltz is a current Member of the Committee on Children and Young People and the Modern Slavery Committee, and Chair of the Legislative Review Committee, and Legislative Assembly Committee on Transport and Infrastructure, among other roles. Before becoming an MP, Ms Voltz served in the Australian Regular Army between 1987-1993.

Hon. Bridgid Annisette-George, Speaker of the House, Parliament of Trinidad and Tobago

Hon. Bridgid Annisette-George entered Parliament as a Senator and Attorney General on 8 November 2007 and became the third woman to hold this post in the history of Trinidad and Tobago. She was appointed as Speaker of the House of the 11th Parliament in 2015 and again in the 12th Parliament in 2020.

Hon. Bridgid Annisette-George is  a graduate of the University of the West Indies, having obtained her Bachelor of Law in 1981. Before taking up the portfolio of Attorney General, Hon. Bridgid Annisette-George has held a wide variety of positions in both the private and public sector including Commissioner of the Securities and Exchange Commission of Trinidad and Tobago (2003), Chairman of the Diego Martin Regional Corporation (1999-2003) and associate tutor/lecturer at the Hugh Wooding Law School.

She entered Parliament with some 24 years of previous experience as an Attorney-at-Law.

Baroness Ann Taylor (UK House of Lords)

Rt Hon. Baroness Ann Taylor was a Labour MP and is now a Labour Peer in the UK House of Lords. She was the first woman Leader of the UK House of Commons and the first woman President of the UK Privy Council in Tony Blair’s Government in 1997. She subsequently became the first woman Chief Whip and later a Minister in the Ministry of Defence. Baroness Taylor chaired the House of Lords Constitution Committee for several years and currently chairs the Industry and Regulators’ Committee and serves on the Procedure and Privileges Committee.  

Baroness Taylor currently chairs the Board of Trustees of the Hansard Society which is a non-partisan authority on Parliament and democracy.  She is a member of the House of Lords Appointments Commission and a Trustee of the Holocaust Memorial Charitable Trust. 

Jennifer Nadel, Co-Director and CEO, Compassion in Politics

Jennifer Nadel is a transformational leader, award-winning journalist, international speaker and bestselling author.  She’s also a qualified barrister, political and communications strategist and commentator. Currently, she co-leads the UK think tank, Compassion In Politics and is Director of Compassionate Politics at Stanford University's Center for Compassion and Altruism Research and Education. 

With over 30 years’ experience working in and around Westminster, Jennifer has advised local and national political campaigns, designed and delivered training for politicians, sat on the National Executive Committee of the Green Party with responsibility for its communications and campaigns strategy and shaped the Party’s second referendum response to Brexit.

In 2018, she stepped away from party politics to co-found the cross-party UK based think tank, Compassion in Politics, which has the active engagement of over 100 MPs from across the political spectrum. It provides the Secretariat for the APPG on Compassionate Politics and its research and policy initiatives are used by Committees and referenced on the floor of the House. Their advice is sought by other governments, politicians and political parties. 

In 2022, she set up the US-based Global Compassion Coalition and remains on its Board. She is now the Director of Compassionate Politics at the Center for Compassion and Altruism Research and Education and provides training to politicians and political organisations across the globe.  Jennifer is a regular media commentator and hosts parliamentary round tables on compassion.

Workshop Recommendation

CWP Workshop C: Future-Proofing Democracy: Innovations in Security and Support for Women Parliamentarians

The recommendation proposed for endorsement by workshop delegates is as follows:

  • Commonwealth Parliaments should with the support of experts put in place protective measures that address the multifaceted security challenges that Women Parliamentarians face.

Workshop Resources

CWP Workshop C: Future-Proofing Democracy: Innovations in Security and Support for Women Parliamentarians

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