Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians join the Western Cape Women’s Parliament to place women’s rights in the spotlight

Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians from across the Commonwealth have joined Members of the Western Cape Provincial Parliament in South Africa for the 2021 Western Cape Women’s Parliament. The theme for this year’s event was: ‘Placing the dignity and innate rights of women in the spotlight’.

The Chairperson of the Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians, Hon. Shandana Gulzar, MNA (Pakistan) joined the CWP Vice-Chairperson and CWP Africa Region Chairperson, Hon. Zainab Gimba, MP (Nigeria) and Ms Sharon Tomiko Santos, Member of the Washington State Legislature in the United States at the event via video link.

The CWP Chairperson said in her opening remarks:

“Women are 50% of the population but not 50% of Parliamentarians. Until we prioritise gender equality, we will not get very far.”

The event was convened by Hon. Beverley Schäfer, MP, Deputy Speaker of the Western Cape Provincial Parliament and the programme included discussions around the promotion of women in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics); the gender pay gap; and gender responsive budgeting.

The Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians network is currently undertaking a rolling programme of workshops that promotes regional discussions on gender sensitive Parliaments across the Commonwealth by facilitating dialogue and exchanging best practices.

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The Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians (CWP) was founded in 1989 to increase the number of female elected representatives in 180 Parliaments and Legislatures across the Commonwealth and to ensure that women’s issues are brought to the fore in parliamentary debate and legislation. The network campaigns for gender equality in all spheres. For media enquiries, please contact communications@cpahq.org.