ParlAmericas delegations participate in meetings on gender and inclusive development in Peru, Chile, and Canada
During recent weeks, ParlAmericas delegates have contributed to a number of important regional and global meetings hosted by partner organizations. Each served as a valuable opportunity for the exchange of experiences and good practices on issues of hemispheric relevance.
On July 23, the Women’s Caucus (Mesa de Mujeres) of the Congress of Peru hosted an international gathering on political violence against women in Lima, Peru. The gathering was divided in two parts: panel discussions dedicated to building understanding of the topic and the revision of a draft national law to address the issue in Peru. ParlAmericas delegates — Member of the National Assembly Karina Arteaga (Ecuador), Vice-President of the ParlAmericas Parliamentary Network for Gender Equality for South America; and Member of the Chamber of Deputies Lidia Patty Mullisaca (Bolivia) — participated in the meeting and offered insights informed by their countries’ experiences legislating against violence against women in politics.
On July 30-31, ParlAmericas was in Santiago, Chile, for the 57th Meeting of the Presiding Officers of the Regional Conference on Women of Latin America and the Caribbean organized by the gender affairs division of the Economic Commission of Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC). During the meeting, which served as an organizing space for the next Regional Conference on Women, discussion centred on women’s autonomy in changing economic scenarios. Member of the Legislative Assembly Cristina Cornejo (El Salvador) and Member of the Chamber of Deputies Marcela Sabat (Chile), made interventions that highlighted, respectively, the importance of strengthening women’s political participation and addressing gender-based violence in order to advance women’s autonomy in region. Ms. Cornejo and Ms. Sabat, who both serve as Vice-Presidents of the Parliamentary Network for Gender Equality, each outlined the critical role of parliamentarians in advancing this work through legislative functions.
Finally, on August 5-7, ParlAmericas attended the Equal Rights Coalition (ERC) Global Conference in Vancouver, Canada. Jointly presided by Canada and Chile, the ERC is a global inter-governmental coalition dedicated to LGBTI human rights and inclusive development. Member of Congress Sandra Morán (Guatemala) spoke on a panel that explored how these themes intersect with indigeneity and offered reflections on ways in which ERC member countries can ensure that the perspectives of Indigenous LGBTI individuals are reflected in policymaking and human rights mechanisms. The ParlAmericas delegation also attended a session held on the margins of the Conference for parliamentarians to foster discussion on parliaments’ place within this agenda at the international level.
ParlAmericas thanks Global Affairs Canada for the support that made our engagement in these meetings possible.
