Today, ParlAmericas concluded its joint 7th Gathering of the Parliamentary Network on Climate Change (PNCC) and 15th Gathering of the Parliamentary Network for Gender Equality (PNGE). The event, titled “A food secure future: Building people and planet-centred strategies,” was organized with the Senate of the Republic of Mexico and brought together in Mexico City more than 50 parliamentarians from 18 countries of the Americas and the Caribbean.

The delegations in attendance adopted a declaration through which they commit to use principles of food sovereignty to promote legislative measures that address the crisis of food insecurity; create spaces for traditionally marginalized and underrepresented groups in decision-making processes; and encourage the use of gender analysis as a tool for legislation related to food security, among other commitments. 

The Gathering began on Thursday, September 28 and took place over the course of two days at the Senate of Mexico. Parliamentarians, alongside specialists and representatives of regional and international organizations, participated in working sessions focused on climate change mitigation and adaptation for agri-food systems, national efforts to end food insecurity and poverty, and the role of women’s leadership in these initiatives. During the Gathering, ParlAmericas also launched its new “Primer on Gender-Responsive Parliamentary Work on Food Security.”

Among the highlights of the final day of the Gathering, the new Executive Committees of both the ParlAmericas Parliamentary Network on Climate Change (PNCC) and ParlAmericas Parliamentary Network for Gender Equality (PNGE) were announced. 

The PNCC Committee will be formed by:

• President: Senator the Honourable Rosa Galvez (Canada)
• Vice-President for North America: Senator Raúl Bolaños-Cacho Cué (Mexico)
• Vice-President for Central America: Member of the Legislative Assembly Óscar Izquierdo Sandí (Costa Rica)
• First Vice-President for the Caribbean: Senator Anthony Vieira (Trinidad and Tobago) 
• Second Vice-President for the Caribbean: Member of the Chamber of Deputies Nelsa Shoraya Suárez Ariza (Dominican Republic)
• First Vice-President for South America: Member of the Chamber of Deputies Margarita Stolbizer (Argentina)
• Second Vice-President for South America: Member of the National Assembly Radjendrekoemar Debie (Suriname)

The PNGE Committee will be formed by:

• President: Senator Verónica Noemí Camino Farjat (Mexico)
• Vice-President for North America: Member of Parliament Stephanie Kusie (Canada)
• First Vice-President for Central America: Member of the National Assembly Kayra Harding Bart (Panama)
• Second Vice-President for Central America: Member of Congress Andrea Villagrán Ánton (Guatemala)
• Vice-President for the Caribbean: Senator Lisa Jawahir (Saint Lucia)
• First Vice-President for South America: Senator Carmen Gloria Aravena (Chile)
• Second Vice-President for South America: Senator Daniella Velloso Borges Ribeiro (Brazil)

More than 50 parliamentarians from 18 countries of the Americas and the Caribbean will attend the 7th Gathering of the ParlAmericas Parliamentary Network on Climate Change and the 15th Gathering of the ParlAmericas Parliamentary Network for Gender Equality. The joint Gathering, organized by ParlAmericas and the Senate of the Republic of Mexico, will take place from September 28 to September 29 in Mexico City and will be focused on the theme “A food secure future: Building people and planet-centred strategies.”

During the Gathering, parliamentarians, along with representatives from multilateral agencies, women’s organizations, civil society organizations, and community youth leaders will discuss food security issues through a gender-inclusive and intersectional lens. Participants will explore multisectoral and innovative practices that are sustainable, inclusive and resilient, with a particular focus on the role of women’s leadership in these initiatives. 

The Gathering will open with welcoming remarks from Senator Sergio Pérez (Mexico), Vice-President of the Senate of the Republic; Senator Blanca Ovelar (Paraguay), President of ParlAmericas; and Senator Eduardo Ramírez (Mexico), President of the Political Coordination Board. As representatives of their networks, Senator Verónica Noemí Camino Farjat (Mexico), President of the ParlAmericas Parliamentary Network for Gender Equality and Senator the Honourable Rosa Galvez (Canada), President of the ParlAmericas Parliamentary Network on Climate Change, will provide additional remarks to welcome participants. The keynote address will be delivered by Guadalupe Valdez, FAO Special Ambassador Zero Hunger for Latin America and the Caribbean and former Member of the Chamber of Deputies (Dominican Republic).

Quotes

Senator Verónica Noemí Camino Farjat (Mexico), President of the ParlAmericas Parliamentary Network for Gender Equality

“Addressing the food security crisis requires us to overcome the gender inequalities that are embedded in agricultural systems in our region. We are guided by the will to empower women and close gender gaps in these systems, and that is precisely why ParlAmericas and the Senate of Mexico have convened parliamentarians from the Americas and the Caribbean: to exchange strategies focused on people and the planet to build a food-secure future.”

The Honourable Senator Rosa Galvez (Canada), President of the ParlAmericas Parliamentary Network on Climate Change

“It is imperative that we acknowledge the growing linkages between a changing climate and the crisis of food insecurity in our region. As parliaments, it is our responsibility to uphold legislative action that takes the principles of both food sovereignty and gender equality into account, so that we can help build more climate-resilient, sustainable systems for all.”

This morning saw the launch of the children’s book Isis and her friends, an adventure through the reefs!—a story that promotes values of cooperation, equality, environmental protection, and girls’ leadership. The book tells the story of Isis and her four friends who embark on an adventure to uncover the mystery of why the reefs are deteriorating. Through their conversations with various animals, they learn about the concept of ecosystems and the importance of ecological balance, the value of listening to the opinions of others, and the features of democratic systems, such as voting.

Composed by Costa Rican writers Gina Sibaja Quesada and Jeannette Soto Segura, illustrated by Fiorella Artadi, and designed by Eynar Becerra, the book is a joint effort by ParlAmericas and the Department of Citizen Participation of the Legislative Assembly of Costa Rica, with the support of the Government of Canada. It includes an accompanying teaching guide with reflections and questions, and will be distributed free of charge by the Department of Citizen Participation to various educational institutions, libraries, and social organizations, while also being available electronically.

The book launch was held at the Legislative Assembly of Costa Rica and was led by Member of the Legislative Assembly María Marta Carballo, First Secretary of the Legislative Assembly; Cindy Quesada, Minister for the Status of Women; Member of the Legislative Assembly Carolina Delgado, President of the Special Standing Committee on Women and ParlAmericas Board Member; Juan Carlos Chavarria, Director of Citizen Participation of the Legislative Assembly and Coordinator for Central America of the ParlAmericas Parliamentary Staff Network on Open Parliament; Dana Cryderman, representative of the political section of the Embassy of Canada in Costa Rica;  Rodrigo Arias Camacho, Rector of Universidad Estatal a Distancia; and Marianela Rojas Garbanzo, Deputy Rector of Universidad Nacional.

The launch event included a performance by the Castella Conservatory Choir and two panel discussions that addressed the importance of innovative strategies to build inclusive citizenship and promote participatory leadership from an early age. Both sessions included the participation of children from various educational institutions and featured prominent panellists representing civil society organizations and academia.

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Member of the Legislative Assembly Carolina Delgado, ParlAmericas Board Member

“Considering the experience of ParlAmericas in launching a children’s book with a similar purpose in Panama, I am pleased that we have been able to develop this project in Costa Rica, and I am convinced that it will lead to fruitful reflections and conversations for girls, boys, adolescents, and adults who have the pleasure of reading it in our country, promoting leadership and participation from an early age, which are central to our democracy.”

ParlAmericas Board members Vlado Mirosevic, Member of the Chamber of Deputies (Chile) and Carolina Delgado, Member of the Legislative Assembly (Costa Rica); along with ParlAmericas delegates Andrea Villagrán Antón, Member of Congress (Guatemala) and the Honourable Faris Al-Rawi, Minister of Rural Development and Local Government (Trinidad and Tobago); and Anabella Zavagno, Deputy Director General of the ParlAmericas International Secretariat, participated in the Open Parliament Day and the 8th Open Government Partnership (OGP) Global Summit held in Tallinn, Estonia on September 5, 6 and 7. 

The 8th OGP Global Summit brought together Heads of State and Government, civil society representatives, and policy makers from around the world to discuss the challenges and opportunities of open government and democratic governance in the digital age. Featuring high-level dialogues, workshops, and networking opportunities that reflected OGP’s new 2023-2028 strategy, ParlAmericas’ attendance at the Summit emphasized the importance of parliamentary engagement in open government work. 

The agenda included a session on September 6, “Examining Leadership, Roles, and Relationships in Advancing Open Government,” during which Mr. Mirosevic presented on some of his own contributions to open government work as a member of the legislative branch and his perspective on how to advance this work in a leadership capacity. On September 6 and 7 respectively, the ParlAmericas delegation also participated in two high-level roundtable discussions. Ms. Villagrán participated in the session “Sustaining Leadership and Catalyzing Global Action on Anti-corruption,” in which she discussed anti-corruption implementation efforts in the Americas and Caribbean and how to turn existing commitments into action. Mr. Mirosevic also spoke in the session “Realizing the Ambition of Open Government,” which focused specifically on OGP’s 2023-2028 strategy and advancing transformative reforms.

The first regional gathering of the Forums of Women in Political Parties, Building Networks of Sisterhood to Promote Gender Equality, came to a successful conclusion today following two days of sessions in the city of San José, Costa Rica. The gathering, organized by ParlAmericas and the Legislative Assembly of Costa Rica, brought together women parliamentarians and leaders representing women’s forums and political party groups from Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras, Panama, and the Dominican Republic. At the event’s closing they signed a declaration on women’s political rights and gender parity under conditions of equality and freedom from violence in all areas and functions of political and public life.

The gathering began with remarks from Member of the Legislative Assembly Rodrigo Arias (Costa Rica), President of the Legislative Assembly; the Honourable Member of the National Assembly Kayra Harding-Bart (Panama), Vice-President for Central America of the ParlAmericas Parliamentary Network for Gender Equality; Marlene Mora, President of the Forum of Women Politicians for Costa Rica; and Member of the Legislative Assembly Carolina Delgado (Costa Rica), President of the Special Standing Committee on Women, President of the Costa Rican Front of Women in Political Parties, and ParlAmericas Board Member. Alejandra Mora Mora, Executive Secretary of the Inter-American Commission of Women of the Organization of American States (CIM-OAS), delivered a keynote address presenting the Model Protocol for Political Parties—a tool that incorporates key international standards for addressing gender-based political violence.

A discussion on the role of the Forums of Women in Political Parties in advancing gender equality was also held during the first day of the gathering. Under the moderation of Member of the Legislative Assembly Kattia Rivera Soto (Costa Rica), representatives from women’s forums and political party groups shared achievements and lessons learned from implementing initiatives, projects, and programs dedicated to promoting gender equality in the region. Following this discussion, the agenda for August 23, featured a panel on strengthening equal political representation moderated by Adilia Caravaca, Executive President of the National Institute of Women of Costa Rica, with the participation of Eugenia Zamora, President of the Supreme Electoral Tribunal of Costa Rica; Member of the Legislative Assembly Daniela Rojas (Costa Rica); former Member of the Legislative Assembly María de los Ángeles Alfaro Murillo (Costa Rica); and Allegra Baiocchi, United Nations Resident Coordinator in Costa Rica.

The second day of sessions began with an interview of former senator and political leader Máxima Apaza (Bolivia) by Delmy Ordóñez of the Forum of Women Politicians of Honduras regarding her experiences in the struggle for gender equality. This was followed by thematic working groups that addressed central concerns for the groups and forums, such as political advocacy, social media use, financing, and parliamentary relations. Afterwards, Member of the Legislative Assembly María Marta Carballo Arce (Costa Rica) moderated an open dialogue to exchange reflections on how to strengthen sisterhood and alliances among Forums of Women in Political Parties. The agenda of that day continued with a discussion on eliminating political violence against women which was moderated by former Member of the Legislative Assembly Paola Vega (Costa Rica), with the participation of Minister for the Status of Women Cindy Quesada (Costa Rica); Lourdes Araya, representative of the Costa Rican Network of Women in Municipal Government; and Member of the Legislative Assembly Carolina Delgado (Costa Rica). The event concluded with closing remarks from Elizabeth Williams, Ambassador of Canada to Costa Rica, Minister Quesada, and Member of the Legislative Assembly Delgado.

Quotes

Member of the Legislative Assembly Carolina Delgado, ParlAmericas Board Member
“Costa Rica opens its doors to the joint efforts of an entire region that is raising its voice against the political violence endured by women and in favour of equality, respect for our rights, and non-discrimination. Together with ParlAmericas, we have proposed strategic guidelines so that countries can collectively move forward in developing public policies that will contribute to achieving the desired goal: that women will no longer be victims of abuse, harassment, and violence in all its manifestations, including political violence.”

Member of the Legislative Assembly Rodrigo Arias (Costa Rica), President of the Legislative Assembly
“Political violence against women undermines the very essence of democracy. No society can truly claim to be free and just as long as these discriminatory attitudes and practices persist. It is essential to recognize that harassment, intimidation, and attacks directed toward women in the political sphere—simply because they are women—are attacks on the diversity of voices and ideas that underpin the democratic system.”

Honourable Member of the National Assembly Kayra Harding-Bart (Panama), Vice-President for Central America of the ParlAmericas Parliamentary Network for Gender Equality
“With the aim of promoting the empowerment of women, encouraging their participation in politics, and contributing to the emergence of a new generation of women leaders, the ParlAmericas Parliamentary Network for Gender Equality is developing a series of initiatives based on the value of sisterhood among women politicians as a necessary quality for building on what has already been built and advancing on the road to equality based on the achievements of many women leaders, parliamentarians, and activists who have contributed to paving the way toward gender equality and the recognition of women’s rights.”

Marlene Mora, President of the Forum of Women Politicians for Costa Rica
“Our expectation is that the women gathered here will lead a regional agenda in favour of women’s human rights and democratic values, and that these two days of sessions will provide continuity to processes and agendas that will strengthen our work based on each of the valuable experiences shared. Let us promote spaces of sisterhood, let us lead the progress toward the rights of all women, and let us orient our efforts in favour of an intersectional agenda that exposes discrimination and proposes solutions in favour of equality.”

Parliamentary staff representatives from legislatures in the Americas and the Caribbean participated in the 2nd Meeting of the ParlAmericas Parliamentary Staff Network on Climate Change (PNCC-Staff) to discuss ways in which technical parliamentary work can contribute to ensuring compliance with environmental and climate change agreements at the national and international levels. The event was held virtually with over 50 participants.

The meeting began with opening remarks by Frédéric Forge (Canada), Senior Director of the International Affairs and Integrated Reference Services Division of the Library of Parliament and General Coordinator of the PNCC-Staff. Next, Laura Prado Chacón (Costa Rica), Advisor of the Executive Directorate of the Legislative Assembly, moderated a panel featuring Juan Carlos Villalonga, President of GLOBE Legislators, and Nadia Manning-Thomas, UN Women Planning and Coordination Specialist for Barbados and the OECS with responsibility for the EnGenDER project. Presentations by the panellists emphasized the relevance of incorporating gender and human rights perspectives into legal frameworks and policies linked to environmental issues and disaster risk reduction and highlighted the role of parliamentary staff and their technical expertise in advancing the alignment of national legislative efforts with key multilateral environmental treaties, including the Sendai Framework, the Paris Agreement, and the 2030 Agenda. 

Afterwards, Brian B. Caesar (Trinidad and Tobago), Clerk of the Senate; Juan Manuel Moreira (Argentina), Director General for Environment and Sustainable Development of the Chamber of Deputies and contact person for the PNCC-Staff; and María Victoria Lumaca (Uruguay), Technical Secretary of the Senate Committee on the Environment and focal point for the PNCC-Staff, shared their national progress on environmental and climate commitments from a parliamentary staff perspective. The presentations covered lessons learned from consultations by the Senate Committee on Land and Physical Infrastructure of Trinidad and Tobago on the country’s measures to address climate change related challenges; the implementation process and the progress and impact of Argentina’s Yolanda Law; and strategies for promoting citizen participation in the work of the Senate Committee on the Environment of Uruguay. 

To conclude the meeting, Alisha Todd, Director General of the International Secretariat of ParlAmericas, presented Mapping Strategies and Plans of the Americas and the Caribbean, a repository developed by ParlAmericas that compiles and synthesizes environment and sustainability related plans and strategies that have been adopted by countries of the hemisphere.

Participants from 14 countries attended a joint meeting of the ParlAmericas Parliamentary Staff Network on Open Parliament (OPN-Parliamentary Staff) and the ParlAmericas Parliamentary Staff Network for Gender Equality (PNGE-Parliamentary Staff), “Open and Inclusive Parliaments: Experiences and Strategies in Latin America.” The event, which was co-organized by ParlAmericas and the Federal Senate of Brazil, concluded today following two days of sessions in Brasilia. 

Welcoming remarks were delivered by Ilana Trombka (Brazil), Director General of the Federal Senate; Luis Rojas (Chile), Secretary General of the Constitutional Process and General Coordinator of the OPN-Parliamentary Staff; and Kathy Ramos (Panama), Director of the Gender Equality Unit of the National Assembly and Regional Coordinator for Central America of the PNGE-Parliamentary Staff. In her opening remarks, Honourable Representative Catherine Juvinao (Colombia), Vice-President for South America of the ParlAmericas Open Parliament Network, highlighted the role of legislative openness and inclusiveness within parliaments as means of strengthening democracy in the region. 

Held as part of the commemoration of the 17th anniversary of the Maria da Penha law, the first day of the meeting included a keynote address by Dr. Lívia Maria Sant’Anna Vaz, Attorney General of the Public Prosecutor’s Office of the State of Bahia, Brazil, on the importance of regulatory frameworks in preventing and criminalizing gender-based violence. Parliamentary staff also held dialogues on good practices to connect open parliament and gender equality work, sharing initiatives on citizen participation, care policies, and strategies to address gender-based violence, among other topics. Afterwards, Stella Maria Vaz Santos Valadares (Brazil), General Coordinator of the Standing Committee for the Promotion of Gender and Racial Equality of the Federal Senate, shared insights on the Senate’s experience in this area. To conclude the day, Tarcila Rivera Zea, Founder and President of CHIRAPAQ, the Centre for Indigenous Cultures of Peru, and Founder of the Continental Network of Indigenous Women of the Americas (ECMIA, by its Spanish acronym), reflected on the challenges to political participation faced by Indigenous women. This was followed by a short film screening on the subject.

On the second day, parliamentary staff joined representatives from civil society organizations in a co-creation session outlining actions and strategies for open parliament with a gender perspective. Moderated by Rocío Noriega (Chile), Advisor to the Bicameral Group on Transparency of the National Congress, the results of this session will be integral to a forthcoming ParlAmericas tool aimed at providing technical support to parliaments across Latin America to promote more inclusive legislative openness mechanisms.

ParlAmericas strongly condemns the assassination of the presidential candidate for the Republic of Ecuador, Fernando Villavicencio, which occurred while he was campaigning in Quito.

Political violence is an affront to the people of Ecuador and gravely undermines peace and democracy. The safety and security of electoral candidates is paramount for a free democratic electoral process.

ParlAmericas extends its deepest condolences to Mr. Villavicencio’s family, colleagues and supporters and stands in solidarity with the Ecuadorian people at this difficult time.

The virtual meeting “Towards effective environmental governance: Access to information, participation, and justice” jointly organized by ParlAmericas and Parliamentarians for Global Action (PGA) was held on July 11, 2023,  to examine the challenges and opportunities related to advancing environmental governance in the region.

As the regional agreement that recognizes, protects, and promotes the rights of access to information, participation, and justice in environmental matters, the Escazú Agreement is crucial in guiding inclusive and effective environmental governance in Latin America and the Caribbean. In this vein, the welcoming remarks by the Honourable Senator Rosa Galvez (Canada), President of the ParlAmericas Parliamentary Network on Climate Change, and the Honourable Valerie Woods, MP (Belize), Speaker of the House of Representatives and PGA Board Member highlighted the importance of parliamentary participation in the regional and global forums in which such agreements are negotiated.

The meeting featured a presentation on the current state of the Escazú Agreement in the region by David Barrio Lamarche, Environmental Affairs Officer for the Escazú Agreement Secretariat of ECLAC, and a vibrant panel discussion including Senator Sophia Frazer-Binns (Jamaica), Shadow Minister of Land, Environment and Climate Change; Senator Emilio Álvarez Icaza (Mexico), PGA Board Member; and Tyrell Gittens, young geographer, environmentalist, conservationist and journalist from Trinidad and Tobago, which was moderated by Member of the Chamber of Deputies Margarita Stolbizer (Argentina), PGA Board Member and founding President of the ParlAmericas Parliamentary Network for Gender Equality.

The discussions held during the session addressed strategies parliaments can use to promote public awareness and inform national debates on ratifying and implementing the Escazú Agreement. To conclude the meeting, Mónica Adame, Secretary-General of PGA and Alisha Todd, Director General of ParlAmericas offered brief words of appreciation and underscored the relevance of spaces such as this for inter-regional knowledge exchange towards improved environmental governance.

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The Honourable Senator Rosa Galvez (Canada), President of the ParlAmericas Parliamentary Network on Climate Change

“In efforts to achieve more inclusive and democratic societies amidst a changing climate, it is our responsibility as parliaments to promote civic engagement. In order to do so we have to ensure all members of society are not only aware of their right to access information but are also empowered to exercise it.”

Today marked the close of the 30th Annual Session of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe Parliamentary Assembly (OSCE PA), which began on June 30 and took place in Vancouver, Canada, under the theme “Strengthening Regional Security by Fostering Democratic and Inclusive Societies.”

ParlAmericas was represented by a delegation of Board members Senator Verónica Noemí Camino Farjat (Mexico), President of the ParlAmericas Parliamentary Network for Gender Equality, Senator Germán Blanco (Colombia), and the Honourable Claudius Francis (Saint Lucia), Speaker of the House of Assembly, and by its International Secretariat through Alisha Todd, ParlAmericas Director General.

The delegation’s attendance at the Annual Session of the OSCE PA was instrumental in strengthening high-level collaborations between ParlAmericas and inter-parliamentary organizations. During its visit, the ParlAmericas delegation held bilateral meetings with delegates from Canada and the United States, and with OSCE PA member parliamentarians, outgoing President Margareta Cederfelt (Sweden); Secretary General Roberto Montella; and Deputy Secretary General Gustavo Pallares. In addition, the delegation had the opportunity to greet Member of Parliament Pia Kauma (Finland), incoming President of the Assembly.

The 30th Annual Session of the OSCE PA convened more than 225 parliamentarians from 50 countries across North America, Europe, and Central Asia, who adopted the Vancouver Declaration after several days of work in committees. The Declaration addresses a wide range of themes, including artificial intelligence; energy security; migration; economic security and post-COVID recovery; good governance and anti-corruption strategies; plastic pollution; and civil society participation in parliamentary decision-making processes. It also makes specific reference to the Russia–Ukraine conflict and stresses that any peaceful resolution must follow international laws and protocols, the Helsinki Final Act principles, and the Charter of Paris.

Senator Blanca Ovelar (Paraguay), President of ParlAmericas, and Member of the Chamber of Deputies Vlado Mirosevic (Chile), President of the Chamber of Deputies and ParlAmericas Board Member, participated in the X Forum of the Parliamentary Front against Hunger in Latin America and the Caribbean (PFH) and the II Global Parliamentary Summit against Hunger and Malnutrition, held in Chile on June 14, 15, and 16, respectively.

In his opening remarks at both events, Member of the Chamber of Deputies Mirosevic highlighted the role of inter-parliamentary dialogue and cooperation in advancing shared goals in the fight against hunger. Senator Ovelar highlighted the critical role of women in building sustainable agrifood systems during her interventions on panels related to strengthening parliamentary work on food and nutrition security issues with a gender perspective.

The President of ParlAmericas also had the opportunity to announce the development of a guide created in collaboration with the PFH that will provide tools to help mainstream gender approaches in legislative work related to the struggle against hunger and contribute to the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals 2 and 5.

In December 2022, ParlAmericas and the PFH signed a Memorandum of Understanding that underscores the shared objective of both parties and the essential role of parliaments  in promoting informed debates on food security and recognizing the intrinsic link between the food security, climate change, and gender inequality agendas. 

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Senator Blanca Ovelar (Paraguay), President of ParlAmericas

“Women play a critical role in achieving food and nutrition security. They are producers of food, stewards of natural resources, income generators, and those responsible for food and nutritional security in their households and communities.”

The “Virtual Parliamentary Exchange on Artificial Intelligence and Digital Rights,” organized by the ParlAmericas Open Parliament Network, took place this morning and had the objective of bringing together parliamentarians from across the Americas and the Caribbean to discuss the effects on social well-being of the accelerated development of artificial intelligence (AI).

The meeting included round table discussions and a dialogue with interventions emphasizing the need for Latin America and the Caribbean, and the Global South in general, to become more prominent participants in international dialogues on artificial intelligence so that AI regulatory frameworks and governance models are developed with democratic and inclusive principles and reflect the contexts, needs, and cultural and linguistic diversity of the hemisphere.

During the event, the ParlAmericas Open Parliament Network (OPN) presented its Digital Caucus, a new parliamentary working group committed to developing legislative proposals on AI regulation using multidimensional approaches. Through a statement published today, ParlAmericas invites legislators from Latin America and the Caribbean to endorse this initiative, which responds to the growing global debates on the transformative potential of artificial intelligence and calls from different sectors for the development of regulatory proposals.

The Honourable Bridgid Annisette-George (Trinidad and Tobago), Speaker of the House of Representatives and Vice-President of ParlAmericas, gave the meeting’s welcoming remarks. Member of the Chamber of Representatives Catherine Juvinao (Colombia), Vice-President for South America of the ParlAmericas OPN, and Member of the Chamber of Deputies Margarita Stolbizer (Argentina) moderated the discussion among participants on the priorities for legislative work on inclusive governance of artificial intelligence. The panellists were Ambassador Washington Abdala, Uruguay’s Permanent Representative to the Organization of American States (OAS) and Chair of the OAS Permanent Council; Senator Kenneth Pugh (Chile), chair of the committees on Ethics and Transparency and National Defense of the Senate; and Cecilia Danesi, researcher at the Institute for European Studies and Human Rights.

Quotes

Member of the Legislative Assembly Luz Mary Alpízar (Costa Rica), Vice-President for Central America of the ParlAmericas Open Parliament Network

“As seen today, there are fellow parliamentarians and parliaments in our hemisphere that have been working dedicatedly on issues related to technology and digital rights. Their knowledge and experiences deserve to be acknowledged and shared as they constitute a set of good practices that can enrich the initiatives that are beginning to take shape in relation to the governance of artificial intelligence.”

Member of the Chamber of Representatives Catherine Juvinao (Colombia), Vice-President for South America of the ParlAmericas Open Parliament Network

“Today the ParlAmericas Open Parliament Network presents its Digital Caucus, a parliamentary working group in which we can generate legislative initiatives that echo not only global regulatory frameworks on artificial intelligence governance but also our own needs, realities and contexts related to this matter.”

Senator Kenneth Pugh (Chile)

“It is important for us legislators to understand the challenge of devising regulatory frameworks for the governance of artificial intelligence that protect people, safeguard our democracies, and promote responsible and ethical use [of A.I.], to which we should aspire. Artificial intelligence is a disruptive technology that, like all technologies, is neither good nor bad in and of itself; its effects will depend on how it is used.”

The 5th Virtual Meeting of the ParlAmericas Parliamentary Staff Network on Gender Equality was held today, May 30, providing a forum for exchange and dialogue on the prevention of discrimination and gender-based violence in the parliamentary setting.

The agenda for the meeting, “Addressing gender-based violence in parliaments from an intersectional perspective,” underscored the importance of initiatives that seek to prevent, address, and sanction gender-based violence through interventions by parliamentary staff. It included a presentation by Stella Maria Vaz, General Coordinator of the Standing Committee for the Promotion of Gender and Racial Equality of the Federal Senate of Brazil. Event participants also benefited from the contributions of guest experts Ana Elena Obando (Equality Now) and Rosario Galarza Meza (International Disability Alliance) to explore how consideration of the intersectional identities of persons affected by gender-based violence can strengthen local protocols and programs.

Highlights of the meeting included discussions on the key aspects of addressing gender-based violence from the perspective of human rights of persons with disabilities and initiatives aimed at eradicating racism and preventing gender-based violence. Sulma Campos Mata, director of the Technical Unit for Gender Equality of the Senate of Mexico and General Coordinator of the Network, gave the welcoming remarks at the meeting, and the moderators included:

●    Maryan Henriquez, Coordinator of Gender Policies of the Chamber of Deputies of Chile;
●    Kathy Ramos, Director of the Gender Equality Unit of the National Assembly of Panama and Regional Coordinator for Central America of the Network; and
●    María Cristina Rosado, Coordinator of the Legal Committee for Women’s Equity of the Congress of the Republic of Colombia and Regional Coordinator for South America of the Network.

To conclude the meeting, Ilana Trombka, Director General of the Federal Senate of Brazil, announced that the Senate will host the next ParlAmericas in-person meeting for parliamentary staff in Latin America, titled “Open and Inclusive Parliaments: Experiences and Strategies in Latin America,” on August 10 and 11, 2023.

The virtual meeting “Historic opportunity: The role of parliaments in ending plastic pollution” was held on May 24, 2023. This gathering was organized by ParlAmericas, in coordination with the Circular Economy Coalition of Latin America and the Caribbean, the Ellen MacArthur Foundation (EMF), the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP), and the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF).

The meeting aimed to build on the momentum generated in March of last year by the adoption of the United Nations resolution to end plastic pollution and create a legally binding international agreement by 2024. With over 100 people in attendance, the meeting agenda included presentations by parliamentarians and specialists from the hemisphere and allowed participants to explore the importance of promoting legislative initiatives and complementary collaborative actions to reduce the production and consumption of plastics and develop a circular economy with a gender and equity perspective.

Welcoming remarks were delivered by the Honourable Senator Rosa Galvez (Canada), President of the Parlamericas Parliamentary Network on Climate Change, and Piedad Martín, Deputy Regional Director for Latin America and the Caribbean of UNEP.

Member of the Chamber of Deputies Graciela Camaño (Argentina) moderated the round table where parliamentarians shared experiences on developing laws and making progress in their countries’ legal frameworks to reduce the production and consumption of plastics. Senator Paulina Nuñez (Chile), Member of the Chamber of Representatives Juan Carlos Losada (Colombia), and the Honourable Orlando Habet (Belize), Minister of Sustainable Development, Climate Change and Disaster Risk Management, made interventions in this discussion.

Additionally, the Honourable Senator Dessima Williams (Grenada), President of the Senate, moderated the panel of specialists who addressed the socio-economic benefits of eradicating plastic pollution and implementing a circular design around plastics.

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Honourable Senator Rosa Galvez (Canada), President of the Parlamericas Parliamentary Network on Climate Change

“Eradicating plastic pollution requires recognizing that the generation and proliferation of waste is a consequence of the unsustainable design, production, and consumption practices of the ‘buy-use-toss’ model. There is now an opportunity to remedy the negative impacts and inequalities that have resulted from this model. As parliaments, we have an important role to play in putting an end to plastic pollution: ensuring that local laws are aligned with international standards, holding comprehensive debates that include and keep public policy objectives in perspective, and providing oversight of national laws and budgets.”

Senator Verónica Noemí Camino Farjat (Mexico), Second Vice-President of ParlAmericas and President of the Parliamentary Network for Gender Equality, together with Wilma Andrade Muñoz (Ecuador), former Member of the National Assembly and former Vice-President of the ParlAmericas Open Parliament Network visited Washington D.C as part of the delegation of  ParlAmericas to attend the Special Meeting of the Organization of the American States (OAS) Permanent Council on Friday, May 19.

The session titled “Best practices and recommendations for improving inter-American parliamentary dialogue” was convened in response to resolution  AG/RES. 2989 (LII-O/22) Strengthening democracy, adopted by the OAS General Assembly which establishes, among its mandates, the holding of a special meeting with parliamentarians through ParlAmericas and other regional parliamentary organizations to share good practices and recommendations with member states, with a particular focus on gender perspective, to enhance inter-American parliamentary dialogue.

Yesterday, the agenda of the ParlAmericas delegation in Washington D.C. included a meeting hosted by the US Permanent Mission to the OAS at the United States Senate with U.S. Senators Ben Cardin and Roger Wicker, and members of the OAS Permanent Council. In her remarks, the Director General of ParlAmericas, Alisha Todd, expressed her gratitude for the initiative to hold this meeting, highlighting the importance of parliamentary engagement in multilateral spaces and emphasized the opportunity to improve the involvement of national parliaments in the OAS through ParlAmericas.

Additionally, the delegation attended a meeting with Alejandra Mora Mora, Executive Secretary of the Inter-American Commission of Women (CIM), to discuss the collaboration of ParlAmericas in the process of consultations for the development of the Inter-American model laws formulated by the CIM/OAS. Finally, the delegation also participated in bilateral meetings with Permanent Missions to the OAS.

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Senator Verónica Noemí Camino Farjat (Mexico), Second Vice-President of ParlAmericas and President of the Parliamentary Network for Gender Equality

“The commitment of our membership to be proactive stakeholders in the Inter-American System and co-participants in the achievement of shared objectives is what gives meaning to our institutional vision, which is based on the recognition of the value of parliamentary diplomacy as an indispensable tool for strengthening regional integration and consensus building in the Americas and the Caribbean”

The ParlAmericas International Secretariat, represented by Anabella Zavagno, Deputy Director General, participated in the Sixth Meeting of the Forum of the Countries of Latin America and the Caribbean on Sustainable Development, held from April 25-28 in Santiago de Chile.

The event, organized by the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), brought together representatives of the Forum’s member states, the private sector and civil society, development banks, and other United Nations agencies, in the aim of providing those responsible for the implementation of the 2030 Agenda with good practices. This knowledge exchange would allow the Forum’s member countries to make recommendations to the High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development, as part of regional contributions to the global follow-up and review of the 2030 Agenda.

On the other hand, Michelle Volpin, ParlAmericas’ Project Manager for Gender Equality, participated in the workshop Building Bridges between Escazú and Open Government, organized by the Open Government Alliance, ECLAC and the Universidad Hemisferios (Ecuador) within the framework of the Conference of the Parties to the Escazú Agreement.

The workshop, held on April 21 in Buenos Aires, brought together representatives of governments, civil society, academia, parliaments, and other stakeholders to share experiences, discuss challenges and opportunities in the implementation of the Escazú Agreement, and identify lines of action that strengthen environmental democracy and bring the environmental and open government communities closer together.

Participation in both events reflects ParlAmericas’ institutional commitment to engage with initiatives in favour of sustainable development and support the implementation of the most recognized international environmental instruments.

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Anabella Zavagno, Deputy Director General of ParlAmericas

“The pluralistic nature of parliament as an arena for public deliberation is key to building the social consensus necessary to make progress in achieving the goals of the 2030 Agenda and to ensure its sustainability.”

The 7th Gathering of the ParlAmericas Open Parliament Network, an event organized by ParlAmericas and the National Congress of Chile as host parliament, convened more than 50 parliamentarians from 18 countries of the Americas and the Caribbean to dialogue on “The future of democracy in the digital era.”

The delegations in attendance adopted the Declaration of the Gathering, through which they commit to advocating for people-centred and inclusive digitalization in observance of human rights and to promoting a reliable, secure, responsible, and sustainable use of emerging digital technologies and artificial intelligence, among other actions.

The Gathering began on Thursday, April 20 and took place over the course of three days at the building of the National Congress of Chile, in Santiago. Parliamentarians, alongside specialists and representatives of regional and international organizations, participated in working sessions in which the synergies between the open parliament and gender equality agendas were highlighted. Presentations included topics such as international standards for reliable and inclusive internet use; the challenges for parliament of addressing disinformation; legislative actions for inclusive digital governance; and diverse dimensions of digital inclusion.

The announcement of the new Executive Committee of the ParlAmericas Open Parliament Network was among the highlights of the final day of the Gathering. The Committee will be formed by:

• President: Senator Javier Macaya Danús (Chile)
• First Vice-President for North America: Senator Bertha Caraveo (Mexico)
• Second Vice-President for North America: Senator the Honourable René Cormier (Canada)
• First Vice-President for Central America: Member of the Legislative Assembly Luz Mary Alpízar (Costa Rica)
• Second Vice-President for Central America: Member of the National Assembly Corina Cano (Panama)
• First Vice-President for South America: Member of the National Assembly Wilma Andrade (Ecuador)
• Second Vice-President for South America: Member of the House of Representatives Catherine Juvinao (Colombia)
• Vice-President for the Caribbean: His Honour Reginald Farley, President of the Senate (Barbados)

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Senator Javier Macaya Danús (Chile), President of the ParlAmericas Open Parliament Network

“Digital changes will continue to evolve rapidly. The ParlAmericas Open Parliament Network will continue to promote spaces in the democracies of our hemisphere to discuss the benefits and challenges of digital transformation, as well as the integrative legislative actions to address them.”

More than 50 parliamentarians from 18 countries of the Americas and the Caribbean will attend the 7th Gathering of the ParlAmericas Open Parliament Network “The Future of Democracy in the Digital Era,” taking place from April 20 to April 22, and organized by ParlAmericas and the National Congress of Chile as the host parliament.

During the Gathering, parliamentarians, along with specialists from local, regional and international organizations will analyze the opportunities and challenges posed by digital transformation processes in democratic systems, using the lens of open parliament. Participants will also explore initiatives that can help to guarantee inclusive, transparent and responsible governance. The agenda will emphasize the empowerment and participation of women in the digital world as a key condition for building more solid and stronger democracies.

The Gathering will open with welcoming remarks from Senator Juan Antonio Coloma, President of the Senate of Chile; Member of the Chamber of Deputies Vlado Mirosevic, President of the Chamber of Deputies of Chile and ParlAmericas’ Board Member; and Senator Javier Macaya Danús (Chile), President of the ParlAmericas Open Parliament Network and host of the event. The keynote address will be delivered by Executive Secretary of the Presidential Committee on Public Integrity and Transparency, Valeria Lübbert (Chile).

Download the agenda of the 7th ParlAmericas Open Parliament Gathering.

Follow the 7th ParlAmericas Open Parliament Gathering livestream beginning at 9:00 AM (Santiago, Chile) on Thursday, April 20.

On March 24, 2023, the fifth meeting of the Parliamentary Staff Network on Open Parliament was held virtually, bringing together parliamentary staff from the national parliaments of 11 Latin American countries, as well as representatives of international organizations and academia, to share experiences and achievements related to the importance of using inclusive and accessible language in legislative work to promote informed and empowered citizen participation in parliamentary processes.

The event was inaugurated by Luis Rojas Gallardo (Chile), Secretary General of Constitutional Process and General Coordinator of the ParlAmericas Parliamentary Staff Network on Open Parliament, who noted that “listening to reflections and analysis on the importance of the use of inclusive and accessible language in legislative work will allow us to identify improved ways to generate legislative information with a new perspective, taking into account the relationship of our parliaments with citizens and promoting greater transparency in the parliamentary process.”

Afterward, Rocio Noriega (Chile), Advisor to the Bicameral Group on Transparency, presented on behalf of Senator Paulina Núñez (Chile) the work being performed on legislative openness standards, which can be applied to parliamentary committees. These standards will be presented at the 7th Gathering of the ParlAmericas Open Parliament Network to be held April 20-22, 2023 in Chile.

The first panel of this session entitled “Inclusive and accessible language in legislative work for the public,” was moderated by Sulma Campos Mata (Mexico), head of the Technical Unit for Gender Equality of the Senate and General Coordinator of the ParlAmericas Parliamentary Staff Network on Gender Equality. Specialists and representatives from academia also participated, including Cristiane Brum Bernardes, representative of the International Parliament Engagement Network (IPEN) and professor and researcher for the master’s program on legislative affairs at the Chamber of Deputies of Brazil; Betsy Perafán Liévano, Academic Director of Law at Universidad de los Andes (Colombia); and Andrea González Somellera, Advisor to the General Secretariat of the Chamber of Deputies of Mexico.

In the second panel of the meeting, parliamentary staff shared various good practices they have developed and exchanged experiences on the use of inclusive and accessible language in legislative work. This space was moderated by Henrique Porath, Coordinator of the Innovation Support Center (Nainova) of the Federal Senate of Brazil and included presentations from Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, and Paraguay.

To conclude the meeting, Nelly González (Panama), Legal Advisor to the presidency of the National Assembly and Regional Coordinator for Central America of the ParlAmericas Parliamentary Staff Network on Open Parliament, emphasized that “addressing different theoretical and technical aspects on the use of clear, accessible, and inclusive language has allowed us to understand the vital importance and impact it can have on reshaping the relationship between parliaments and citizens.”

Beginning today and continuing through March 30, ParlAmericas is participating in the Legislative Track organized by the House Democracy Partnership of the House of Representatives of the United States of America as part of the II Summit for Democracy in Washington DC.

The Legislative Track of the II Summit for Democracy is convening more than 60 parliamentarians and representatives of governments and civil society organizations from various countries to attend a series of in-person sessions that will address issues such as the role of legislatures in supporting national democracy commitments, the importance of engaging the citizenry to strengthen informed legislative action, and advancing cross-party cooperation to strengthen democratic resilience.

The high-level sessions in the Legislative Track will offer parliamentarians the opportunity to share experiences and best legislative practices with peers from more than 30 countries. Among the sessions is a fireside chat on March 30 on “Holistic Approaches to Good Governance” moderated by Alisha Todd, Director General of ParlAmericas, and featuring Damon Wilson, President of the National Endowment for Democracy and Clinton White, Counselor for the United States Agency for International Development.

ParlAmericas’ participation in the Legislative Track of the II Summit for Democracy is aligned with the organization’s mission of offering legislative perspectives in dialogues on issues of hemispheric importance and elevating parliamentary diplomacy as a tool to strengthen cooperative political dialogue, regional integration, and consensus building.

On the Summit for Democracy
The Summit for Democracy is an initiative of the United States government launched in 2021 to bring together world leaders to set an agenda to strengthen democracy around the world and address common objectives such as fighting corruption and protecting human rights. In this second edition, world leaders will share progress on their commitments to build more resilient democracies and commit to actions around five thematic pillars: supporting a free and independent media, fighting corruption, bolstering democratic reformers, advancing technology for democracy, and defending free and fair elections and political processes.

On March 4-5, 2023, women parliamentarians from both chambers and Parties, with technical support from ParlAmericas, UN Women Multi-Country Office – Caribbean, the Bureau of Gender Affairs in the Ministry of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, and the Houses of Parliament, gathered for a second training retreat to support the implementation of the Bicameral Caucus of Women Parliamentarians in Jamaica.

On February 1, 2023, the Jamaican Houses of Parliament officially created the Bicameral Caucus of Women Parliamentarians following approval by the Senate of an amendment of the Standing Orders of the Senate to establish the group as a Sessional Select Committee in that chamber. The House of Representatives passed a similar motion on December 14, 2022, and the two committees will sit jointly.

The hosting of the follow-up meeting, which focused on the mobilization of the caucus, was a commitment made during the first training retreat, held on December 3-4, 2022, and built on the prior dialogues through a focus on multi-partisan collaboration to undertake transformative action in support of gender equality goals and the practical next steps needed to enable the caucus to begin to meet.

The meeting opened with welcoming remarks by Ms. Alisha Todd, Director General of ParlAmericas, Ms. Tonni Brodber, Representative of the UN Women Multi-Country Office for the Caribbean, Dr. Angela Brown Burke, Member of Parliament and Chairman of the People’s National Party, and The Honourable Olivia Grange, OJ, CD, MP, OJ, Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment, and Sport and Deputy Leader of the House, whose intervention was delivered by Senator Natalie Campbell-Rodriques.

The virtual feature address was delivered by Congresswoman Brenda Lawrence (D) and Congresswoman Connie Morella (R), former members of the U.S. House of Representatives and former chairs of the Congressional Caucus for Women’s Issues in the United States. The presentation, and the dialogue that followed, which was facilitated by gender and development specialist Dr. Rosina Wiltshire, explored the benefits of women’s parliamentary caucuses and strategies to work within and across party lines Dialogue also focused on legislative actions to promote gender equality through the caucus, supported by a presentation by Ms. Tonni Brodber on new research by UN Women Caribbean on the economic cost of violence against women and girls in Jamaica. Remarks were also offered during the retreat by Mrs. Sharon Coburn Robinson, Principal Director of the Bureau of Gender Affairs, Minister Fayval Williams, and Senator Donna Scott-Mottley.

The meeting concluded with the decision makers in attendance agreeing on the next steps for the Bicameral Caucus of Women Parliamentarians in Jamaica, facilitated by ParlAmericas representatives.

Today, ParlAmericas carried out the virtual session ‘Mobilizing parliaments to address climate migration,’ a learning lab held within the framework of the VIII Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction in the Americas and the Caribbean (RP23), under this year’s theme of “Science and Technology for Integrated Disaster Risk Management.” The session explored strategies for parliaments to support resilience-building to prevent forced climate migration as well as how to integrate gender-responsive relocation plans into disaster risk management.

In her welcoming remarks, Senator the Honourable Rosa Galvez (Canada), President of the ParlAmericas Parliamentary Network on Climate Change, stated, “Today we have gathered to prioritize the protection of people. As parliamentarians, we need to examine what strategies we can support in order to build resilience and prevent forced climate migration. We know the facts: as a consequence of the changing climate, we can expect an increase in frequency and intensity of natural hazards. This is a timely conversation for the countries most vulnerable to extreme natural hazards, as well as the neighbouring countries that may become hosts for climate migrants.”

The session included a multi-stakeholder dialogue that included legislative, gender, and science and technology perspectives on climate migration and disaster resilience-building. Moderated by the Honourable Member of the National Assembly Juan Diego Vásquez (Panama), it featured the participation of the Honourable Member of the Chamber of Representatives Julia Miranda Londoño (Colombia); Pablo Escribano, Regional Thematic Specialist on Migration, Environment and Climate Change of the International Organization for Migration; and Vanya David, President of the Dominica National Council of Women. Key elements of the dialogue included a presentation on Colombia’s bill to address the displacement of persons due to climatic causes, an overview of the patterns of climate migration in the Latin America and Caribbean region, and evidence in support of inclusive relocation strategies recognizing that natural hazards exacerbate socio-economic disparities, such as gender inequality, which persist even after relocation.

To conclude the session, Senator Anthony Vieira (Trinidad and Tobago), Vice-President for the Caribbean of the ParlAmericas Parliamentary Network on Climate Change, offered final reflections on the importance of parliamentary action to support disaster risk management: “As responsible parliamentarians, we cannot sit on the sidelines or remain silent. We have a duty to inform, and to confront the emerging crisis by ensuring that our respective governments take all necessary and appropriate action.”

The session “Strengthening legislative advocacy of feminist organizations in Latin America: processes, tools and experiences” brought together more than 170 participants – feminist organizations representatives, parliamentarians, parliamentary officials and activists – to share good practices and strategies in legislative advocacy processes for the advancement of gender equality.

Senator Verónica Noemí Camino Farjat (Mexico), president of the ParlAmericas Parliamentary Network for Gender Equality, inaugurated the session by emphasizing that “the demands of the feminist movement in the search for justice and equality have been the basis of the regional gender agenda and many parliaments are now debating issues with the support of feminist organizations, reflecting the importance of citizen participation in the parliamentary gender agenda.”

Michelle Volpin, Project Manager – Gender Equality at ParlAmericas, presented the report “What we heard: Survey of Latin American feminist organizations on their relationship with parliaments“, based on a survey of more than 150 activists working on the gender agenda in the region, which addresses both challenges and opportunities during the legislative advocacy process.

The session featured a presentation by former parliamentarian Guadalupe Valdez (Dominican Republic), who echoed the relevance of effective and creative articulation between citizens and parliaments for the advancement of gender equality, based on honesty, transparency, efficiency and accountability. In turn, Valentina Enciso (Colombia), Political Action Coordinator of Fundación Artemisas shared her work in the creation of the platform En Colectiva, a feminist open parliament strategy.

Following a series of questions from the organizations, a collective interview was conducted with the participation of former parliamentarians, sharing their experiences of working with feminist organizations. Moderated by former senator Marcela Sabat (Chile), the interview was conducted by former Member of the National Assembly Gina Godoy (Ecuador), former parliamentarian Ana Matilde Gómez (Panama) and former Member of the Legislative Assembly Nielsen Pérez (Costa Rica). They provided strategies and recommendations for consensus-building on different issues on the legislative gender agenda and stressed the importance of inclusive participation mechanisms with an intersectional perspective.

An interactive activity was held in break out rooms, moderated by Friné Salguero (Mexico), Executive Director, Simone de Beauvoir Leadership Institute; Ana Lima (Uruguay), National Coordinator, CLADEM and Justina Lee (Argentina), Management Director, Ecofeminita, who shared their experiences in legislative advocacy. In these spaces for dialogue, participants collectively reflected on effective strategies to advocate causes and propose legislative reforms, consolidate networks and alliances and place issues on the public and legislative agenda, taking into consideration the political contexts.

On February 21, 2023, young women from across Jamaica took part in a historic, all women parliamentary debate in the Houses of Parliament of Jamaica. This simulated parliamentary sitting marks the culmination of the Young Women in Leadership (YWiL) – Jamaica program organized by ParlAmericas and Caribbean Women in Leadership (CIWiL) in partnership with the Bureau of Gender Affairs in the Ministry of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport and the Houses of Parliament.

The YWiL program seeks to support young women in preparing for current and future leadership roles by providing training and education on political leadership, encouraging consideration of leadership and service from a transformational perspective, and creating a space to foster supportive communities of women and other allies. Participants in the Jamaica program were nominated to take part due to their interests in gender equality and public leadership.

In preparation for the parliamentary sitting, and in line with program objectives, during the period of December 2022 to February 2023, the YWiLJA programme consisted of virtual and in-person training sessions focused on the program’s core components: transformational leadership, gender equality and inclusive decision-making, parliamentary procedure, and strategies for effective leadership. All of the program’s sessions were led by distinguished facilitators, including parliamentarians, civil society leaders, practitioners from various fields, and other leaders from Jamaica and across the region. Following the program’s conclusion, participants are encouraged to share the learning and skills gained within their communities.

The YWiL Parliamentary Sitting was the first-ever all-women sitting in the Houses of Parliament of Jamaica and was being held in the framework of celebrations for International Women’s Day 2023. Each participant served as a parliamentarian or officer of the parliament for a debate on a fictional motion that proposes the implementation of a national action plan to prioritize gender equality and women’s economic empowerment, with focused attention on the education sector, care sector and digital transformation. Participants’ contributions during the Sitting shared responses to the motion drawing on their expertise and research, and in line with their assigned role.

This initiative is one in a series of such activities organised in countries across the region, forming a core component of the ParlAmericas-CIWiL joint project to advance women’s political participation in the Caribbean, supported by the Government of Canada through Global Affairs Canada. Prior YWiL initiatives have been hosted in Trinidad and Tobago, Antigua and Barbuda, and Saint Lucia.

Today, on behalf of ParlAmericas, Senator Blanca Ovelar (Paraguay), President of ParlAmericas, and the Honourable Claudius J. Francis (Saint Lucia), Speaker of the House of Assembly and member of the ParlAmericas Board of Directors, participated in the regular session of the Permanent Council of the Organization of American States (OAS) convened by its Chair, His Excellency Ambassador Anthony Phillips-Spencer, Permanent Representative of Trinidad and Tobago.

On this occasion, ParlAmericas’ participation had the aim of providing the Permanent Council a summary of the work carried out by ParlAmericas since the organization’s previous participation in the regular session of the Council in February 2022. Senator Ovelar and the Honourable Francis additionally reported on actions undertaken in response to the mandates adopted both at the IX Summit of the Americas and at the 52nd OAS General Assembly to promote parliamentary engagement in the Inter-American System through ParlAmericas. Finally, ParlAmericas’ representatives reflected on the role of inter-parliamentary diplomacy and how ParlAmericas’ activities in 2023 align with OAS efforts and priorities.

In her remarks, President Ovelar stated, “Today we reaffirm before you ParlAmericas’ unwavering willingness to comply with the mandates it was assigned and to contribute, at a particularly sensitive time for our hemisphere, to the search for solutions to the pressing problems facing our fellow citizens; we will do so in a concerted manner and under the democratic convictions that unite us.”

In turn, the Honourable Claudius J. Francis expressed that “This year, ParlAmericas will dedicate our efforts to working on issues including migration, the fight against disinformation and computational propaganda, food sovereignty and food insecurity, and the compounding effect of the climate crises,  All of these are pressing challenges within our hemisphere that form part of the political discussions and technical work here at the OAS, and which have likewise been identified as top priorities by our parliamentary membership.”

ParlAmericas’ participation in the most recent session of the OAS Permanent Council exemplifies the spirit of collaboration between the two organizations and reflects the importance of promoting multilateralism and cooperation at the highest level in the Inter-American System to address issues of hemispheric importance.

On February 6, 2023, His Honour Reginald Farley (Barbados), President of the Senate, met with Mami Mizutori, Assistant Secretary-General and Special Representative of the Secretary-General for the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) and Raúl Salazar, Chief of the UNDRR Latin America and Caribbean regional office, as well as with other high level UNDRR representatives at the Parliament of Barbados. This meeting was held in the margins of the world’s first regional launch of the Early Warning for All initiative, hosted by Barbados.

During the meeting, Senator Farley, who also serves as Vice-President for the Caribbean of the ParlAmericas Open Parliament Network, and Assistant Secretary-General Mizutori discussed the newly released Executive Action Plan 2023-2027 launched by UNDRR at COP27 for the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change; national work being conducted in Barbados on disaster risk reduction and the accompanying successes and challenges; areas for collaboration on integrative policy for disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation; and the advancement of the Making Cities Resilient initiative and the Multi-Hazard Early Warning System.

The meeting exemplifies the collaborative working relationship between ParlAmericas and UNDRR formalized through a letter of cooperation with the UNDRR Regional Office; a joint publication, “Parliamentary Protocol for Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Change Adaptation,” which aligns with the principles of the Sendai Framework; among other publications and high level participation in  relevant meetings and events.

ParlAmericas strongly condemns the attacks on the Congress, the Presidential Palace, and the Supreme Court of Brazil that took place on Sunday, January 8, 2023.

ParlAmericas respectfully calls on all social and political actors in Brazil to employ dialogue to resume the peaceful transition of power, defend the democratic order, respect the rule of law, and restore peace and coexistence.