|
HOME PAGE -> LATEST NEWS -> NEWS ARCHIVES (MARCH - MAY 2011)
News Archives
(March - May 2011)
The challenges of cybersecurity
|
25 May 2011. Confidence in cyberspace is vital for the development of the information society. But the Internet knows no borders, and organized crime networks are able to move their operations in a fraction of a second. An unusually high level of international cooperation is required to fight cybercrime effectively. Participants in the Fourth Parliamentary Forum on the Information Society agreed to set up a working group to examine ways to harmonize national legislation so that cybercriminals would have no place to hide. However, in the regrettable absence of an internationally-agreed instrument on cybercrime, the difficulties of harmonization are not to be underestimated. The proceedings of the Parliamentary Forum were webcast as part of ITU's coverage of the follow-up to the World Summit on the Information Society. [ Read the Declaration by Participants ... ]
|
|
|
Jordanian parliamentarians celebrate withdrawal of reservation on CEDAW
|
20 May 2011. Parliamentarians in Amman warmly welcomed Jordan's withdrawal of its reservation on article 15 of the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) after granting men and women equal rights under the law relating to movements of persons. Jordan's parliament has also increased its quota for women, and the number of women elected to the House of Representatives doubled after the elections held at the end of 2010.
The MPs were attending a session on gender equality and women's rights held jointly by the IPU, the Jordanian House of Representatives and UNDP from 17 to 19 May 2011. The session was organized as a continuation of support to Jordanian women MPs from the three bodies. The parliamentarians also noted that discriminatory provisions in the Nationality Act, the Labour Code, the Penal Code and the Social Security Act remained to be amended. They pledged to work to that end as the new legislature began its work, including through awareness-raising campaigns.
|
|
|
Parliamentary Forum in Istanbul
9 May 2011. Some 160 MPs from 55 countries participated in the Fourth United Nations Conference for the Least Developed Countries at the conclusion of a two-year consultation process, coordinated by the IPU, to help instill the concerns of parliaments into the outcome document of the conference - the Istanbul Programme of Action. The MPs also participated in a Parliamentary Forum jointly organized by the IPU and the Grand National Assembly of Turkey under the aegis of the High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Mr. Cheick Sidi Diarra. The Speaker of the Grand National Assembly, Hon. Mehmet Ali Sahin, and the Secretary General of the IPU, Mr. Anders Johnsson, welcomed participants together with the UN Secretary-General, Mr. Ban ki-moon, and the Prime Minister of Nepal, Mr. Jhal Nath Khanal, as Chair of the LDC Group. The debate at the Forum focused on the future implementation of the new Programme of Action and the practical ways and means in which parliaments can assist with that. Reporting back to the plenary of the conference, the IPU Secretary General stressed the importance of good governance as an underlying condition of development: "the problem has to do with who decides what, how and for whom; it is about who gets a place at the table where decisions are made. The underlying problem is political. It is not economic" [ More on the event ... ] |
|
|
IPU President applauds agreement between Palestinian factions
|
5 May 2011. IPU President Dr. Theo-Ben Gurirab made the following statement today: "I applaud the reconciliation agreement just signed in Cairo between the Fatah and Hamas factions. I have always stated, in this and other conflicts that cause deep divisions in today's world, that the path forward lies in dialogue and in respect for the institutions of democracy. That is why I am especially glad that this agreement provides for the establishment of a joint interim government that will prepare the way for elections. I hope that the Palestinian Legislative Council will do everything in its powers to support these steps towards reconciliation as a firm foundation for a new round of democratic elections. I also call upon all the IPU Member Parliaments to lend their support to the process, which I see as a further manifestation of the yearning for more democracy in this region. " This breakthrough calls for support from the international community. |
|
|
National Seminar In Libreville
|
29 April 2011. Together with the Parliament of Gabon, the Inter-Parliamentary Union co-organized a national seminar on 27 and 28 April in Libreville on Strengthening the capacities of local parliamentarians to create an environment conducive to combating child trafficking and child labour. The event was part of a joint IPU-Sahel and West Africa Club project funded by the Kingdom of Belgium on parliamentary action to combat the trafficking of children for labour purposes in West and Central Africa. The seminar’s recommendations, echoed in a national plan of action, focused on implementing reform. The participants agreed to: review the law on preventing and combating child trafficking with a view to bringing it in line with regional and international standards such as the Palermo Protocol against organized crime; increase the financial resources required for the proper functioning of the judicial system in terms of cracking down on traffickers; and harmonize anti-trafficking policies and measures for providing assistance to victims by strengthening cooperation between sending, transit and receiving countries. |
|
|
Bachelet says "Women are more than just good leaders"
21 April 2011. Is there a difference in how men and women do politics? In an interview given during the 124th IPU Assembly in Panama, the Executive Director of UN Women, Ms. Michelle Bachelet, formerly President of Chile, replied that not all women are gender-sensitive. "Many studies have shown that some women even prefer not to give priority to equality in their policies, believing that they would be considered weak and feminist - something that women do not like to hear. However, IPU studies have shown that when there are more women in local government, for example, social issues are given more importance. Greater investments are made in education, health, basic infrastructure and sanitation. Women are more than just good leaders"…"The first area where there is no difference is in their capabilities. Men and women can both be great heads of State or Government. But it appears that women tend to look at how they can foster more equity and equality through social protection policies. In national and local governments led by women, these issues are accorded great importance, which is not to say that they neglect other areas. They also devise financial and international relations strategies" added Ms. Bachelet. [ Watch the interview in Spanish with English subtitles ]
| |
|
Legislating to end violence against women and girls in Central and West Africa
4 April 2011. Members of parliament from twelve countries of Central and West Africa gathered in Ouagadougou (Burkina Faso) from 30 March to 1 April 2011 to discuss legislation and strategies for an effective response to violence against women and girls. The proceedings were held under the aegis of the First Lady of Burkina Faso, Ms. Chantal Compaoré, Goodwill Ambassador for the fight against female genital mutilation (FGM). The participants discussed, inter alia, the key components of various legislative frameworks to eradicate domestic violence, female genital mutilation and sexual violence during conflict and in its aftermath. At the end of three days of valuable exchanges and experience-sharing, the seminar recommended a set of priority measures to formulate an appropriate legislative and social response to violence against women and girls. These measures include the need to: identify and weed out discriminatory provisions in national laws, bringing them in line with international standards; adopt a solid and comprehensive legislative framework centred on prevention, criminal prosecution and sanctions, protection and assistance for victims; enforce the law through appropriate mechanisms; and ensure education and awareness-raising. [ More on the event ... ] |
|
|
MPs in Burkina Faso concerned about the status of women, particularly rural women
|
30 March 2011. At a seminar organized jointly by the IPU and the National Assembly of Burkina Faso, MPs discussed their role in enhancing implementation of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women. The event was held in Ouagadougou on 28 and 29 March 2011 and brought together local MPs and representatives of government agencies and civil society organizations. In spite of the fact that a number of laws have been passed and a national gender policy has been put in place to improve the lot of women, inequality and discrimination persist. These are caused and perpetuated by stereotypes and harmful practices such as early marriage, accusations of witchcraft and female genital mutilation. Given the recent passage of a law on quotas in view of the parliamentary elections scheduled for 2012, women's participation in politics dominated the discussions. MPs have pledged to monitor enforcement of the quota law and to amend it where necessary, thereby guaranteeing a more balanced representation of men and women in the next legislature. They have set as priorities on the legislative agenda the drafting of a law dealing with violence against women and gender-sensitive budgeting. |
|
|
Tunisia: now begins the hard work
|
29 March 2011. In a bid to lend support to the process of electoral reform in Tunisia as preparations get under way for the election of a Constituent Assembly on 24 July 2011, the IPU dispatched an expert mission to the country from 22 to 24 March 2011. Following consultations with Tunisian women politicians, members of civil society organizations and representatives of local and international youth movements, the mission met with the subcommittee tasked with writing the draft electoral law. The discussions centred on identifying which election systems are the most conducive to a balanced representation of women and men in the future Assembly. The mission made the following recommendations: opt for an election system based on proportional representation; retain the principal electoral constituencies; strive for gender parity in candidatures and adhere strictly to the principle of every other candidate being a woman on party lists. It also recommended sanctions in cases of non-compliance and a ceiling on election contributions and candidates' expenses during election campaigns. The mission team was composed of Professor Drude Dahlerup from the University of Stockholm, an expert in election systems and quotas (Sweden), Ms. Françoise Gaspard, former MP and expert on the UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (France), Ms. Syada Greiss, former MP and former President of the IPU Coordinating Committee of Women Parliamentarians (Egypt), and Ms. Zeina Hilal, Programme Officer, IPU Gender Partnership Programme. [ Full text of recommendations ... ] |
|
|
Annual session of the Parliamentary Conference on the WTO
23 March 2011. "We cannot conclude this round without your explicit engagement" said WTO Director-General Pascal Lamy to parliamentarians from around the world attending the annual session of the Parliamentary Conference on the WTO, held in Geneva on 21 and 22 March. The Conference is a joint undertaking of the IPU and the European Parliament. In the words of Canadian Senator Donald Oliver, who co-chaired the session together with Stavros Lambrinidis, Vice-President of the European Parliament, the fact that this year's session was taking place on WTO premises was "a long-awaited and politically symbolic step along the way to endowing the WTO with a meaningful parliamentary dimension". At the end of two days of interactive debate, the Conference adopted by consensus an outcome document encouraging WTO Members to make the most of the narrow window of opportunity to conclude the Doha Round by the end of 2011. [ More on the session ... ] |
|
|
IPU President offers condolences to the people of Japan
|
12 March 2011. IPU President Theo-Ben Gurirab made the following statement today: ''Rarely have I seen the forces of nature cause so much destruction in such a short time as they did on Friday when a ferocious tsunami hit the eastern coast of Japan. As the death toll from this appalling disaster mounts, I want to express my deepest condolences to the people of Japan. Our hearts go out to them at this time of grief and distress. The IPU offers the parliament of Japan its fullest solidarity. It is the role of parliaments to trigger action and make sure that it is followed up. I call on all parliaments to do whatever they can to assist Japan in its hour of need and help alleviate the suffering caused by this terrible disaster. Just as the destruction was swift and lethal, so the recovery will be painstaking and slow. I know the Japanese people will face the challenge with courage. When the time for reconstruction comes, the IPU will stand by Japan's side as the country embarks upon the road to recovery.' |
|
|
International Women's Day - Interviews with Women MPs
8 March 2011. To mark the 100th anniversary of International Women's Day, women parliamentarians from different parts of the world are sharing their views on their experiences in politics. They answer questions about the importance of women in politics, their personal motivation to enter politics, how they would advise a young woman interested in entering politics, and achievements they are proud of.
Interviews (click to read):
Videos (click to watch):
| |
|
IPU President Gurirab concerned at the arrest of the former Speaker of the Iranian Parliament, Mehdi Karoubi
|
4 March 2011. IPU President, Dr. Theo-Ben Gurirab, expressed his concern at the arrest of his former colleague, Mr. Mehdi Karoubi, and his wife a few days ago. The current whereabouts of both are unknown. In a letter sent today to the Speaker of the Parliament of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Mr. Ali Larijani, President Gurirab urged the Speaker to make every effort to ensure that the fundamental rights of Mr. Karoubi and his wife were fully respected. |
|
|
IPU President condemns the violence in Côte d'Ivoire
|
4 March 2011. IPU President Theo-Ben Gurirab made the following statement today: "I am appalled by the violence in Côte d'Ivoire. I condemn in the strongest terms the attack on peaceful demonstrators in the capital of Abidjan resulting in the death of several women. My heart goes out to the victims and their families. To use weapons against unarmed demonstrators is reprehensible and I totally condemn it. As I have said on previous occasions, it is the people and only the people who must choose their leaders. They did so in Côte d'Ivoire. The outgoing President lost the recent elections and must hand over power. Any contrary course of action undermines democracy. Let us all speak with one voice in defence of democracy, the rule of law and public security." |
|
|
IPU Secretary General addresses UN Human Rights Council
|
2 March 2011. The IPU Secretary General today addressed the high level segment of the United Nations Human Rights Council. "We live in historic times", he declared. "The massive popular movements that we are witnessing these days clearly demonstrate that people everywhere aspire to democracy and respect for human rights." The Secretary General highlighted the responsibility of parliament to represent the people, adopt legislation and hold government to account on behalf of the people. "They must be responsive to the needs and aspirations of the people and must help ensure respect for the State's human rights obligations." The Secretary General invited the Council members to work with the IPU to develop a parliamentary dimension to the Human Rights Council, and particularly to its Universal Periodic Review. [ Full text of the speech ... ] |
|
|
|
|
HOME PAGE
Return to Latest News
