Kigali declaration outlines ‘actions to achieve gender equality in Parliaments’

The Kigali Declaration, related to gender equality and sensitive parliaments, has outlined five ‘courageous’ actions required to achieve that, which include gender-responsive laws and parity in political decision-making. Other actions include placing vulnerable populations at the centre; an end to gender-based discrimination; and sharing of care responsibility equally among men and women. This is one of the resolutions that were reached by legislators on Saturday, October 15, at the end of the 145th Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU). The Assembly, which convened over 1,000 delegates, including MPs and Speakers, from 120 parliaments, took place from October 11 through 15, in Kigali, Rwanda. It was arrived at after the general debate on gender equality and gender-sensitive parliaments as drivers of change for a more resilient and peaceful world, which was one of the issues on the IPU Assembly agenda. IPU defines gender-sensitive parliaments as [legislative] institutions that are founded on gender equality, where women and men have equal right to participate without discrimination or recrimination. They respond to the needs and interests of both men and women in their structures, operations, methods and work. Referring to this gender-related discussion, Donatille Mukabalisa, Speaker of Rwanda’s Chamber of Deputies of Rwanda, said they had substantive and robust deliberations over the past three days, having heard 150 interventions from close to 120 national parliaments and the partner organisations. Esperance Nyirasafari, Vice-President in charge of Parliamentary Affairs at the Senate of Rwanda, and Ivan Flores, member of the Parliament of Chile read the Kigali Declaration “as the outcome of the rich, insightful and inspiring general debate of this 145th IPU Assembly”. “We [the IPU 145th Assembly] must reach parity in political decision-making using all means, including 50/50 quotas,” Nyirasafari said while reading the declaration. After Covid-19, she said, they have realised that crises are never gender neutral, rather exacerbate gender-based inequality, hold back society and challenge resilience. “We affirm that gender equality is key in confronting pandemics, conflicts, economic recessions and climate change,” Nyirasafari added. The legislators held that they believe in a new generation of more diverse parliamentarians, which brings even more support for the advancement of gender equality and inclusivity. “We must share the care responsibility equally among men and women. Let’s set ourselves an example in our societies by undertaking 50 per cent of the daily care work for our families, regardless of whether we are male or female MPs,” Nyirasafari said. MP Ivan Flores said “We must end gender-based discrimination and violence, and other harmful practices, and ensure access to sexual and reproductive health, rights and justice for all women and girls”. Meanwhile, in 2008, the Rwanda Chamber of Deputies was the first elected national parliament where women were the majority, according to IPU. It indicated that the proportion of MPs who are women in Rwanda is at 61.25 per cent today, way above the current global average of 26.4 per cent. Rwanda has been at the top of the IPU’s monthly ranking of women in national parliaments for years.

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Kigali declaration outlines ‘actions to achieve gender equality in Parliaments’