Hold your gov’ts accountable;Ban Ki-moon to IPU delegates

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has called on global Parliaments to put to task national governments to adequately deliver services to their people.Ban’s remarks were contained in a speech read for him by Zachary Muburi-Muita, his Special Representative and Head of the UN office to the African Union at the ongoing 126th Assembly of the Inter Parliamentary Union (IPU) in Kampala, Uganda.The main item on the agenda of assembly is access to health as a basic right and the role of parliaments in addressing key challenges to securing the health of women and children. “Your citizens expect you to translate their voice into government action, and to hold governments to account when they fall short on delivery,” Ban told thousands of delegates gathered for the six-day meeting.“We need you to remind governments of their international commitments, translate these commitments into national legislation and fund their implementation,” he added.The UN chief called for stepping up of efforts to implement the global strategy for women and children’s health, emphasising that tens of millions of women, newborn infants, and children depend on it.The President of the IPU, Abdelwahad Radi underscored the urgent need for the legislators to improve the economic conditions and living standards of their people, as well as introduce democratic reforms based on their aspirations.“We need to look at how to change the system of governance and our outmoded international institutions where necessary,” he said. “We must address the accountability of power and establish institutions that are able to meet the expectations of citizens in the 21st Century,” he added.Meanwhile, women parliamentarians at the meeting have decried the low proportion and visibility of women in the private sector and national politics. “As women leaders, we should play our part in ensuring that no more women should die while giving life,” said Faith Mukakalisa, a Rwandan Member of Parliament.“We shall also be sharing experiences and charting the way forward on how we can put an end to sexual gender based violence,” she added.Mukakalisa said that while Rwanda enjoys a good international reputation on women participation in politics, the country is learning much on how countries like Sweden have managed to maintain high numbers of women in the private sector.Ugandan Member of Parliament, Ruth Acheng, called on governments to ensure that as girl children are brought up in schools they should be given equal opportunities as boys.“The problem is that right from the lowest level of education, girls are showed that they are not equal to boys because there is a distinction in the roles they are asked to play,” Acheng said.IPU is the world’s largest union of national parliaments. It now also includes regional parliaments as associate members.

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Hold your gov’ts accountable;Ban Ki-moon to IPU delegates