Guyana lauded for gender balance in National Assembly
Akbar Khan, Secretary-General of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association
Akbar Khan, Secretary-General of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association

By Ravin Singh

MR AKBAR Khan, Secretary-General of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA), has lauded Guyana’s efforts to integrate women into the composition of its Parliament, as the fight for gender equality across the globe continues to intensify.

Khan was in Guyana for a two-day seminar for local Parliamentarians hosted by the CPA Guyana Branch.

Guyana presently has 23 female Members of Parliament (MPs) from both the Government and Opposition sides, and according to Khan, prominence has been given to the importance of gender equality within Commonwealth Parliaments.

He explained that one of the CPA’s principal programmes is that for the Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians (CWP), which forms part of the association. CWP has a chair which is elected for three years, and a steering committee of parliamentarians which is responsible for women parliamentarians’ issues across the globe.

He expressed the Association’s view that all legislators should strive to ensure that their legislative body represents the society it was elected to represent.

“So if you do not have women’s participation in political life, or you have a low figure of women in politics, then you are not fully representing the society (that) you are elected to represent. So our position is to encourage gender equality,” Khan said.

Commenting on Guyana, he said it is commendable and a welcome development that the country has a number of female politicians and MPs.

In its fight for gender equality, the Commonwealth had recommended that Parliaments in Commonwealth countries should have a one-third composition of women. And while global efforts continue to have this done, the Secretary-General noted that efforts must be made to examine ways to represent a country’s society in a more inclusive manner.

“This year, the theme for the Commonwealth is ‘An inclusive Commonwealth’, and that brings in the importance of diversity in political life and the importance of capturing the richness of that diversity in society, and to work together in a shared endeavour,” he explained.

Mr Khan sought to underscore the need for members of Guyana’s National Assembly to work together, given that Government holds only a one-seat majority in that august body. He said this one-seat majority highlights the need for both sides to work together in an “inclusive manner” for the benefit of all Guyanese.

He echoed the hope of the Commonwealth Observer Group for the last general elections that Government and Parliament would “work together in an-inclusive manner, and bring confidence to the people (whom) the Parliament represents.”

SHARE THIS ARTICLE :
Facebook
Twitter
WhatsApp

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

All our printed editions are available online
emblem3
Subscribe to the Guyana Chronicle.
Sign up to receive news and updates.
We respect your privacy.