INTERNATIONAL DISCUSSIONS

Members of Parliament from around the world will convene in Bahrain for the 146th Inter Parliamentary Union (IPU) Assembly from March 11 to March 15. Bahrain This Month speaks to Bahraini legislator and the First Deputy Chairman of the Shura Council, HE Jamal Mohamed Abdulrahman Fakhroo, who explains the significance of the IPU that is to be hosted by Bahrain.

Hundreds of parliamentarians from all over the world are expected to attend the deliberations on the overall theme of ‘Promoting peaceful coexistence and inclusive societies: Fighting intolerance’. According to the 2022 Global Peace Index, published by the Institute for Economics and Peace, a global think tank, the world has reached its lowest point of peacefulness in the last 15 years.

The Inter Parliamentary Union was established in 1889 with the purpose of bringing parliaments together to discuss international matters. “Through these meetings, parliamentarians are able to discuss matters related to peace, society, freedom and so other subjects that are related to the betterment of people’s lives, bringing freedom and peace to people, societies and the world,” states HE Jamal Mohamed Abdulrahman Fakhroo.

During the Assembly, the IPU will offer opportunities for exchanges on good practices to promote inclusion and support peaceful coexistence as a prerequisite of resilient, cohesive and democratic societies. An estimated 110 parliaments, including delegations from countries in conflict situations, will attend the IPU which will be held at Exhibition World Bahrain (EWB). The IPU currently consists of 179 Member Parliaments following the readmission of Liberia. “We expect between 700 and 800 parliamentarians to attend the IPU assembly in addition to their supporting staff. Hence, we are expecting an attendance of over 1500 people,” he says.

“The outcome we are discussing is with regards to international agendas. We don’t discuss Bahrain or local agenda. So, the outcome of the assembly will be represented through the statement that will be issued at the end of the conference covering the main subject,” he explains.

This statement will include a summary of the speeches delivered by speakers and representatives, covering the theme of the conference. “We have a speaker from King Hamad Centre for Peaceful Coexistence and the Supreme Council of Women. The main speech of our delegation will be delivered by Chairman of the Shura Council, HE Ali bin Saleh Al Saleh,” he states.

The Kingdom of Bahrain has a history of religious coexistence in the region. This is evident through the presence of a synagogue, churches, the 200-year-old Manama temple and mosques. “When you host a conference in your country, the idea is to showcase your country to these delegations while building a political relationship with other parliamentarians. We want to showcase our country, our peaceful coexistence and inclusive society,” he says.

Regarding gender equality and the representation of women, HE believes that a 50 percent representation of women in parliament is necessary. “I believe that we should not have a set figure, but rather keep it open and push the society to elect the number of women they want to elect. It would be great if we can have a 50-50 representation in our parliament,” he says.

“We do not know the exact number of women parliamentarians attending the assembly. Usually, approximately 30 percent of attendees are women. Today, globally, the percentage of women in parliament is approximately 25 percent. Hence, Bahrain is at the global percentage with eight women in the house of representatives and nine women in the Shura Council,” he says.

The Assembly will also see the launch of a new IPU campaign, Parliaments for the Planet, designed to mobilise parliaments and parliamentarians to act on the climate emergency.

Visit ipu.org for more information on the 146th Inter Parliamentary Union Assembly.